Britons Travel for Cosmetic Dental Care

Cost and Quality push Britons to travel for dental care

With fewer NHS dentists, longer waiting times and rising costs of private treatment, more and more Britons are opting to travel abroad for dental treatment, with Hungary being the top destination.

The cost of private dental treatment in the UK is steadily on the rise and has already risen beyond the means of many patients. To give an example, the cost of a dental implant can cost anywhere between £1,800 - £3,000 whereas in Hungary they are almost half the price at £580. In Budapest root canal treatment and a crown fitting can be done for £250 whereas that same procedure would set you back around £800 in the UK. It is evident that even with the cost of flights and accommodation the savings are substantial, considering you can also enjoy a bit of a holiday at the same time. 

Although the NHS does provide dental services there are very few NHS dentists, with approximately four dentists for every 10,000 people in England. This, as you can imagine, creates long waiting lists for treatment, forcing people to choose private services which are often well beyond their means. Even if you are able to find an NHS dentist you can still end up paying £214 or more for crowns and bridges which is sometimes higher than what you would pay abroad. Furthermore the NHS does not cover cosmetic treatment, so for those in need of cosmetic dental treatment, private dental services are the only option for that type of treatment within the UK. It is not unheard of for people to receive quotes for upwards of £11,000 for cosmetic dental treatment, whereas the same procedure can be in Hungary or Poland for almost half the price.

Below is a price comparison for the common dental procedures (typical cost in £):  

As can be seen from the above table, the cost of the procedures abroad is a huge attraction factor for Britons looking for high quality affordable dental services as you can easily save up to 70%.

Dentists in Hungary, Poland and Eastern Europe in general are used to dealing with foreign teeth. For years patients from Germany and Austria have been traveling across the border to receive dental treatment for a fraction of the price at home. The quality of the dental procedures and services provided are top class, with highly qualified dentists with an excellent knowledge of current dental technologies and procedures you can rest at ease knowing that you are safe hands.