Dental travel: tips, costs and what to check first

Fancy a holiday abroad? Why not get your teeth fixed while you’re there? With more and more Brits having dental and other healthcare procedures done abroad, we explore the pros and cons

When Katie Price was arrested at Heathrow Airport recently for non-appearance at a bankruptcy hearing, she was wearing a head brace because she had just had her latest face-lift – in Turkey.

But Price isn’t the only Brit choosing to have her operation done abroad.

More and more people are travelling to destinations such as Eastern Europe to have dental and other work done because of long NHS waiting lists – as well as the mounting cost of having it done privately in the UK.

Overcoming the NHS dental desert

In many parts of the UK it has become extremely difficult to find an NHS dentist, for example.

Research in 2022 by the BBC found that nine in 10 NHS dental surgeries were not taking on new adult patients, while eight in 10 NHS were not taking on children as patients.

Rob Taylor from Cambridgeshire had previously undergone basic dental care while on holiday in Asia.

“I think the first time I had dental work abroad was around 2003-2004 when I had a clean by dentist in Bangkok, Thailand,” he recalled.

“I remember I was initially a little nervous despite this being a recommendation, but then pleasantly surprised.

“It was the first time I'd ever had my teeth cleaned without it being an ordeal as I have sensitive teeth.”

However, it was advice from work colleagues that persuaded him to have major work done on his teeth in Eastern Europe.

“The decision to get my teeth fixed in Bulgaria was after seeing a dentist I visited numerous times in Goa, India, who persuaded me that I needed to take action as a matter of urgency,” he said.

“Bulgaria was an option I had been researching with friends who were from there.

“It's easily accessible as it's a three-and-a-half hour flight and Sofia is easy to navigate on arrival using the Metro system.

“We rented an apartment nearby to the dental surgery.”

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Do your own research

While having medical work done abroad is a risk, and it is possible to be duped, many of the doctors running legitimate medical practices in Eastern Europe have trained at major European and UK teaching hospitals.

However, Rob says it’s important to find out as much as you can before you commit. “Do your research,” he said.

“Find out as much as you can about the procedure and, if possible, the dental practice.

“Anyone doing this needs to be clear about their expectations, both with themselves and with the dentist they employ.

“Be very clear if you're uncomfortable with anything they suggest or plan to do.”

What to bear in mind before you book

Ensure that any treatment you decide to have is approved by the UK regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).

Make sure you research your chosen dentist or surgeon carefully and find out where they trained and what qualifications they have.

Read customer reviews and get advice from previous patients.

Take your time and don’t rush into a decision.

Ask the surgeon how many times they have performed the procedure and how many times a year they perform it.

NHS guidance on having medical procedures abroad warns that most standard travel insurance policies will not cover you for elective operations, so you may need to take out specialist cover.

How will you pay for your treatment?

Bear in mind also that your European Health Insurance Card or UK Global Health Insurance Card will not cover you for planned surgery.

However, for certain elective operations abroad in the EU or other European countries, you may be able to apply for NHS funding.

You can find out more at this NHS website link: The Planned Treatment (S2 funding) route - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Consider also whether you will be in a fit state to travel back and forth from your chosen destination, especially after undergoing the operation.

For example, NHS guidelines warn that cabin pressure in an aeroplane can increase the risk of blood clots post-surgery.

However, many healthcare centres in Eastern Europe provide patients with several days of hospital stay and recuperation as part of the treatment package, compared to the NHS where patients are often sent home after a day or two after an operation.

The UK Government website also warns patients to steer clear of anywhere offering cosmetic surgery as part of a holiday package.

If you are pressured to have treatment, walk away.

If in doubt, talk it over with your GP in the UK.

What if something goes wrong back home?

Consider also what the provision is if something goes wrong after the operation when you are back in the UK, because the NHS will not be liable for any problems you experience.

“The temporary denture I had came out within a couple of weeks,” Rob said.

“Although I will say that the dentist in Bulgaria was quick to arrange an appointment with a colleague in the UK to rectify the issue.”

The NHS has this online checklist for anyone considering having treatment abroad: Treatment abroad checklist - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Beware the language barrier – even in Europe

Rob says his experience was “mostly positive but there were issues,” especially with miscommunication.

“Navigating the area where we stayed because of the dental clinic was difficult as English was not commonly spoken (although this is better in Central Sofia),” he said.

“For example, one quirk of Eastern Europe I was unaware of [is that] a nod of the head means "no" and shaking the head means "yes".

“Great fun when you’re reduced to using sign language!

“The language barrier can be a problem.

“The dentist I saw in Bulgaria spoke excellent English but he wasn't as good at understanding it.

“This is why it's good to communicate by email/messenger to prevent misunderstandings.”

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‘I couldn't have afforded this in the UK’

Rob thinks he saved at least £3,000 by flying to Bulgaria for his dental work.

“The cost overall, taking into account, flights, accommodations, food and the cost of treatment, was about £7,500 and £8,000,” he said.

“That was for the removal of seven to eight teeth which were already in poor condition, a sinus lift which was needed, synthetic bone grafts where my back molars were removed and finally, (four months later on the return trip) 11 implanted teeth, including the ones on my front upper and lower jaw.

“I'm not sure how much this would have cost in the UK, but I know you can pay between £1,000 and £3,000 alone for one implant so you’d be looking at £11,000 as minimum and that's without the other treatments necessary to allow the implants.”

Overall, he says he was “impressed” with the work, although he appreciates other patients might find the idea of travelling abroad for treatment “intimidating”.

“The actual treatment overall, despite being quite invasive, was executed to a good standard,” he said.

“The clinic was clean and modern with some well-trained staff although, some weren't as good as others. I was given pain medication and drugs to prevent infection and had no issues in this regard.

“The work was completed a few months ago and I recently had my dentist in the UK review this.

“He was happy with the work done and was impressed with how they'd crowned one of my broken teeth.

 “At a time when it's getting difficult to get an appointment and expensive to have work done, it's worth considering this, both because of the cost saving and availability of treatment.

“I couldn't have afforded this work in the UK.”