There is no doubt about it; going to the dentist is painful to the wallet as well as to your gums, especially if you haven’t been for ages and have more than one procedure that needs doing. While it is certainly a good idea to have your teeth checked at least once a year, many people don’t do this, with the result that they need multiple fillings and/or extractions, not to mention cleaning and scaling, root canal work or caps.
Young people often need to have braces to straighten their teeth and prevent further problems as they age and this too, is usually extremely expensive. Some people decide to go overseas for dental treatment, such as Dental Veneers, because it is so much cheaper. However, is this really a good idea? Here are some pros and cons for doing so.
Pros
- Dental treatment is certainly much cheaper in some overseas countries. Some people save half the cost.
- You can have a holiday at the same time; in fact, it’s a good excuse for a holiday.
- The dental clinic is usually set up beautifully.
- You are treated very well; probably better than at a local clinic.
- Many dental professionals have received training in Western countries, so know what they are doing.
Cons
- If you have a toothache, waiting for your annual holidays will mean you have pain for months before you can get treatment.
- If something goes wrong, it’s a long way to go back to have it fixed – and how do you know it will be fixed?
- There are not the same laws governing dental practitioners overseas as in Australia, so you don’t know what training the dentist has had.
- What hygiene standards are used? Do they sterilise everything? You can’t tell because it is done – if it is done – in another room.
- If the treatment hasn’t worked and you’ve already arrived home, can you then go back for more treatment? It’s unlikely and if you do, it’s more costly with yet another plane fare and your accommodation.
- Additional treatment to fix what went wrong is unlikely to be free as it often is in Australia.
- There are no options for complaint if something goes wrong.
Tips for Overseas Dental Treatment
If you do decide to risk going overseas there are certain things you can do to ensure everything goes according to plan.
- Research options online and seek opinions on forums.
- Don’t choose the cheapest option as it is unlikely to be as good.
- Once you’ve chosen, make sure to ask for a full treatment plan and a price list that includes everything.
- Make sure you have extra time in case it takes longer than you planned.
- If you need to go back for more work, accept the fact that you’ll lose any savings.