Belfast woman describes dental tourism experience as ‘sheer hell’

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A woman from Belfast who travelled to Turkey to undergo dental treatment has described her experience as “sheer hell.”

Amanda Turner, a betting shop owner, said that she wanted to tell people about her experience to alert them to the possible risks of travelling abroad for dental treatment. Amanda, 34, was lured in by cut-price deals but said that her life was “nearly ruined” after going to Istanbul. She visited a clinic in the city in April, paying just over £3,000 in cash for root canal treatment and 28 new crowns.

Amanda was informed that she would be having 28 individual crowns but when she arrived at the clinic in Turkey and her treatment began, she found that the procedure was completely different to the one she had paid for. Instead of placing individual crowns, her teeth were ground down and the dentist placed a series of linked teeth, which are similar to dental bridges.

When Amanda returned home, she went to see a dentist in Belfast and was told that corrective treatment would cost £18,000. She also developed an infection, which left her hospitalised and said that she was “close to suicidal.” She stayed in hospital for a week, as the infection spread to her neck.

Dentists across the UK have experienced an increase in the number of visits from patients who have undergone treatment abroad. Paul Woodhouse, from Grange Dental Practice near Stockton-on-Tees, described the situation as “a disaster zone” and said that the NHS is paying out millions every year to correct botched dental work.

A recent survey carried out by the British Dental Association and the BBC revealed that a staggering 86% of UK dentists have seen patients who needed remedial work following treatment overseas.

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