Dental Tourism: Is It Worth the Risk?
An AI generated photo with the search of “Dental Tourism”
It took less than 5 seconds for the internet to create an AI-generated photo of people smiling in a dental office. Dental tourism is on the rise, and patients should be asking questions.
Dental tourism is a hot topic, & patients have been talking about it much more the past 5 years. People are opting to fly abroad to have dental treatment done for “cheaper” & “faster”. The most common dental treatment patients have spoken to me about include full mouth veneers, crowns, & dental implants.
The popularity can be attributed to the mass social media marketing online & the attractiveness of dental treatment bundled with a vacation. There are hundreds of short videos, clips, & posts of influencers visiting clinics while showing their beautiful “before and after” smiles. Crooked, stained teeth become straight & white. A patient with multiple missing teeth, suddenly has a perfect full smile the next day. Multiple implants with permanent crowns placed in a single appointment. Wow, that’s amazing!
What’s the catch?
While I have not personally gone abroad for any type of dental or medical procedure, I have examined & treated many patients that have returned after completing dental work in other countries.
Some of the cases look beautiful from the outside, but many cases are problematic. Unfortunately, many patients don’t know the difference between good & bad dentistry. Patients often only focus on “esthetics” and “looks”, but that is only one part of a successful dental treatment.
Once a clinical exam & radiographs are taken, I have seen half completed root canals, untreated periodontal disease (gum disease), ill-fitting crowns, & more. Unfortunately, most of these problems don’t cause pain until the situation is severe.
“Never judge another dentist’s work until you’ve worked in that patient’s mouth.”
I’ve always been taught to never judge another dentist’s work especially if I wasn’t there and don’t have all the adequate information. No matter what country or education level, there will always be good & bad in any profession. I cannot say whether another dentist is “good” or “bad”.
The best I can do for my patient is to tell the truth about what I see & recommend how to treat the problem(s).
My advice to patients thinking about dental tourism is to do your research, ask important questions, & plan for possible complications.
8 thoughts to consider about dental tourism:
Is the doctor licensed, & is there any history of malpractice?
Ask about the quality of materials & medications used.
Ask for a copy of your dental implant information (brand, size, type, reference number).
Beware of AI-generated & altered photos & videos.
Be cautious of comparing yourself to other patients.
Does cheaper & faster really mean better?
What happens when your treatment starts to fail?
Fixing dental treatment completed abroad can often be more complicated & more expensive in the long-run.
I believe every patient has the right to make their own informed decisions about their health. However, it’s important to understand that every choice has consequences. Some choices are reversible, while others are irreversible.
Regardless of a patient’s decisions, I’ll be here to help as best I can. Let’s just hope the patient seeks help before it’s too late.
