Health Insurance Dental tourism within EU

Andrew Murphy

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I was recently referred to a specialist for repairs to a broken tooth and the long and short of it is I require two implants and a bridge if I want a permanent fix. The kicker is there will be no change out of €8k!

I have been looking at alternatives and read online that many people go to Hungary and Poland for their dental needs so would appreciate feedback, good or bad, from those of you who have personal experience in dental tourism.

Thanks, Andrew
 
I travelled to Budapest 8yrs ago to have dental work done as I couldn't afford prices here.
I had two implants, several crowns & root canal treatment. First class work & no problems to date.
I paid about €3.500 for all the work. Flights & hotels were extra.
Be prepared for a marathon session & a second visit. Most dental groups will pick you up at the Airport.
 
A friend went through this too and travelled abroad. I would say make sure a check up is scheduled and plan for both (treatment day and check up) before you leave the country.
 
Thanks @E cork and @Curlyfella

Since my post I have received info from two clinics, each quoting just under €3k for the same treatment plan. I have to add to this the cost of airfares and hotels for two visits for me an the missus, so it should be no more than €4k all in.

I still need to do some more homework but it's looking like a win-win situation - I get my problem sorted out at half the price and my missus gets two short breaks away over the summer/autumn :)
 
Don't forget to price around in Ireland. There is a huge difference in prices for this type of work.
Have you established if you need a bone graft for the implants? That'll add to the visits.
 
She had it done on a Friday and - over the weekend noticed something had gone wrong, loose/position, and only by chance spotted the dentist out on the street and was asked how she was. She had "emergency" treatment the Sunday as she had the return flight the Monday I think if she had not have met the dentist on the street, it's another trip if they even acknowledge the issue!
 
Hi All, I have looked into this many times and as a matter of personal opinion I believe that a lot of Irish Dentists consider the public at large on our little Island to be some sort of a captive, helpless, optionless target group for their relentless and ever-escalating profiteering.

The very first time I'm quoted X amount of thousands as per the OP I will be researching clinics, getting solid referrals/recommendations from past patients and then flying out ASAP to Budapest or wherever else it may be.

Once there I'd hope to spend a couple of days treating the trip as a City break, with good food, sightseeing, entertainment etc before getting my procedure done and then flying home. (* Obviously this utopian plan assumes I'm not in dental discomfort or agony!!!)

There are few enough areas where you're held to ransom like this - In my opinion these types of Dentists very badly need manners put on them.

PS When I said "A lot of Irish Dentists" above I was trying to be balanced and not absolutist. BUT that said if the OP was quoted 8k for his procedure then what are the chances that if he tried every other Dentist in a 100 mile radius that the price would be +-5% of this quote..... ?
 
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One thing to note with this - my Aunt went over to Budapest, they discovered she had a gum infection when they were preparing her for work so they couldn't carry out the procedure. So no comeback on the hotels or flights and she had to re-book, not sure how that effected total costs.
Might be worth getting a check-up locally the week before the trip to make sure it's not a wasted trip.
 
Thanks all for your contributions.

Don't forget to price around in Ireland. There is a huge difference in prices for this type of work.

I would much prefer to have the job done here but I am not optimistic I would find that elusive dentist who is prepared to offer a competitive package, especially now that I know that identical treatments in Eastern Europe cost half as much. Makes you wonder why there is such a price disparity - maybe MangoJoe is right in that it is just down to profiteering!

Have you established if you need a bone graft for the implants? That'll add to the visits.

This will only be known once a scan is done. My understanding is that if it is necessary it will be done at the time of the implant procedure i.e. the first visit. I will need to clarify this. Incidentally the quotes already include an allowance for bone grafting/augmentation so there is a saving to be made if they don't do it.

Might be worth getting a check-up locally the week before the trip to make sure it's not a wasted trip.

This makes sense but I'd probably still go anyway as the flights will be paid for.
 
I'm in the same boat and will be travelling for the same reasons as stated already, I made contact with a firm in Hungary who had me call into a Hungarian Dentist in O'Connell Street where they did a scan and forwarded to Hungary where they then followed up with their treatment plan and an estimate, two visits with accommodation provided with the first visit, I'm stalling as I do not need the work done with any urgency but boy are they chasing me with emails to get me to confirm, I have more shopping to do yet.

I have an old friend that had a few implants put in locally and follow up treatment was required so I would want access to a local Dentist for any follow up issues that might arise, worth considering..
 
I'm in the same boat and will be travelling for the same reasons as stated already, I made contact with a firm in Hungary who had me call into a Hungarian Dentist in O'Connell Street where they did a scan and forwarded to Hungary where they then followed up with their treatment plan and an estimate, two visits with accommodation provided with the first visit, I'm stalling as I do not need the work done with any urgency but boy are they chasing me with emails to get me to confirm, I have more shopping to do yet.

I have an old friend that had a few implants put in locally and follow up treatment was required so I would want access to a local Dentist for any follow up issues that might arise, worth considering..
Fair play to you Palerider if you are brave enough to go ahead with this crowd. My initial reaction on reading this is that they are really chasing business here. I would be very cautious personally about these unless you have recommendations from others who have used them before?
 
Fair play to you Palerider if you are brave enough to go ahead with this crowd. My initial reaction on reading this is that they are really chasing business here. I would be very cautious personally about these unless you have recommendations from others who have used them before?

As I said I'm still shopping, I don't mind the chasing up or advertising, they see a niche due to the high costs here in Ireland and want to exploit it and that's just business.

I will try and get an estimate without the travel costs perhaps by staying in the country but using an overseas locally based dentist.
 
Have heard of people travelling to Belfast for dental work so presumably it's cheaper there than Dublin.
It would have the advantage of only being a drive away if follow-up appointments/treatment are required.
 
Have heard of people travelling to Belfast for dental work so presumably it's cheaper there than Dublin.
It would have the advantage of only being a drive away if follow-up appointments/treatment are required.

Ideally any professional person or group who routinely overcharges extortionately (especially where pricing is coordinated across the group) would be bypassed by smart consumers taking alternative routes.

Then they can either change career/shut down or learn to behave themselves.
 
Ideally any professional person or group who routinely overcharges extortionately (especially where pricing is coordinated across the group) would be bypassed by smart consumers taking alternative routes.

Then they can either change career/shut down or learn to behave themselves.

Not sure I understand your point.
I was wondering whether it's worthwhile travelling to Northern Ireland for dental treatment. Is it much cheaper there than ROI?
 
Ideally any professional person or group who routinely overcharges extortionately (especially where pricing is coordinated across the group) would be bypassed by smart consumers taking alternative routes.

Then they can either change career/shut down or learn to behave themselves.
The Dental industry, much like the Medical Industry, may not be a cartel but it walks like one and quacks like one.
I find it funny that the competition authority went after car dealers, a sector which operates in a high volume, capital intensive, relatively low margin environment, and haven't really touched medicine or dentistry.
 
Not sure I understand your point.
I was wondering whether it's worthwhile travelling to Northern Ireland for dental treatment. Is it much cheaper there than ROI?

Hi Ladled - I wasn't answering your query that time, just opining that the North of Ireland is well within reach travel-wise for a lot of us and it would be a just, fitting and deserved result if people routinely shunned their local Dentists and travelled North for treatment.

Let the conniving drill merchants sit there quiet and lonely, while pondering their crappy, ridiculously inflated price lists and slowly work it out in their own time.
 
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