Approximately 259,000 Britons between 16 and 64 have dental treatment abroad every year because they believe it is cheaper, according to a new survey.
Dentale, the dental implant training clinic, warns that the 'true' cost of certain dental treatments abroad can be more expensive than the UK. Research conducted by Dentale suggests that because of the recession, the number of people having dental work abroad could increase.
Although many people think that they can save money by doing this, Dentale warns that depending on the dental treatment required, it could end up being more expensive due to the costs of hotels and flights for multiple visits.
The research shows that between 2004 and 2008, 779,000 men and 514,000 women aged between 16 and 64 had dental treatment abroad because they believed they would save money. Some 67% of these people were aged under 34.
On a regional basis, 9% of Londoners of working age had dental work abroad between 2004 and 2008 to save money. This is the highest percentage for any part of Britain, and could be linked to the fact that the cost of dental work in the capital can be amongst the highest in the country.
Jason Buglass, managing director of Dentale and a UK qualified dentist, said 'It is important that when people are looking to go abroad for dental treatment that they not only investigate the cost of the procedure, but also the other added expenses such as hotels, flights and how many times they will have to see the dentist before the treatment is complete. In the case of dental implants, you need to make a number of follow-up visits and if your dentist is in another country this can not only be very time consuming but also costly.'
