Pearly flights - Rise in dental tourism
HARD-UP Brits are biting back at soaring dental costs by going abroad to get their teeth fixed.
An estimated 100,000 of us now head to Eastern Europe each year for cheaper treatment.
The rise in so-called dental tourism — combined with a drop in people seeking treatment at home — has sparked an inquiry.
The Office of Fair Trading is investigating why British dental charges, both NHS and private, are among the highest in Europe.
An implant which costs around £550 at a private London clinic costs £320 in Hungary. And a crown costing up to £520 here is £190 in Poland, according to consumer magazine Which?
Peter Kolman is the owner of dental tour operator Dentist In Poland, who take around 1,000 Brits a year for treatment in Krakow.
He said: "We have been operating for five years and have seen the number of patients steadily rise. We offer a three-day package with two nights in a hotel and a check-up.
"The more work patients have done, the bigger the savings. A full set of tooth implants at a private clinic in Britain will cost about £15,000. With us it will cost £4,000. I'm always hearing claims that Polish dentists are not of the same standard as British dentists but they definitely are. Poland is an EU country so has all the same health and safety regulations as Britain."
But the British Dental Association is urging caution after a poll found 29 per cent of homegrown dentists had treated a patient for complications arising from treatment abroad.
A spokesman said: "Patients should check dentists' qualifications and whether they are insured if things go wrong, as regulation is not always as strict as in the UK.
"Complex courses of treatment usually require detailed preparation and a number of follow-up visits."
