Patients cutting costs by going abroad

Patients forced abroad by the cost of dental work in Britain are saving thousands of pounds on many standard treatments.

Despite the added cost of air travel and overseas accommodation, record numbers are choosing to undertake treatment outside the UK, with a growing number opting for Asia.

An estimated 40,000 Britons received dental treatment abroad last year. The majority visited mainland Europe, with Hungary the most popular destination.

An oral examination and consultation, which can cost up to £50 in Britain, is free in several countries, including Hungary, Lithuania and Poland. The average price of a single tooth extraction at a private clinic in the UK is £75. The same operation costs about £42 in Bulgaria, £30 in Hungary and as little as £14 in Slovakia.

The average price of root canal treatment on two canals at a private clinic in the UK is £200. The operation can be done for £50 in Turkey, and £43 in Slovakia.

On expensive treatments such as dental implants, the savings are even greater. The Branemark system of dental implants – the most expensive implant system – costs an average of £2,000 in the UK. It costs £580 in Lithuania, £570 in Turkey and £487 in Italy.

In India, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines, dentists with international reputations are offering bargains. A full denture costs £225 in India and £144 in the Philippines, but will set you back a minimum of £1,000 at a UK clinic.

Have your say

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Career Services

Day In a Page

Patrick Cockburn: I fear this terrible massacre will be the beginning of a long civil war in Syria

Patrick Cockburn

I fear this terrible massacre will be the beginning of a long civil war in Syria
Hardeep Singh Kohli: For me, it is all about 'Gregory's Girl', a record of first love

Hardeep Singh Kohli

For me, it is all about 'Gregory's Girl', a record of first love
Christian Louboutin: 'I don't think comfort equals happiness'

Christian Louboutin interview

'I don't think comfort equals happiness'
Happy birthday, Hotel Babylon!

Happy birthday, Hotel Babylon!

Hollywood's home to the A-list celebrates 100 years of discreet luxury
Rupert Cornwell: Low-rise capital could finally reach for the sky

Rupert Cornwell: Out of America

Low-rise capital could finally reach for the sky
The secret life of the red carpet

The secret life of the red carpet

As Cannes reaches its climax with the Palme d'Or and the celebrities gather in London for the Baftas tonight, Kate Youde and Jack Dean investigate the real star of the show
It's not easy being Professor Green: The rapper, the heiress and a drama made in Chelsea...

It's not easy being Professor Green

The rapper, the heiress and a drama made in Chelsea...
Hardcore, hard-wired: How the prevalence of porn is changing our everyday lives

How porn is changing our lives

It's everywhere - from pop videos to fashion magazines to the theatrical stage.
River Phoenix: the final reel

River Phoenix: the final reel

Twenty years after the actor's death, his last film is to be released
Facebook: The shares shenanigans

Facebook: The shares shenanigans

Investors are crying foul over the huge losses they incurred when the social network site floated on the stock market last week
Up and away – how '7 Up' went global

Up and away – how '7 Up' went global

As the last episode of Britain's '56 Up' airs, the first episode of '28 Up', from the former USSR, starts. Then there's the US, Japan, Germany...
You'll soon pick this up: Tuck into Bill Granger's fresh street food

Tuck into Bill Granger's fresh street food

It provides perfect party fare for some fun in the sun...
All to play for: How is Ukraine shaping up ahead of Euro 2012?

How is Ukraine shaping up ahead of Euro 2012?

Peter Popham casts his eye over the state of the Euro 2012 co-host ahead of the tournament.
Red or not, here they come: Artists reimagine the iconic telephone booth

BT ArtBoxes: Red or not, here they come

Artists reimagine the iconic telephone booth...
The Last Word: Premier bullies devise youth system bound to end in tears

The Last Word

Premier bullies devise youth system bound to end in tears