About Cosmetic Dentistry Discussion : Re: Traveling out of the country for dental work

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Re: Traveling out of the country for dental work

Posted by cs on 4/2/2012, 12:23 pm, in reply to "Traveling out of the country for dental work"

Hi, Jean . . .

Your best bet probably is to talk to other people who have had dental work done outside the U.S, (or Canada) and are happy with the result.

But Swimmer has raised an important issue regarding professional care after your return home. Some dentists are not willing to provide after care (especially for problems) related to work done elsewhere.

In the case of implants, also keep in mind that generally they require special instruments designed for specific brands of implant devices. e.g., When I received my implant I asked my dentist what would happen if I ever moved to another state and needed care. While he didn't think it would be a major problem, he did say I probably would have to find a dentist willing to track down the required instruments. As an alternative, he would be willing to discuss the matter by phone or e-mail; but if I did not have a regular dentist I could count on, I wouldn't assume any new one I consulted would be as knowledge about the device or as cooperative.

Other details I would consider include:

1) Travel and accommodation costs: While some dental practices outside the USA may suggest in their ads that having them do the work is akin to a travel adventure, as a happy implant patient, I'm not sure I would agree. Although I had confidence in the dentist who placed it, I was a little nervous in the days leading up to the BIG DAY. Also, even though I received an immediate-loading implant, advance preparations started at least a week in advance, when impressions were taken for the temporary crown I would wear during the month my implant was monitored and adjusted after it was placed.

And though the operation itself was painless, I did experience minor swelling and discomfort in the first few days that followed.
I certainly would have hated to be paying for hotel accommodations during that time, especially if I wasn't able to enjoy typical tourist activities or food.

Workmanship Guarantees: The fee I paid to my dentist also included a generous warranty, which was written into the treatment plan/contract I signed before the project started. I don't know if dentists outside the USA offer the same promise, but even if they do, I'm not sure I could afford the travel costs a second time.

Oversight: Although language differences might/might not be a problem, professional oversight sometimes is. Having dental work performed close to home gives patients the opportunity to check caregivers' reputations beforehand.

In addition to oversight by local and state licensing boards, Better Business organizations, etc. . . . dentists who belong to the American Dental Association are subject to review by their peers. In iother wowrds, to varying degrees, complaints filed against professional practitioners generally are open matters of public record.

Finally, while local, state or federal courts generally offer citizens some degree of protection against malpractice, the same may not be available to non-residents who choose to have their medical/dental work done outside the country in which they live. If I were considering dental work outside the USA, I would look into that before making travel plans or signing any contracts.

By the way, since I live fairly close to the southern tip of a state that shares a border with Mexico, I often read or hear about dental practices offered in that country; so it's not unusual to see ads from dentists who mention having been trained in the USA. Their offices or clinics usually are described as modern, as well. Both may be true; but how does one know unless s/he can ask someone who has been treated there?

I've also read and seen reports on TV about a medical/dental mecca just across the border with (I believe) Arizona . . . (or maybe Texas) whose quick service attracts many US and Canadian retirees. Again, though,while it may be OK for a crown or other reasonably small project, I probably would think hard about it for the extensive work you have described.