October brings several changes and important deadlines for dentists in Belgium. Patient identification, the arrival of new trainees, antibiotic prescribing, the nomenclature reform and the telematics premium: DentalHub sums up what you need to know.
1. Electronic third-party payment: identifying the patient becomes mandatory
This is probably the most tangible change for dental practices since 1 October. Dental practitioners must now verify the patient's identity at every contact when applying third-party payment electronically.
A test phase had been running since 1 February 2026. Until 30 September, identification errors were still reported for information only. That is no longer the case: an error can now cause the electronic invoice to be rejected.
Electronically reading the eID remains the preferred method. For children, the Kids-ID or the ISI+ card may be used, and INAMI/RIZIV provides alternatives when the patient does not have their card during the consultation.
The practical advice fits in one sentence: tell your patients when they book, and repeat it in your SMS and e-mail reminders.
"Please bring your identity card: it is required to apply third-party payment."
2. A new generation of dentists starts their traineeship
The beginning of October also marks the arrival of many new trainee dentists in practices and training services.
To practise in that capacity, the candidate dentist must hold a traineeship plan. Once it is administratively in order, INAMI/RIZIV automatically assigns a trainee dentist INAMI number, activated on the date the traineeship begins.
Reimbursable services carried out by the trainee under their traineeship plan may be reimbursed, provided in particular that the training supervisor is physically present in the service or practice where they are performed.
If you are hosting a trainee, this is the right moment to check that the administrative details and the traineeship plan are correctly registered.
3. Antibiotics: careful, the timetable has changed
An important change to the prescribing and dispensing of antibiotics had been announced for 1 October 2026. It has been postponed: according to the latest information from the BCFI/CBIP, dispensing antibiotics by the unit takes effect on 1 January 2027, the delay being due to software adaptations that had not been sufficiently tested on the pharmacists' side.
The principle of the reform still matters for prescribing dentists. The measure covers solid oral forms in ATC class J01 — tablets, capsules, sachet powders and effervescent tablets, but not syrups — except for a list of excluded products and non-reimbursable medicines. For those medicines, the pharmacist will dispense the quantity actually matching the treatment duration rather than a whole pack.
The prescription will have to clearly identify the active substance, the pharmaceutical form, the strength, the daily dose and the duration of treatment.
The aim is to reduce unused antibiotics, limit self-medication and help fight antimicrobial resistance. For dentists, the instruction is simple: start preparing now for the arrangements planned for January 2027.
4. Dental nomenclature reform: work continues
The nomenclature reform is one of the sector's major projects. The 2026-2027 dentist-insurer agreement provides for the work to be carried out during 2026 and 2027, aiming at a new nomenclature of dental services on 1 January 2028.
The stated ambition is to put objective figures behind the tariffs, so that remuneration matches the reality of care, while making the nomenclature clearer and easier to interpret.
This reform comes in a context where practices have already seen several changes in 2026, in particular the ban, since 1 July 2026, on charging supplements to beneficiaries of the increased reimbursement (BIM/VT) for the outpatient dental services covered by article 5 of the nomenclature.
5. Telematics premium: do not miss the final deadline
Dentists who meet the conditions can still apply for their telematics premium for the year 2025. Applications have been open since 28 August and run until 30 November 2026, through the "Telematics premium" module in ProSanté.
This deadline deserves particular attention: 2025 is the last year for which this premium can be claimed. Check your situation and your usage scores for the various e-services now.
In summary
Since 1 October 2026, dental practices mainly have one new operational obligation to absorb: verifying the patient's identity at every contact when third-party payment is applied electronically. Autumn also brings a new generation of trainees, the continuation of the nomenclature project, and preparation for the future antibiotic rules.
And one date belongs in the diary: 30 November 2026, the last day to submit the 2025 telematics premium application.
Dates to remember
- 1 October 2026 — mandatory patient identification for electronic third-party payment.
- 30 November 2026 — deadline to apply for the 2025 telematics premium.
- 1 January 2027 — new rules for prescribing and dispensing the antibiotics concerned.
- 2026-2027 — continuation of the dental nomenclature reform.
- 1 January 2028 — announced target for the new nomenclature.
DentalHub will continue to follow the regulatory and administrative developments that have a concrete impact on the day-to-day running of Belgian dental practices.
