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.

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