Brits unable to get appointments travel abroad for dental treatment

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A growing number of British people are travelling overseas for dental treatment because they can’t get an appointment at home.

A recent BBC investigation revealed that 90% of practices in the UK are not currently accepting new NHS patients. Even patients who are registered are waiting months, even years for treatment. In some parts of the country, there are no practices offering new NHS patient places. Patients in Cornwall, one of the worst-affected counties have reported waiting times of up to five years.

As the struggle to get NHS appointment intensifies, some people have resorted to going abroad for treatment. University teacher, Adriana Clark, decided to have treatment in Egypt after she was unable to find a dentist in Nottingham earlier this year. She contacted several NHS and private clinics in January but eventually gave up trying. She recently had two fillings and a dental bridge fitted in Egypt while visiting her husband’s family. The total cost was £450. In the UK, to have the same procedure done privately, she would have paid over £3,000 at most practices.

Dessi, 28, from London, shared a similar story. She started experiencing toothache two years ago but has been unable to see a dentist, despite calling multiple practices and contacting NHS 111. She is now suffering from intense pain due to a large hole in her tooth and has decided to extend a trip to visit family in Bulgaria so that she can see a dentist.

David Watkins, a coach driver from Pontypridd, travelled to Istanbul after being quoted £3,500 for a dental implant in Wales. He ended up paying £7,000 for two extractions, a bone graft, 28 new crowns and ten implants.

Travelling overseas for treatment can save time and money but dentists are eager to point out the risks. There has been a surge in cases of botched treatment recently, which have caused the hashtag ‘TurkeyTeeth’ to trend on social media. A British Dental Association survey revealed that over 85% of UK dentists have seen patients who required remedial treatment after visiting overseas dental clinics.

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