Dental Tourism

All you needed to know about Dental Tourism and were afraid to ask.

In these times patients are asking us more and more about cheaper dental treatment, most often we get asked about dental tourism. We have all heard of the good stories but how about the bad ones. Here's the low-down on some research done by Smile Design on this interesting topic!

How do I know that I am getting the right course of treatment?

What we also found was that people were not comparing like with like. We would suggest that if you are thinking of going abroad for any dental treatment you should get a full dental assessment in writing , of the treatment that you require.

Is there real value abroad?

Certainly the prices seem cheaper; however when flights and hotel accommodation are taken into account the price can increase significantly. Another thing to bear in mind is how things are priced differently e.g. regarding implant treatment , each stage is priced separately; the implant placement, the bone grafting if needed, sedation for the procedure, and the placement of the abutment and crown. This can be a bit confusing so be careful.

Ask the dentist searched the internet and looked up 20 sites and certainly the price comparisons have been exaggerated. We did our own survey of prices and we found that some Irish dentists were as cheap as Northern Ireland. Some websites quoted dental implants in Ireland @€4,500 which was a gross exaggeration .When we did our research dental implants were being offered for as little as €1,900.

What happens if I have any problems?

We rang 10 dentists today and told them that we had treatment abroad and are having problems.Worringly only 1 dentist offered us an appointment. The most important thing is to maintain a good relationship with your own dentist and don't be afraid to discuss your plans. He might even offer you the treatment for the same price. It is also very important that you know what type of implant system they have used because they need to be tightened and maintained every year. Some of the systems are not compatible and you may have to travel to that country every year to maintain your investment which can be costly.

Do the dentists abroad have the same qualifications as an Irish Dentist?

In some countries the qualifications are recognised in Ireland, however in others they are not and the Dentist if he/she wants to practise in Ireland must sit the Irish exam. Treatment modalities can be different in other countries.

Here are our tips for going abroad:

• Always make sure you get a full examination including x-rays before you go. Get your treatment in writing so you can compare prices properly.
• Make sure you check the dentists qualifications and the amount of experience he has, don't forget you are investing a lot of trust and money
• Make sure that you know what type of treatment you are getting and what kind of systems they are using just in case you need to have implants tightened or maintained.
• Factor in the amount of times that you must visit the country and always include one extra visit. Don't forget a lot of these treatments are for life and need to be maintained at least once a year.
• Try and have a good relationship with your dentist in Ireland just in case you run into problems. Don't forget a lot of these treatments are for life

Why not let us design a treatment plan, arrange x-rays and cost your treatment needs prior to going overseas?

We offer value for money with the emphasis on continuity of care without the need to travel. Why not call us for a free consultation? - contact us