When you visit dentists in the United States, you know they’ve passed the same standards set out by the American Dental Association. This includes passing both the educational and clinical requirements, not to mention becoming licensed by the state. These safeguards protect the patient and demonstrate the integrity of dentists in the country. However, in the global marketplace today, many people consider seeking care from dentists in other countries. This decision could be made due to procedures being cheaper overseas, or simply because of moves that take you abroad for a time.
When seeking dental care in other countries, it’s important to know that the standards are not the same in every country. That’s NOT to say you’ll receive subpar care—rather, it’s a reminder to check the credential and satisfaction level of other patents prior to any appointment.
We will walk through some of the reasons people seek care outside the country, and a few things to be aware of prior to making an appointment with an overseas dentist.
Dental tourism
Dental tourism is a subset of medical tourism that involves people leaving the country to seek (usually) cheaper dental care. Generally, those who consider this have significant work that needs to be done such as dental implants, and want to receive a better deal than they would in the United States.
First, it’s important to understand why some foreign dentistry is considered “cheaper.” Many countries that boast high dental tourism rates have economies that are not as robust as ours, and therefore prices for everything are lower. This includes materials a dentist may use, including metals for crowns.
Another reason it could be cheaper is that there are lower barriers to entry in the profession; therefore, there are more dentists, which can drive down the cost of the service thanks to greater competition. While more dentists serving a population is good, if the barriers are too low, some dentists might not have adequate training or experience. We’ll discuss experience and schooling a little more below.
Finally, the standard of care in some countries is lower. The procedure you are expecting to have done might be different than the one performed. If this is the route you choose, it is important you get care in a country that has dental standards that meet your need.
Dental qualifications
Here at Josey Lane our dentists are licensed to practice by the state of Texas and hold the requisite advanced degrees. And in general in the United States, dentists must complete their undergraduate degree followed by a doctoral degree (either a DDS or a DMD). Dentists are then required to pass a two-part licensing exam. Finally, they are subject to a clinical exam.
In addition to these requirements, dentists must also carry malpractice insurance, go through background checks, and be CPR certified. Yet, there is no comprehensive standard for international dentistry. In countries with standards similar to the Unites States such as Canada, Germany or France, it’s common for good work to be done; however, due to the standards, the prices are similar. For those who are looking for cheap dental work, dentist qualifications are normally less robust. Developing counties or those with struggling economies have cheaper care, but the quality and standard of work can’t always be guaranteed.
Other issues to think about
In addition to the qualifications of your dentist, it’s important to think about other factors such as the cleanliness of the practice, access to higher levels of medical care, and how you could file a malpractice suit if the need arose. Before choosing an international practice, it is important that you take into account the water quality and the presence of air filtration devices, too. Since complex dental procedures could result in open wounds, flushing them out with unclean water could lead to severe infections. The content of the metal for crowns may not have the same standards as American devices, too, so heavy metal poisoning is another possibility to consider.
Seeking care outside the United States may feel like the only option if you are faced with high dental bills for complex procedures. While many countries have high standards, it is important to do your research and not simply rely on the cost. If you are struggling with a dental bill, give us a call and we will be happy to help.
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