Warning to 'dental tourists' over sub-standard treatment
A large proportion of people travelling abroad for cheaper dental treatment are having to get corrective surgery later at home, it was claimed today.
Two public dental consultants from the Dublin Dental Hospital said 21 so-called ’dental tourists’ treated outside the state needed re-treated earlier this year in Ireland.
Out of these, 16 patients had to undergo extensive corrective work at a specialist level, according a survey by Professor Brian O’Connell and Dr Michael O’Sullivan.
The dentists looked at the records of patients who had made appointments for check-ups or emergencies after returning from treatment abroad from January to March.
The ’dental tourists’ had sought out treatment in the North, Hungary, Spain, Croatia, Argentina, Thailand and Turkey.
Out of a sample group of 26 people, only four had received a satisfactory level of care from the dentists outside the state, the dental consultants claimed.
While many patients were satisfied with the look of the work, remedial treatment was still required in a large proportion of the cases, according to the survey.
“The condensing of a large amount of complex treatment into a very short time frame is inherently risky,” said Professor O’Connell.
“There must be sufficient time for planning and staging treatment, so that patients may make informed decisions.
“If completing extensive treatment in condensed blocks were best practice then it would be the standard of care worldwide.”
The report said patients getting work done on their teeth abroad who later develop problems may be at a disadvantage to those who receive similar treatment in Ireland.
In emergencies dentists could experience problems accessing treatment records, face language barriers or be unable to contact the treating dentist abroad.
It was also claimed that the cost of corrective work can amount to several times the original cost of the treatment abroad.
“Many dental tourists believe that their treatment is a ’one-off’ event,” said Professor O’Connell.
“However, in order to ensure the longest survival of their teeth, it is in the interest of patients to undergo a proper maintenance phase of treatment.
“The more complex the treatment, the more important it is to maintain regular contact with their dentist.”
