According to a report in Dentistry magazine this month, a shocking amount of Brits who have dental treatment abroad are paying out more money to get their teeth fixed after they return to the UK.
The survey into dental tourism, conducted by the British Dental Association found that 86% of dentists have treated patients who developed problems after having dental treatment abroad. That’s almost 9 out of 10. Some reported teeth that were ‘over-prepped’ – i.e. much more of the tooth was removed than necessary for a veneer, along with implants that fell out and ill-fitting crowns.
Problems with crowns
87% of dentists surveyed identified crowns as the treatment that was most likely to require remedial work, followed by dental implants at 85%. When asked to identify the highest single risk factor involved, 86% said failed or failing treatment, followed by pain (76%) and treatments that have been poorly executed (72%).
A costly mistake
65% of dentists reported that it had cost patients at least £500 to repair the damage done to the patient’s teeth abroad. 51% said it cost more than £1,000 and one in five dentists said that it cost more than £5,000 to put right. They also reported a rise in cases over the past three years now that people are able to fly out and get work done again.
Why do people get dental treatment abroad?
A significant proportion of the dental work being carried out abroad is cosmetic, as people hop on the trend for veneers and glowing white teeth, popularised by celebrities and social media ‘influencers’. The main motivating factor for having the treatment abroad is the price – and perhaps the chance to have a bit of a holiday at the same time! But cosmetic treatment in the UK doesn’t cost as much as you might think, and is less likely to need correcting afterwards.
Speaking about the problem in Dentistry magazine, Eddie Crouch, Chair of the British Dental Association discusses the pitfalls of having treatment abroad:
“Patients need to provide informed consent for any treatment they have and be wary of a hard-sell, as the reality is rarely as simple as it appears on Instagram. Sadly, many UK dentists are now picking up the pieces when things go wrong.
“Complex courses of treatment typically require detailed preparation and a number of follow-up visits. Patients should be aware of the risks and alternatives to the treatment desired, and get advice on what they should do in the event of problems occurring when they return.
“The cost of follow-up treatment needs to be factored in. If there are complications, the initial price may not be such a bargain.
“We strongly advise people considering this to check a dentist’s qualifications and experience and whether they are insured if things go wrong.”
Regrets over ‘Turkey teeth’
2018 Love Island winner Jack Fincham spoke of his regret over his own set of ‘Turkey teeth.’ He decided to get cosmetic crowns in Turkey primarily because two of his friends had the same treatment. He said that if he had known the risks involved beforehand, he would not have had the treatment and he wanted to speak openly about it so that other people didn’t see his teeth on television and decided to get something similar without knowing the facts. He also thought that cosmetic treatment in the UK would very expensive but he found out afterwards that it cost less than he thought.
Crowns were one of the biggest causes of problems reported in the BDA survey, as Eddie Crouch explains:
“The issue is that they’re having crowns done on healthy teeth. They are having healthy teeth drilled extensively for a cosmetic result.
“I understand that people find it far more economic to actually go abroad and have this treatment, but in the longer term it may cost them significantly more than they’ve paid for that treatment.
“There will be ongoing maintenance, they might need replacing, and when they have a problem, they will be having that sorted out in the UK.”
Do the research
As your dentist, of course we would advise you to have all of your treatments at our practice, but it’s not just because we want your custom, it’s because we have a duty of care to look after you and your teeth. We know your history, all of our practice staff are professional, qualified and experienced. We may not be able to guarantee the sunshine with your visit but we can assure you that you will receive the highest quality treatment and aftercare.
We realise that we can’t tell you where to have your treatment, but if you are considering treatment abroad, we would advise you to proceed with caution and do lots of research before you commit to anything.
Make enquiries about the practitioner and ask lots of questions. If it all sounds too good to be true, then it probably is:
- How long have they been practising?
- What qualifications and experience do they have?
- Where is the procedure being performed what does the treatment consist of?
- Will your procedure require follow ups or aftercare?
- What are the potential complications?
- How much will it cost to fix if it goes wrong?
If they are evasive about answering your questions then this could be a cause for concern. Also take the time to compare treatments and prices – including dentists here in the UK. As Jack Fincham said, he was surprised to discover that his treatment would have cost less in the UK than he originally thought.
Spread the cost
If you decide to have your dental treatment in the UK you may be able to spread the cost, so along with the benefits of having your treatment performed a trusted local dentist it could be more affordable than you realise.
Here at the Wellesley we are able to offer a finance option for patients who would like to spread the cost of their treatment with an interest-free loan from Tabeo, paid in monthly instalments. You can find out more about this on our Finance Options page.
If you’d like to talk about any of our treatments – or you’re unfortunate enough to have some dental work that needs fixing, get in touch today and we’ll be happy to talk through your options.
