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RECORD numbers of Brits are flying overseas for sun, sea, sand – and cheap dental treatment.

High costs and long waits are fuelling a boom which saw an estimated 100,000 British people visiting dental surgeries in other countries last year.

The 2006 figure was 70,000.

The problem became worse in 2006 when new dental contracts were introduced and 1,000 dentists left the NHS.

The average age of a person from England making an inquiry is 47, they are mainly women and the most popular treatment they were looking for is dental implants.

The countries they were interested in getting treated in were Hungary, Poland and Spain and even as far away as India.

And you can see why, with a root canal treatment costing £104 in Hungary, as against the average UK price of £220.

The phenomenon is being dubbed “dental tourism“.

In the top 10 table for inquiries, London came first, Liverpool second and Manchester third.

They were followed by Southampton, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, Bristol, Belfast, Bournemouth, Cardiff, Huddersfield, York, Blackpool, Cambridge, Chichester, Crowborough (East Sussex) and Oxford.

A survey by RevaHealth.com reveals an average cost saving of £3,200, even taking accommodation and flights into account.

Philip Boyle, RevaHealth.com’s marketing manager, says: “Interest in dental tourism is spreading and we expect the number to rise by 50% this year.”

Many people made detailed inquiries about being treated in Hungary by VitalEurope, which deals with more than 200 British people a month at its Budapest clinic.

Thomas Antalffy, managing partner at VitalEurope, says: “Over the past year or two the dental tourism market in the UK has simply exploded.

“Around 95% of our patients are British and we’re currently treating 200 of them a month, which is staggering. They’re choosing to travel to countries such as Hungary primarily for the cost savings, which can be considerable.

“These days there is a huge demand for cosmetic treatment, which isn’t available through the NHS and can be extremely expensive if done privately in the UK.”

But is dental tourism safe?

Experts in Britain say patients should be wary of dental treatment abroad, especially if it goes wrong.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, says: “It is a big worry that so many people are now willing to travel abroad for dental treatment without being fully aware of the risks.

“So-called dental holidays are presented as a cheap and hassle-free alternative to getting treatment in this country.

“But we know from calls to our Dental Helpline that if things go wrong then nothing could be further from the truth.”

Patients need to know their legal rights and also if they have the money to make corrections in Britain if the treatment goes wrong, he warns.

Dr Carter added: “It is totally unrealistic to expect that complicated procedures which can take months to complete in this country can be carried out to the same high standard while on a 10-day holiday.

“But unfortunately that is the myth being sold to people.”

A spokeswoman for the Government’s Department of Health says: “We strongly advise people having surgery abroad to do their research and make sure they’re clear about prices, procedures, recovery times and aftercare.”

Categories: Dental Tourism