Dental Tourism - A Growing Trend
The phrase Dental Tourism is perhaps a new one to your ears, but if you're facing an expensive dental procedure such as several crowns at once, or maybe getting dentures, dental tourism is something you may soon be considering. So what exactly is dental tourism, and is it something you might want to do?
A Vacation And A Crown
To put it simply, dental tourism refers to the practice of going outside the country for dental procedures. Dental procedures are much cheaper in some foreign countries such as Hungary and Mexico, so Americans go there to get dental work done and combine the trip with a little vacation too.
It's no secret that health care costs in the United States are not getting any cheaper and that includes dental care. Even if you have health care coverage you may not have dental coverage. The cost of overseas dental work can be up to 70 percent cheaper than in the States, making dental tourism a booming industry with resorts catering to those who wish to get some relaxation time in alongside their dental procedures.
What You Should Know
Because of the significant cost of having major dental work done, and the growing emphasis lately on the importance of having a perfect smile, dental tourism may sound like the perfect solution. There are some things to consider, however. The United States has several agencies in charge of monitoring and regulating dentists, their procedures, and their use of equipment.
Dentists are required to carry insurance and are held accountable in the United States if they botch a procedure. Other countries do not always have the same standard of regulations monitoring their medical providers, and that includes dentists. Sometimes they are not even required to carry insurance, so if something goes wrong with your dental work you have no recourse.
Also, if you get back to the States and something goes awry, you may have to get it fixed here which means significant cost on top of what you spent in another country. You may end up paying more to fix the problem when you could have gotten it done by your dentist the right way the first time.
We don't often think of it this way, but oral surgery is surgery just like any other and should be taken as seriously. Would you consider going out of the country for any other medical surgery? If the answer is absolutely not, then you should probably rethink going out of the country for dental work.
A Matter For Serious Consideration
If you're considering dental tourism, you can see there is much to contemplate before making a decision. Certainly many people have had good experiences seeking dental care abroad, but there are significant risks you need to be prepared to face. Do some research, talk to as many people as you can, and get an informed opinion before making a decision. Having dental work done should be taken as seriously as having other medical work done, and who you allow to work on your body, any part of your body, should be an informed choice.
