Dental tourism (also called dental vacations) is a subset of the sector known as medical tourism. It involves individuals seeking dental care outside of their local healthcare systems and may be accompanied by a vacation.
Dental tourism, just like your dentists at home, covers a wide range of procedures including the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of ailments affecting the oral cavity. Specialties range from cosmetic dentistry to oral surgery.
Affordable dental tourism is an excellent option for medical tourists in most cases, although certain procedures like braces may be inappropriate based on the repeated visits necessary for adjustments. In most cases though, appointments and lab work can be expedited to meet your timeline, and treatments can easily be combined with sightseeing and a holiday for maximum benefit.
Passport Medical acts as a broker of service and can provide the best quotes from multiple dental tourism providers, all without charging additional fees. We can also arrange free consultations with your chosen dentist or oral surgeon before traveling.
Affordable dental tourism is, by far, the most popular form of medical tourism. The most common procedures are dental implants, full mouth restorations, and crowns and bridges. The implants and materials used are exactly the same as those used in North America, at greatly reduced costs.
Common services include dental implants (both two-stage and immediate load), crowns, bridges, veneers, and full mouth restorations. Common dental tourism destinations offering US standards in dental care include Costa Rica, Cancun, and Los Algodones.
Who is a good candidate for dental tourism?
If you have no dental insurance or are underinsured, are in good physical health, and are open to traveling and experiencing different cultures, dental tourism may be right for you. Tens of thousands of North Americans already travel every year for dental treatments. In fact, on a price-quality basis, Costa Rica and Mexico are considered 2 of the best destinations for dental tourism in the world for dental treatments with many board-certified, often US-trained, dental specialists.
Is dental tourism safe?
At Dental Vacation Center, we are a dedicated facilitator in the dental tourism process. Every dental provider in our network has been vetted by our team, and most are accredited by international agencies. Most of the dentists and oral surgeons in our network have studied, practiced, or are board certified in the US, Canada, or Europe, and all speak English. In many cases, patients will find superior dental facilities boasting state-of-the-art facilities. For that reason, many of our providers are treating up to 80-90% of North American patients, so you will definitely not be alone. In fact, several providers in our dental tourism network have been featured in national newspapers like The Washington Post and international magazines like International Living.
In addition, many of our providers have outstanding warranties on the work that they do, so you can have peace of mind.
What are typical cost savings?
Cost savings for dental tourism are typically anywhere from 50-80% over costs for the exact same treatment and materials as you would have at home. Now that’s worth smiling about!
Why Dental Vacation Center?
The answer is very simple. We are the largest and most trusted name in the dental tourism industry. In fact, our parent company Passport Medical has just been awarded the 2011 “Excellence In Medical Travel Facilitation Award” recognizing it as the top company internationally in medical travel. The award was presented at the annual World Medical Tourism and Global Healthcare Conference. You can trust that you are in very good hands.
Do I have a say in choosing the facility and doctors used for my procedure?
Absolutely! As with any procedure at home, you need to be comfortable with the decision you make and the dental provider you choose. We will discuss different options for dental tourism destinations and providers, and we will eventually facilitate direct communication with different clinics to see if the fit is right.
What types of services does Dental Vacation Center provide?
We offer a range of services to make your dental tourism experience as seamless and stress-free as possible. These include providing information on a range of destinations and providers, direct contact with dental providers, coordinating the dental experience, airport pickup, hotel bookings, and assistance with coordinating flights if desired.
Does working with Dental Vacation Center cost more?
The answer quite simply is ‘no’. Due to our relationships with providers and high volume discounts, costs are not passed on to you. In fact, you will often be referred directly to a provider who will quote you a price directly.
How long will I have to be away?
Every procedure is different, but most providers have their own labs on site, so time away is minimized. For example, for crowns, an average of 5-7 days is normal if it is a fairly straightforward case. With some procedures, like two-stage dental implants, 2 trips will be necessary approximately 4-6 months apart. The substantial savings will be well worth it though.
Contact Dental Vacation Center for more questions about Dental Tourism.
There are several factors that may make a person travel abroad for dental procedures, including: