| Being well informed is the cornerstone of being | | | | having done. Even if you are suitable for the |
| able to make a good decision. Before you travel | | | | procedure, ask about alternatives. There may be |
| abroad to visit a dentist, doctor or cosmetic | | | | a newer procedure, or a less risky procedure or a |
| surgeon you should satisfy yourself that you are | | | | cheaper procedure that you would be even more |
| 100% happy to be treated by this person at their | | | | interested in, but if you don't ask you may never |
| facility. Here are ten questions that will help you | | | | be offered them. |
| become an informed patient. | | | | 6. How much is it going to cost? If you are |
| | | | travelling abroad without having received a |
| 1. What are your qualifications and specialisations? | | | | pre-consultation at home, any prices you have |
| You should take the time to check that your | | | | been quoted are likely list prices for a given |
| dentist, doctor or surgeon is fully qualified and | | | | procedure. You need to ask if there are any |
| currently registered to practice in their local | | | | extra costs that are likely to arise: x-rays, |
| country. To do this, contact the local medical or | | | | anaesthetic, prescriptions, etc. The last thing you |
| dental council. If you are receiving specialist | | | | want to have happen is to get to your clinic and |
| treatments, look for a further qualification in that | | | | find out that the treatment you thought was |
| area of specialisation. For further peace of mind, | | | | going to cost EUR3,000 is actually going to cost |
| check if the person in question has been licensed | | | | EUR5,000 when everything is included. It is not |
| to practice in your own local country. | | | | unreasonable if you do have a local |
| 2. With my medical history, am I suitable for this | | | | pre-consultation to ask for a fixed price |
| procedure? To minimise the risk of unnecessary | | | | guarantee. You might also want to enquire about |
| complications, you should disclose any possible | | | | possible payment methods. |
| medical reasons that might make you unsuitable | | | | 7. Where is the treatment going to take place? |
| for treatment. That could be something as simple | | | | You will want to know in advance what type of |
| as being a smoker, which might disqualify you | | | | facility you are going to be treated in. Is it a small |
| from receiving dental implants. Your prospective | | | | clinic located in an office building, is it a larger |
| practitioner should be asking these questions | | | | purpose built clinic, or is it a hospital? There are |
| anyway, but if they don't you should volunteer | | | | implications involved in each case, but you will |
| the information and ask about the implications. | | | | need to be satisfied that you are happy to be |
| 3. What are the normal treatment and recovery | | | | treated in whichever facility your prospective |
| times recommended? One commonly voiced | | | | doctor, dentist or surgeon is located in. |
| concern amongst local dentists and doctors when | | | | 8. What is your success rate?Some procedures, |
| talking about patients seeking treatment abroad is | | | | such as dental implants, have a failure rate that is |
| that they compress too much treatment into too | | | | measurable. You should ask how many times |
| short a space of time. If you are getting | | | | your practitioner has performed the specific |
| complicated treatment done abroad, ask your | | | | treatment you are interested in, and what the |
| overseas clinic what their recommended time | | | | long term success rate of his or her use of this |
| between treatments is, what their recommended | | | | treatment is. |
| recovery times are, and if they differ significantly | | | | 9. Can I speak to some previous patients? One of |
| from what is suggested at home, ask them why | | | | the best ways you can get honest answers |
| that is. | | | | about treatment in a specific clinic is to talk to |
| 4. What happens if something goes wrong? The | | | | someone who has done it already. Ask the clinic |
| biggest fear that people have when looking for | | | | to put you in touch with someone in your country |
| treatment abroad is that something will go wrong, | | | | who has had the same procedure performed. If |
| either while they are still abroad or, worse still, | | | | they can't or won't, try and find someone |
| once they return home. You need to know | | | | yourself by searching online. People who are very |
| before you travel what procedures the clinic has | | | | happy or very unhappy often blog about the |
| in place for dealing with everything from pulled | | | | treatment they received. |
| stitches to post operative infections. In the worst | | | | 10. What brand of implant do you use? In order |
| case scenario, what will they do if the procedure | | | | to accurately compare the price at home to the |
| fails completely? Do they offer guarantees, | | | | price abroad you really need to compare like with |
| refunds, or free remedial treatment? If you have | | | | like, and that means asking what brand name of |
| returned home before the problem arises, will | | | | implant, crown, or veneer that the dentist is going |
| they pay for you to return? Be satisfied that you | | | | to use is. The same applies for any cosmetic |
| can live with the answers they give. | | | | implants or fillers, and similarly there are a wide |
| 5. What other options do I have? Often times | | | | range of laser eye treatments available under the |
| you will have heard of a procedure from a | | | | umbrella terms LASEK or LASIK. Know exactly |
| magazine or a television programme that seems | | | | what it is that you are buying or you might end |
| like it might be something you'd be interested in | | | | up unhappy with the results. |