While going abroad for dental care can cost less, dentists have raised concerns over the quality of work carried out in foreign clinics, writes FIONA REDDAN
WHILE IRISH students have been availing of the E111 or the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) for years to get their teeth fixed for little or no cost while working or studying in Europe, the rise in dental tourism is a more recent phenomenon.
Travelling to Thailand, Hungary or Northern Ireland to get a root canal or dental implants is now an every-day occurrence for many Irish people, as, fed up with the rise in the cost of dental fees over the past decade in Ireland, more and more people are willing to travel further afield to get their dental work done for a proportion of the cost. While dentists warn that going abroad for care can cost less but result in work of an inferior quality, Irish people have not yet been put off.
Given its proximity, Northern Ireland is unsurprisingly the location of choice for many looking for cheaper dental work. A recent survey by Consumer Choice magazine showed that the cost of dental services in Dublin was, on average, almost 30 per cent higher than the same services in Belfast. For example, the survey showed that the cost of a routine dental examination and polish from Dublin dentists varied between €70 and €140, while the same work cost between €57 and €91 in Belfast.
Some of the most popular treatments Irish people travel abroad for include root canals, and it is easy to see why. For example, at the Pearl Dental Practice in Dublin, a root canal will set you back between €480-€800, but at Bachelors Walk Dental Surgery in Lisburn, the cost ranges from just €164 to €380, indicating possible savings of about 50 per cent.
If you are willing to travel further afield, you can make greater savings. In Budapest’s Dental Care clinic, the cost of root canal treatment ranges from €58-€85, while in Poland, Dentists in Krakow offer a similar service costing up to €80.
While Thailand might seem a little far-flung for many, it has become increasingly popular as a location for dental tourism, with some Irish people combining a sun holiday with a dental overhaul. And when you look at the prices charged the motivation is clear.
At the Thai Smile Dental Clinic in Pattaya, for example, fillings cost from just €11, while extractions also start at this price. Dental implants, which can cost up to about €3,000 in Ireland, start at just €916, while a crown will set you back between €102-€245.
Another advantage of foreign clinics is that the cost of a consultation, normally about €50 in Ireland, is often free. And dental expenses incurred outside of Ireland are also eligible for tax relief. While the rate of relief has been reduced to the standard rate of tax this year, 20 per cent, for everyone, the additional savings you make might offset the cost of travel and accommodation.
If you do decide to combine a holiday with a trip to the dentist, a good source of information on dental clinics around the world, as well as the services they offer and the prices they charge is www.revahealth.com. The website, which is dedicated to medical tourism, also allows you to comment on services you have received so you can read other reviews before you travel.
Before you travel, you can discuss your needs in detail with the clinic. DentalCare Budapest, for example, will offer you a free quote if you send a panoramic X-ray of your teeth, with a description of the treatment desired.
Clinics which specifically target foreign patients are also starting to offer consultations in Ireland. ProDental, a Hungarian-based outfit, offers an aftercare service in Dublin, and provides a three-year guarantee on any treatments carried out in its clinic in Hungary.
But, dental care is not all about cost, and the downside of cheaper prices is that you may not receive the level of care you would so wish. Different customs and practices, languages you don’t understand and an emphasis on getting value for your money can sometimes conspire to make the experience more trouble than it may be worth.
A study published in 2007, found that of 27 patients who had received treatment abroad in the first quarter of that year, only four had received a satisfactory level of care.
More recently, the Irish Dental Association published a survey backing up this claim. It found that about three quarters of Irish dentists in private practice have had to treat patients for problems linked to the dental treatment they received abroad.
Common problems cited in the survey include too much dental work being done over too short a time frame, unnecessary work being carried out and poor materials being used by dentists abroad.
So, before you go, be sure to do your research beforehand. Look for recommendations, and check out cancellation costs in case you decide to cancel your treatment once you visit the clinic.
Finally, remember getting value for money is not always about getting the lowest price.
