Tbilisi: A Getaway Destination For Affordable Dental Treatments
It is no surprise that Georgia, a former state within the former USSR, is becoming a player in the dental tourism industry. Given a well-trained professional class, early adopters for technology, and an enthusiasm that is evident in many emerging countries, one can expect to see Tbilisi and Georgia continue to ride the wave for years to come.
Georgia sits on the southeastern edge of the Black Sea, a border that abuts Russia, with Turkey to Georgia's southwest, Armenia due south, and Azerbaijan to the southeast.
Travelers flying into Georgia for dental treatment usually get their work done in the capital city of Tbilisi, known as one of the most charming cities in Eurasia. In fact, its charm, sophistication and relaxed culture have resulted in it being referred to as “the Paris of Eurasia.”
And the clinics are full-service as in other parts of Europe offering deep cleaning, extractions, Panoramic 360 x-rays, implants and dentures, or just about anything dental one can think of. The unit of account or invoices is in Euros. However, the cost is affordable as operating expenses are structurally less than in the high tax jurisdictions on western Europe so one can expect to pay a fraction of the cost of a high cost country.
Georgia's Nature Scenes
And the good news keeps getting better, travelers should not let dental work be their reason for visiting Georgia. The climate is marvelous, with lots of stunning green hills, and you definitely can't miss gaping at the Caucasian Mountains, the highest mountain range in Europe. That range boasts more than seven 5,000+ meter-tall peaks. And those are much higher than even the tallest peak in the Colorado Rockies, which is 4,401 meters, or 14,440 feet. And Mount Blanc that straddles France and Switzerland is a foothill compared to what one finds in Georgia.
One tourist blogger has even put Georgia's hilly beauty above Scotland's, and Scotland itself is no slouch for Nature being at her rugged, raw Highlander best. Indeed, Georgia's own people call their country “the balcony of Europe.” Given the beautiful terrain and the surrounding mountains, it's a well-deserved epithet.
Beautiful People, Delicious Food, and Good Times
The people of Georgia are also extraordinarily welcoming as well, with plenty of delicious traditional foods pulled from surrounding countries. Plus if you're up for fresh vegetables and fruits, Tbilisi's markets are just as beautifully quaint and charming as the entire city.
Night life in Tbilisi is superb, and you definitely won't find typical Western food chains like Burger King in this most unique capital city. So if you're looking to eat healthy, Tbilisi is it.
If you're looking to wander back further afield into the hills, you can't miss the tiny churches dotted here and there. Georgia's people are very religious, but it doesn't affect their way of life like in the Middle East. There's a wonderful new generation that hasn't experienced the Soviet “occupation,” and they're taking over media, culture, and government and it is bringing Georgia and Tbilisi out into the open.
A Word About Visas and Currency
Georgia is similar to Moldova that it doesn't require a visa for certain countries, and Georgia also has the same basic 90-day-in-a-six-month period rule, but the visa-not-required list is longer, and you can even get a multiple-entry, 180-day-stay visa for only $100 USD if you want to visit other countries then come back to Georgia. And if you need to get your visa attached to a new passport, it's only $5 USD.
The Georgia currency is called the Lari and at this writing, the exchange rate is 2.58 GEL to $1 USD (as of 01/04/2018), which is a relatively equal exchange.
If you're looking for both dental work and a way to really “get away from it all” in a beautiful new world you've never seen before, travel to Tbilisi, Georgia. They'll welcome you with open arms.