Irish Dental Association urges patients to be cautious when considering dental tourism
The CEO of the Irish Dental Association (IDA) has urged patients to be cautious when considering dental tourism.
Fintan Hourihan said that dental tourism has become more accessible but warned that standards of care may be lower in some countries. The IDA believes that patients can access the highest standards of care in Ireland and encouraged patients who are thinking about travelling overseas to carry out thorough research. Mr Hourihan said that patients should make an appointment with their dentist to discuss their needs before visiting dentists abroad. He also suggested that patients read Dental Council guides on how to choose a dentist.
A survey from 2009 indicated that 75% of dentists in Ireland had treated patients who had previously had work done overseas. This figure is likely to be higher now, as dental tourism has become more popular. Dentists in the UK have recently issued warnings to patients following a surge in cases of ‘Turkey teeth.’ Dentists have seen an increase in the number of patients requiring corrective and remedial work following treatment abroad in countries like Turkey.
Mr Hourihan implored patients to focus on quality, rather than price, when choosing a dentist. Prices are often a lot lower in other countries but costs can spiral if further treatment is required when patients return home. There have been cases of botched dental treatment and patients paying for services and then discovering they have been given a different type of treatment.
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