Record numbers of British patients are travelling abroad for dental treatment because of the high costs and long waiting time for treatment in Britain.
The growth in dental tourism is being fueled by cut-price private treatment, offered in combination with spa breaks. Hundreds of people traveled abroad to our clinic for treatment in 2007.
High costs and the difficulty of finding an NHS dentist have made dental tourism the fastest-growing category of medical tourism, with Slovakia a very popular destination for dental treatment.
Savings of thousands of pounds have been reported by British patients having porcelain crowns and dental implants in Slovakia compared to the cost in Britain. Of 648 people who responded to our questionnaire, the majority said saving money was their chief reason for travelling.
There is a lot of misconception about the quality of care and experiences of dental tourists. Our research shows that whether patients are travelling to Slovakia for dentistry over the weekend or for a two week holiday and dentistry, they are having positive experiences. The quality and range of treatment available, coupled with the cost benefits, means that having treatment overseas is now a real option for many people.