According to my dentist, I’ll need to have some extensive dental work done. She mentioned me needing a root canal, a crown put on, and a dental implant. The estimate she gave me is way more than I expected this all to cost, and since I have no dental insurance there’s no way I can afford it. But after doing some research, I’ve found a place in India that can perform all of my services for much, much less. My plan is to take a nice vacation and get the dental work I need done at the same time. So, I’m in need of some advice on how to proceed. I need to know some idea of what to expect.
Thanks,
Maureen T., San Diego, CA
Hi Maureen,
We see this question a lot. It’s very tempting to want to travel overseas in order to take advantage of lower prices, especially since the prices are normally a fraction of what they are here in the US for the same dental procedures. But less expensive doesn’t always translate to great deals. Many times you’re taking a gamble on what you’re getting because other countries don’t have to adhere to the same regulations as dentists must in the US. Sterilization of instruments and the cleanliness of the exam rooms are paramount to avoiding infections. And if something goes wrong over there, you cannot force an American dentist to correct the work if you decide that’s now what you want to do.
Try, instead, to see if you can get a local dentist to work with you. Many times payment plans are an option for patients, meaning that you won’t have to pay all the costs up front. You don’t want to risk possibly receiving substandard care that will just end up costing you more money. Think about how much it will cost you if you have to repeat getting a root canal, crown and/or dental implants done.
Hope this helps!
This blog is sponsored by Buffalo dentist Warren M. Krutchick, DDS.
