Lately, medical tourism has gained huge global popularity. According to the World Bank Organization report, in just one decade (2013–2023), demand for medical tourism
has more than doubled, and global health-related travel exports have grown by 70%. This growth has been more pronounced in middle-income countries, such as Türkiye, Thailand, and Mexico.
People would travel to get cosmetic procedures, dental treatments, or even whole body check-ups in different countries for an array of reasons. Dental Treatments abroad are one of the top reasons for medical tourism for several reasons. We will be exploring this more in the article
What Is Dental Treatment Abroad?
Long story short, it is basically traveling abroad to get your dental treatment or dental procedure, or surgery done.
In a lot of countries, especially after the COVID-19 crisis, the healthcare facilities have crumbled due to the crisis, leaving a lot of patients in need of care and lacking the money or means, while other countries were able to move on from the crisis and thrive. The thriving countries are now offering services worldwide. Some countries have advanced technology, and some have a high standard of care, and they all seem to be affordable to people from the United Kingdom, the United States, and Australia.
Why Would You Consider Dental Treatment Abroad?
Countries like Thailand, Mexico, and Turkey are developing their systems to increase medical tourism, and their private sector has been thriving. There are a lot of hospitals that have global accreditation, a high standard of care, and new advanced technology. Additionally, they are affordable, so you will get better healthcare at lower prices.
What Are the Top Destinations for Dental Treatment?
According to The Insider Monkey, the top 5 countries for dental tourism are the following:
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Turkey
Turkey is one of those places that offer premium quality at affordable prices. Their government is very serious when it comes to medical care, and it is very rare to find bad clinics that are not up to standard.
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Thailand
If you Google the word “Land of Smiles” right now, Thailand will pop up on your search. They have earned this title with one of the top-tier healthcare systems for dental treatments, especially in Bangkok.
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Mexico
Mexico is the go-to place for people residing in the USA. It offers a lot of treatments with a high standard of care at a fraction of the price that a USA citizen would usually pay.
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Dominica Republic
If you are done with the healthcare system in the USA and Europe, then you probably heard of the Dominican Republic, which provides premium services with
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India
As part of their initiative, Heal in India, the Indian government has been improving the health care system with internationally accredited hospitals and affordable treatments. They want to attract more tourists.
What Are the Most Popular Dental Treatments?
• Teeth Whitening
When they use either a laser or an LED treatment. It helps clean the teeth and get rid of any stains.
• Dental Veneers
A Hollywood smile was originally people getting veneers to hide any flaws.Veneers are shells that create a cover for the front of your teeth that is cemented in place. You would need to get a thin layer of enamel removed to put it on
• Dental Crowns
If you have a severe decay, then crowns can work perfectly with you. They are caps that are put on your tooth like a cover. Porcelain crowns are one of the most famous types used, but Zircona crowns are the sturdiest and most resilient type.
• Gum Contouring
This procedure is used to reshape the excess gum tissue using a surgical scalpel( not used often), or a laser, which is also called Laser Gum Levelling.
• Teeth Implants
This procedure is important for people who have lost some of their teeth. It helps fix their smile, as well as regaining functionality and preserving other teeth.
They can place a single tooth, or they can implant a bridge or even a whole arch of teeth.
Is Dental Treatment Abroad Safe?
Yes and No, if you do the research, read the reviews, and understand what you need to do exactly, then it would be a safe trip for you with no issues. However, if you go with the first offer without checking the clinic or doctor, you might be very unlucky and could be an easy prey for sales personnel to convince you to get expensive unnecessary procedures, or worse, you could get a cheap treatment that could send you to the ER. So, be careful and do your research .
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Is dental work abroad as good as in the US/UK?
Yes, as we said earlier, lately the NHS has had a huge dental crisis and the healthcare in the USA is struggling even more. Governments abroad are updating their clinics and hospitals to attract tourists. They have created top-tier services with advanced technology that would cost ridiculous amounts in the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia.
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How much can I really save?
According to our calculations and the average of prices abroad, then probably pay more than 70% of the price you would pay in Europe or the USA.
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What if something goes wrong after I return home?
First of all, a lot of clinics offer post-care guarantees , so check for guarantees that cover the recovery in case of complications. This is general advice as well; you should gather all the documentation of your treatment from beginning to end. You should get a second opinion and contact the clinic to tell them about the issue. In case they refused to help, then you can either contact a lawyer who understands the Turkish Law and take legal action.