Dorset dental patient warns of the risks of travelling abroad for treatment

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A dental patient who travelled overseas for treatment has shared his story in a bid to encourage others to think twice before having treatment abroad.

Pradip Pandya, from Wimborne, flew to India two years ago to have dental implant treatment. At the time, he was attracted by the fees, which were significantly lower than charges back home in the UK. Although Mr Pandya saved £20,000 on the cost of implant treatment, he has since developed complications, which have meant that he has required additional treatment at home.

Dental tourism is a growing trend, with more and more people travelling to Asia, South America and Eastern Europe to take advantage of lower fees. While many emerge with excellent results, there are risks associated with going overseas for treatment. Standards of care may not be as high as in the UK and regulation is likely to be less stringent.

The NHS Choices website urges anyone who is considering having treatment in a different country to carry out extensive research before signing any contracts. The site also encourages patients to ensure that paperwork is made available in English and to make sure that any dental professionals who offer work are suitably qualified.

Although dental fees may be significantly lower in other countries, if you end up paying for treatment afterwards, it’s likely that you’ll end up spending more than the initial quote in the UK. Here, we have a system which regulates dental care and ensures that patients are only treated by qualified, experienced dentists who are registered with the General Dental Council.

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