LONDONERS & DENTAL TOURISM

A WEEK OFF IN THE BALKANS IS CHEAPER THAN DENTAL CARE IN YOUR BOROUGH

Dental care in the UK has always been expensive and far from cheap, the recent rise in inflation, healthcare crisis and long waiting lists of the NHS have not helped the patients economy but have instead fuelled a phenomenon that has been rising in the last years; dental tourism towards eastern and southern European countries, such as Turkey, Albania, Bosnia and Croatia.

The average price for a single implant in the UK is £2,500, while a full set of teeth implants can cost anywhere between £10,000 and £25,000. In Turkey the average price of a single implant is £710 while in Albania the average price is even lower with a single dental implant costing £470 and a full set that could cost around £13,000.

When asked about her experience, Laura Hughes,53, said: “When I went to Turkey, the ticket and the hotel was affordable. The price for a tooth is so much cheaper than the cost in London. I managed to finish my teeth within a week. It was great."

Harry Macleod, 61 year old from Haringey has done most of his implants in Istanbul, when asked about his experience he said ; "I don't regret doing my teeth in Turkey, the quality doesn't differ much from the British one and if I have to be totally honest, I feel like I've received a better treatment there".

The common sentiment between citizen about dental tourism is mostly positive, but is also important to note that most of the times cheaper prices are equal to cheaper materials, and that could lead to a further need of dental maintenance and subsequent monetary outlay.