Dental Tourism: the Trend and Its Impact on Oral Health

The number of people I hear talking about going overseas to have their teeth fixed is growing. The cost of living crisis is heading into its third year and there are no signs of it letting up. Everything is going up and dental services are no exception. Australia has some of the best dentists in the world and a high standard of dental care across the board but it can be expensive. Medicare “forgot” to include oral care in its remit when it comes to all things dental. Therefore we all have to pay full whack if we don’t have private health insurance. Therefore dental tourism is a phenomenon for which some Aussies are exploring the trend, while dentists and dental researchers explore its impact on oral health.

Opening Wide In Asia For A More Affordable Dental Experience

A trip to south east Asia for some serious dental work is all the more appealing for many Aussies in the current economic climate. Why not take a holiday, get pampered, and pay a lot less for things like crowns and orthodontic procedures. The sums add up in its favour when compared to the arm and possibly a leg you have to pay dentists at home for these kinds of things. Sure, there is the occasional horror story about stuff going wrong but that is usually on the cosmetic surgery side of things. Do your research on the clinic you are visiting and in some cases the savings may trump the risk. But a risk it is – ask how many Aussies are currently visiting Tijuana in Mexico for dental tourism and the answer will be very low after the recent horrific murders of two young Australian surfers and their American friend in that deadly part of the world.

Bali Booming As Dental Tourism Destination

One Aussie woman found that the cheapest Australian dentist quote was $12,500 for the work she required to fix her teeth. She managed to get the work done in Kuta for $3,300 and reported being happy with the results.

“ “I’d had two consultations by the time I actually went in to have treatment and the treatment was done over two different sessions,” she said. “It’s the best my teeth have been since, so I’m really glad that I’ve had it done.”

“Everything – crowns, root canals. I’ve got a friend who’s getting bone grafting and implants, and again it’s about a sixth or seventh of the cost of getting it done in Australia,” Lesley said. Lesley is an emergency department nurse in a Melbourne hospital and thinks Australia’s mostly private dental system is “broken”. “
– ABC.net.au

High Property Prices, Overpriced Rents & Expensive Dental Procedures

Australia is now an unaffordable place to live for many Australians. The property market has stuffed the nation. Getting rich from property investment has ruined the country economically for the growing half of the population who have been left behind. A home used to be a place where you took shelter and raised a family – these days its all about greed and making a million dollars. The cost of dental care is just another example of the two speed economy, as services for the wealthy half are priced way too high for all those spending 60% of their weekly wage on paying the rent. More Australians will be leaving the country for things like dental work because it is priced well beyond the reach of ordinary workers.

Many MPs Are Landlords In The Unaffordable Nation

Most politicians in Australia are landlords and own multiple investment properties. PM Anthony Albanese recently turfed his tenant of 4 years out because he was selling one of his properties. Renters are at the whim of their circumstances, as there are little to no requirements for landlords, unlike in Europe where renters have rights. The unequal relationship in Australia places all the power in the hands of the property owner. Rapidly rising rents and property values impacts the economy across its entirety. Prices for services like dental work go up when these things are going up – everything gets more expensive. Australia is in the grip of a cost of living crisis being fuelled by inflation in the service sector and huge increases to rents due to a property shortage. However, there are upward of a million residential properties lying vacant in Australia for various reasons. We cannot build enough new houses and apartments to meet the shortfall, as builders are going broke and infrastructure projects take all the construction resources and available labour. We value private property over community needs in this country. The common good gets the short end of the stick, whilst the wealthy minimise their tax and surplus housing lies fallow.

Poverty & Poor Dental Standards In Australia

Poverty is one of the long lasting reasons why the overall standard of dental health in Australia remains patchy. Many Australians simply cannot afford to go to the dentist and their neglect of their oral health means when they do eventually seek help it is very costly to rectify. Yes, there are programs of subsidised dental care but they are small and do not reach many in need. Long waiting times and a lack of availability for those not living in city centres plague these programs.

Heading Overseas For Dental Work May Make Financial Sense

Thailand is another popular dental tourism destination for Aussies. India has become the number one dental tourism location as of recent times. Hungary and Mexico remain well patronised dental hotspots too. The rise of expensive technologies in dentistry here in Australia and in the United States has made a trip to the dentist for any serious work prohibitively expensive. In America, more Americans declare bankruptcy from their medical bills than for any other reason. The US has nothing like our Medicare, of course. Still, in the dental field Aussies are beginning to vote with their feet and jump on aeroplanes heading for better dental deals overseas. Local dentists realise that this is costing them a growing loss of revenue, which is why you will find a slew of ‘don’t take the risk!” posts on their websites. Whether fear based campaigns can reduce the demand for an alternative when you have priced yourself out of the market remains to be seen. Dentists in Australia provide top class dental services and we should be thankful for that. However, if you cannot afford to pay $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000 for dental work and an alternative exists then market forces will have some effect.

Dental & Medical Tourism Travel Agents

“The medical travel agents CHOICE spoke to say they’ve had no complaints from the customers they deal with and that they provide a full estimate of the time required for treatment before their clients even book a flight, as well as a high level of care in quality hospitals.

“Our clients’ cases and x-rays are reviewed by the head of dental in The Bangkok Hospital, and all the details are put into place meticulously,” says Barbara Sherriff, who owns Queensland travel agency My Body and Spirit.

Cassandra Italia owns Global Health Travel, which offers similar services to My Body and Spirit. She feels that detractors of medical tourism have a level of ignorance about the countries in question.

“A lot of people in Australia have a perception that countries such as Thailand, Vietnam and India would have bad conditions in the hospitals, maybe slack infection control and be very Third World. Certainly from my experience visiting the Bangkok and Bumrungrad hospitals, I didn’t find this the case. Bumrungrad has a surgical site infection rate of only 0.39%, which is well below the worldwide benchmark.” “
– Choice.com.au

Having said all this, it remains a fact that many people want to engage with a dentist close to their home. Having the trust and confidence one develops from regular visits to the dentist can be very useful if you suddenly suffer a dental emergency – it’s calming to know that your dentist knows you, how you feel when in the dental chair, and intimately, the dentist knows your mouth. We write impartially about the dental tourism option because we know for many people, emotionally and psychologically, it’s simply not an option. They’d rather come and see us and have a great time – feeling safe and secure, and socialising with us.

Note: All content and media on the  Diggers Rest Dental House website and social media channels are created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.