Have you heard of dental tourism yet? Maybe you’ve even been a participant in this booming industry. If you don’t know what it is, you’re definitely missing out. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of time to get in on this hot trend, and something tells me it’s just getting started.
What is dental tourism?
If you’re like most Brits, chances are there’s dental work that you would like to have done, but just haven’t been able to afford. It could be that you’re missing teeth due to a lack of proper dental care when you were a child. Or perhaps your teeth are discoloured due to staining from the foods you eat and drink.
Whatever the reason is, there are plenty of dental procedures that are quite expensive, and that aren’t covered by the NHS.
That’s where dental tourism comes in. See, in many countries outside of the UK, dental care is way cheaper. You may hesitate when you hear the word “cheaper” because it can often be associated with a lower standard of care.
But that’s not the case here! In countries like Poland, Hungary, Spain and Turkey, dental care is a fraction of the cost that it is in the UK.
For example, take tooth implants: If you have a missing tooth or even missing teeth, it’s important to get them replaced, not only for aesthetic reasons, but also for your overall oral health in the long run. The problem is, in the UK, a single tooth implant can cost you upwards of £2,000! So imagine if you needed more than one? Or even a whole mouth!
The good news is that the same implant that costs so much in the UK, might only cost you £750 in Spain, and as little as £470 in Budapest!
Why is dental work cheaper abroad?
Upon hearing how much cheaper dental work is in other countries, you may assume that the lower costs are due to lower quality. But that’s just not true!
So how do other countries keep prices down? The answer is actually relatively straightforward. See, in many other countries, even in Europe, the cost of living is much lower than it is in the UK. That also means that owning a business isn’t as expensive; dentists get paid less and so do support staff. Since it costs less money to provide the work, the dentists can, in turn, charge patients less money.
As always, there are some people who will take advantage of you and the system, and potentially provide lower quality work. But you won’t have that problem if you do the proper research beforehand. The dentists who participate in the dental tourism industry strive to provide the best treatment, so that their clients will tell their friends to go too.
If you think this is something that might interest you, you can read this article on dental work abroad to plan your next holiday, and makeover your smile while you’re at it.
Disclaimer
Any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the Yucatan Times.
