Conservative party proposes no-show fee for young dental patients

Erlend Svardal Bøe, the Conservative Party's health policy spokesperson, called for a "no-show" charge aimed at 19- to 28-year-olds who skip heavily subsidised dental appointments. He highlighted that 6,837 individuals failed to attend dental visits last year, including nearly 2,000 from the targeted age group. Bøe argued that missed appointments waste capacity that could serve older patients or those with mental health and substance-use challenges, who should remain exempt.

The party plans to present the fee proposal with the upcoming state budget, allowing county councils to determine the amount, possibly using the 1,993-kroner standard applied in specialist health care. Opposition parties criticised the measure as punitive toward financially vulnerable youth.