5 Tips for Choosing a Dental Clinic Abroad

These days we are lucky enough to be able to access good quality services throughout the world. Frequent travel, the information superhighway and our desire for a bargain mans that many more of us are taking the plunge and getting dental care abroad.

Whereas at home we may rely on word of mouth from friends, neighbors and relatives to pick a new dentist, this isn’t an option for selecting a dentist abroad. Here’s 5 tips to help you get the most out of choosing a dentist abroad.

1: List your Priorities

You will need to do a little work and it helps to focus your mind on what’s important to you. People travel for all sorts of reasons, and the same is true of getting dental care abroad. Your priorities may be restricted by what your dental needs are, but some things you may want to consider are:

·         Location

Do you want to travel long or short-haul? This may be dictated to by what dental procedure you are having done, but consider if you’d like a two week holiday in , say, a beach resort or would you rather have a shorter trip that can be done on a day or two?

Many patients from the United States think nothing of a quick trip over the US-Mexico border to visit a Mexico dentist as a day tripper, with border towns like Los Algodones attracting thousands on a daily basis.

·         Is Dental Insurance accepted?

If you have dental insurance you may want to find a dentist that accepts it. Some insurance providers nowadays will pay up for dental care overseas, and your money will certainly go a lot further. You can always check with you insurer and asking if they cover for ‘out-of-network’ care.

2: Search using a trusted provider

Dental tourism websites offer the best and easiest way of finding a dental clinic abroad. Very often you can search their listings via location, or by procedure, and they often provide a lot of other useful resources that may come in handy. Be sure to choose one who you trust. Do they often guarantees? How do they assess the quality of their dentists? Is it easy to speak to one of their team? Do they have independent verifiable testimonials from online review sites?

3: Check credentials

Before you book an appointment be sure to check the credentials of both the dentist, and the clinic. This is where booking through a trusted dental tourism provider may provide with additional peace-of-mind, but in any case you should always look at:

·         Dentist qualifications

·         Training and experience

·         Professional memberships

·         Clinic photos

·         Online reviews and testimonials

4: Verify Prices

Most people initially go abroad because they are looking to save money. Very often, they will need treatment that at home they just can’t afford. Costs abroad are, on average, 70% less than at home, which can add up to saving thousands or tens of thousands on a big procedure. Even on everyday procedures, such as fillings, savings of over 90% can be achieved at a Thailand dentist so it’s worth looking into while you’re on holiday.

Price is not and should not be the only consideration, but it is important when you’re assessing what you can afford. Be sure to obtain a written quote, and check what’s included. While you may be used to general anesthesia at home as standard it isn’t the case overseas – and could add several hundred to your bill.

5:  Ask questions

Find out everything you can about your procedure and never be afraid to ask questions. Ask your dental tourism provider and any dentists you are considering using. It may help to write a list of any beforehand, and to jot the answers down. Questions may be about the procedure, for example how long you should stay in the location for the duration of the treatment? Or they may be practical questions about getting from the airport to the clinic.

Don’t forget – it’s your body and your money – so choose your dentist abroad carefully.