It is no secret that health care has a high price in some countries, and people are constantly in a dilemma since they cannot afford the treatments they need. This is a prevalent situation in dental care and a lot of patients risk their health because of it. Still, nowadays, it is becoming more popular the concept of dental tourism: a 'vacation' abroad to find cheaper dental work and treatments that would be too expensive in their home country. There are many factors and variables to consider before deciding on dental tourism, and especially if you are new to this, there can be many doubts about how safe is it, its quality, prices, what are the best countries, and more. Here we will answer some of these questions so you can decide if dental tourism is an option for you.
Why Travel Abroad?
The main reason why people travel abroad for dental treatments is that they can find cheaper prices and save a lot of money without sacrificing quality, according to this dentist who does orthodontics in Vienna. Expensive dental treatments like dental implants, zirconia crowns, and surgery can easily skyrocket in some countries, and patients cannot afford the whole process, but doing dental tourism can help them save up to 80% in costs.
Why is Dental Care Cheaper Abroad?
The reason why is it so cheap there is because salaries are lower, there are free studies or low-cost colleges, low real estate prices, materials and equipment cost less, and low cost of living. These factors make dental care accessible and affordable compared with prices in other countries like the U.S., Canada, or the U.K. Going to these countries can be a great solution for people that need important dental work and don’t want to risk their overall health in the long term. Even though it can be overwhelming to think about traveling for dental care, nowadays it is very common and there is a lot of information online to prepare properly.
Is Dental Care Abroad Good Quality?
A common misconception is that cheaper dental work means bad quality, and this is not correct at all. Most countries considered hot spots for dental tourism have many high-quality dental clinics and dentists. Since these places receive people from all over the world, there is high competition to stand out, have the best prices, the best and latest equipment, work with only top-quality materials, and offer guidance and help to all patients. Also, due to this competition, dentists are constantly studying, improving, and specializing in the latest techniques since this is the only way to stand out on the market. It is possible to find professionals with years of experience, with studies in ivy-league schools, training in modern treatments, and even awards! For these reasons, dental tourism hot spots are the best places to find top-quality treatments and professionals while paying less.
Best Countries for Dental Treatments
Many countries are suitable for dental tourism, but the most popular are Mexico, India, Turkey, Thailand, Costa Rica, Colombia, Spain, and Hungary. Mexico is the go-to for Americans, and there is even a city called Molar City, an entire place dedicated to dental tourism. Hungary was the first country to receive dental tourism ever and today has a great variety of options and facilities that have grown over the years.
Recommendations Before Doing Dental Tourism
There are many details to take into consideration before doing dental tourism. So the first recommendation is to make research different locations, facilities, prices, and travel expenses like flight tickets, hotel, and more. It is also possible to find information online like patient reviews, opinions, and experiences which can be helpful to determine if your destiny is a good option for you. Another recommendation is to get a local dentist to give you a proper diagnosis. Knowing what you have and what type of treatment you need to be done will help you to look and ask for exact prices. This can save you time on you are on your destiny and also money since the dentist will already have an idea of your situation. Lastly, the last recommendation is to always be aware of red flags and look for good signs of professionality. A good dentist and clinic will gladly answer all your questions, show certifications, degrees, and permissions, give your proper guidance and information about the treatment, and more.