In the UK, we’ve been lucky to have a “free at the point of service” National Health Care System for many years. Unfortunately, people in the U.S. don’t have the same luxury and need money to access quality health care or any health care at all.
Despite our free health care, a lot of people are choosing to go abroad for medical treatment. This can be for a variety of reasons. For serious illnesses, it might be because the best skills and expertise are found in other countries, and naturally, everyone wants the best care for their loved ones.
One of the main reasons people go abroad, though, is for dental care. With the reduction of NHS dental services and the rise of private dental practices offering new cosmetic procedures, many are discovering treatments they didn’t even know existed before. Treatments like dental veneers and implants are becoming popular and are literally changing the way the British public looks, as we’ve long had a reputation for poor teeth. These days, fewer people are willing to accept having crooked and discolored teeth and are seeking ways to improve their appearance.
However, the downside is the cost. While some procedures, like teeth whitening, are fairly affordable, especially for a one-time event, others, like dental implants, can be very expensive. A single implant can cost more than a thousand pounds.
This high cost has led some people to look at dental tourism in countries like Poland, or Mexico for those in the U.S. These countries often offer much lower prices for procedures, and sometimes even include flights and accommodation. Naturally, this can be very tempting, but are there any downsides?
While there are many excellent dentists abroad, how can we be sure of their quality, especially if there’s a language barrier? Having a hole drilled into your jaw by someone you chose purely for their lower price and whom you have no prior knowledge of can be uncomfortable. If something goes wrong, how much would it cost to fix it? Would you even want to return to the same dentist? Many UK dentists won’t work on procedures done by another dentist, so that’s not always a backup plan.
If you do decide to go abroad, it’s best to find someone recommended by a friend and do thorough research beforehand. However, for most people, having the treatment done locally, even if it costs more, is still likely to be the better option.