Safe Travels – 4 Things to Consider Before Getting Cheap Dental Treatment Overseas
Image by StockSnap from Pixabay
The rising cost of dental treatment is the number one reason many people choose to travel overseas for treatment. There’s never been more pressure to have a beautiful, white smile than now, and with only one in five people able to afford dental treatment these days, traveling abroad seems to be the answer.
In fact, some companies offer all-inclusive travel packages that include dental procedures, which are often less expensive than dental procedures at home. Since many people are willing to travel an extra mile for their smile, let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider before getting cheap dental treatment overseas:
1. What are the Risks?
As with any dental or medical procedure, there’s always a risk regardless of whether you have it done at home or in another country. Many patients travel to save money on dental treatments such as crowns and bridges, root canals, and dental implants. But, the lesser known fact is that the best quality dental veneers and many other treatments occur right here at home.
Infection is another concern when seeking dental treatment in another country. Cleanliness isn’t always a priority in these places, and dentists often have minimal training. While it is possible to have a safe and positive dental experience abroad, the odds are good that you may have a bad experience.
2. Have You Had Time to Think about What You’re Doing?
Making the decision to travel overseas to have a dental procedure done is a big one. You really need to consider the pros and cons of your decision. If you’ve decided at the last minute to go ahead with it and haven’t taken a moment to consider all the options available to you, you could be feeling rushed or pressured to go through with it.
Remember, vacations and traveling go by in the blink of an eye, but dental procedures affect you for the rest of your life, so be sure you’ve thought long and hard and have researched your overseas dentist and his facility before hopping on that plane.
3. Have You Gotten the Answers You Need?
Most dentists are really good at giving you all your options when it comes to treatment. You should feel comfortable asking questions, but if your dentist doesn’t make you feel that way or isn’t giving you the answers you need, it’s up to you to seek a second opinion. After all, you’re the one traveling perhaps thousands of miles to get the dental procedure done. You should be able to ask questions and weigh your options based on the answers you get to make an informed decision.
4. What Happens if Things Don’t go as Planned?
Dentistry, just like any other medical practice, doesn’t always go as planned. Your condition may be worse than originally thought and you may need to see the dentist more than once. You may even need a different procedure or multiple procedures in order to treat the issue.
What will you do? Will it be easy to see the dentist again, or will you need to find someone else at home to continue where he left off? Will the overseas dentist even be able to handle complications should they arise? These are things you need to figure out beforehand so there’s a plan in place just in case. Dental treatment is expensive, and while many people are turning to travel to other countries for treatment, it isn’t always the right choice. If you’re thinking of going that extra mile for your smile, consider this list first.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
