Why People Go Abroad for Dentistry

12/9/2023

|We can see that the medical tourism industry is growing at a huge rate and it's been even more so in recent years. People are looking beyond their home countries for their cosmetic surgery, their plastic surgery and their dental surgeries. The reason being that going abroad can often get the same results for a fraction of the cost. It doesn't come as a shock, but thousands of people are traveling abroad to countries like Thailand and Mexico for dentistry.

Please note: This collaborative article does not contain healthcare, therapeutic or financial advice. If you are concerned about your health or well-being, speak with a health professional or visit your nearest medical facility in an emergency. The links in this article may be affiliate links that I will be compensated for at no additional cost to you.

Wondering why this might be?

People are unable to get their dentist appointments set up at home and finding time to get their dentistry done with the right practitioner is not easy when nobody is allowing patients on their books. Healthcare tourism is very real, but as is dental tourism. Going abroad for a complex dental procedure where you can spend a fraction of the cost of what you'd spend at home while also on holiday is a good reason to say yes.

Next, we will explore even more reasons for individuals to head outside of their own country in seek of dentistry.

Related: Health Category

Here are all of the reasons that people go abroad for their dentistry:

Cost: As we've mentioned a couple of times already, the cost of dentistry has become extremely expensive in recent years. Whoever it was that decided that health care should be paid for with insurance decided to outsource eyeballs and teeth as two separate things. And so people have to pay for their dentistry separately from their insurance. Private dental treatments can be expensive, but when you go abroad you can expect to pay up to 70% less for the same treatment in places like Thailand or Mexico.
Vacation: It's another popular reason for traveling abroad, but vacations are the greatest reason for choosing healthcare tourism. Vacationing costs a lot of money and so does dental treatment. So if you combine the costs together and go abroad, you could spend the cost of just the dentistry or just the vacation and still get both. It's like a really good buy one, get one free option. Major dental cosmetic surgery has a very short recovery or downtime, which means you can spend most of your holiday relaxing.
Insurance: Almost all dental insurance patients know that insurance doesn't cover the costs of every procedure, which means you are left with a gap fee and you're out of pocket. If you search for an overseas dentist, they can offer you the procedure at a fraction of the cost that you've quoted at home, and therefore the gap fee won't seem so daunting.
Efficiency: You have to remember that the efficiency of dental treatments doesn't change. There are still standards to be adhered to and there are still qualifications that people need to have. Going abroad doesn't mean you're going to be choosing a lack of care. It means you're going to be choosing a better cost and a better place to recover.

It's an incredibly exciting idea for many people who are looking to get their teeth fixed and their mouths healthier than ever before. Understanding the pros and cons of heading abroad for dental work is easy to do when you consider what you would be spending at home.

Related: Want a Healthy Smile? Start with These 5 Tips