Before you buy a plane ticket, settle four things: the organisation's legal authorisation, a written treatment plan with alternatives, what the total price covers, and your follow-up plan after you return.
Pressure to decide quickly, or a refusal to give a plan or a price, is a warning sign. Your travel plans should never outrank your treatment plan. A booked flight and hotel are not a reason to accept a procedure that is not medically suitable.
First, talk to your own dentist
Bodies such as the General Dental Council (GDC) and the British Dental Association (BDA) advise patients who are considering treatment abroad to speak to their own dentist first, to research the dentist's qualifications and insurance, and to settle in advance who will follow up after treatment.
There are two reasons. Your own dentist can explain alternatives that suit your health. And if a problem comes up later, you will have worked with a dentist who knows your records. In some health systems, correcting complex work done in another country can be expensive or may not be covered by the public system, so have this conversation before treatment.
Before you decide: in order
- Clarify the need.Which problem, and which treatment? Is it only cosmetic, or is there a health problem? Have less invasive options, such as whitening or small corrections, been discussed?
- Gather your X-rays and dental records.You will need them for a remote assessment.
- Get more than one written opinion.A fixed treatment plan given from photos and background information alone cannot be firm, because no examination or imaging was done.
- Verify the organisation's authorisation.The certificate of the facility and, if there is one, of the agency.
- Get to know the dentist.The dentist's name, professional background and experience are information a facility's website is expected to publish.
- Ask for a written treatment plan and quote.See the list below.
- Read the contract, guarantee and payment terms.Check them before you pay anything.
- Make the follow-up plan.Who will check you after you return, when and how?
What a written treatment plan should contain
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How to read a price quote
To compare two quotes, look at the same items. Ask:
- Which procedures does the price cover, and which does it not? For example the implant body, abutment, crown, surgery, anaesthesia or sedation, imaging, temporary teeth and check-up sessions.
- Is the price per tooth, per jaw or in total?
- If an extra procedure turns out to be needed, how is its price set, and will your written approval be requested?
- Are transfers, accommodation and meals included? If so, is there a separate itemised price?
- What situations fall outside the guarantee?
- What are the deposit and refund terms?
Ask for the deposit and refund terms in writing before you pay. What a “package” price contains differs from one organisation to another. If travel and accommodation are included, ask for them to be shown separately from the treatment cost.
Preparing for a remote consultation
- A recent panoramic X-ray and any earlier records.
- Your medicines, allergies and general health. Give your health information accurately and completely.
- Write down what you expect from the treatment and what worries you.
- When you share your records, ask which channel is used and how the data is stored (see the right to privacy on the patient rights page).
- Say that you want to speak to the dentist directly. Writing only to a sales representative is not enough.
Payment, contract and insurance
- Read the contract before you sign. Look at the competent court or arbitration clause, the refund terms and the guarantee conditions.
- If you can, pay against an invoice or receipt and by a traceable method.
- Check your travel health insurance and whether it covers complications from treatment. Many travel policies do not cover complications of planned cosmetic or elective treatment, so check your policy.
- The 2025 Regulation makes complication insurance compulsory for surgical procedures in an operating theatre. It is not clear whether dental procedures are covered. Ask the facility in writing what is insured.
Travel and timing
- The length of stay depends on the treatment. There is no single standard number of days. The dentist's plan, healing and check-ups decide it. Multi-stage treatments (implants, bone grafts, extensive restorations) may need a second trip.
- Before you plan a long flight straight after treatment, ask the dentist.
- Visa and entry rules vary by nationality. Check them with official sources.
- Keep the tourist programme flexible around recovery. Choose bookings you can change if treatment or check-up dates move.
- A companion can help in some cases. Ask whether the facility offers services for companions.
What to bring
Warning signs
- A firm treatment plan and price given without an examination or X-ray.
- Pressure to decide fast, a price “only for today”, or pressure to pay in advance.
- Alternative treatments and risks are not explained.
- No written treatment plan or quote.
- It is unclear who will carry out the treatment.
- Guarantee and follow-up terms are vague, and nobody can be reached after you go home.
- Unrealistic results, or results presented as guaranteed.
- The organisation does not show its authorisation certificate, or it cannot be verified.
One of these signs alone does not show that an organisation is bad. If you see several together, take more care and, if needed, get another opinion. The purpose is not to frighten you, but to help you decide with your eyes open.
Frequently asked questions
What can my own dentist do before treatment?
They can assess your current situation, the alternatives and whether your plan abroad makes sense, and they can prepare your X-rays and records if you wish. Ask in advance whether they will take on follow-up care after treatment.
How much should it cost?
This page gives no prices or averages. There is no official price data set, so compare only written quotes whose scope is clear, side by side.
Should I apply through an agency or directly?
Either is possible. If you use an agency, verify its USHAŞ authorisation certificate and make sure you can contact the treating dentist directly.
Can I trust before-and-after photos on social media?
One patient's result does not show that you will get the same one. Ask whether the photos are genuine, which treatment they show and how long the follow-up was.