Dental travelling in 19 steps!

2-Jun-2021

Dr George Vardakis, Founder of Dental Holiday Crete, a medium size dental clinic located at the island of Crete in Greece, treating more than 600 foreign dental patients every year outlines the steps of travelling for dentistry abroad one by one: 

1. Identifying the dental needs. It is important to have a good idea of the dental works a patient will need to perform. Having a panoramic X-ray will help the clinic understand the patient’s condition.
2. Deciding about the time of dental travelling. Unlike other treatments dental traveling can be combined with comfortable vacation as the type of treatment won’t be an obstacle in receiving any kind of travel and leisure services. Summer vacation can be perfectly combined with dental treatment, but the patient can also take into consideration that dental travelling during off season periods can cost less as accommodation and travel expenses are lower. In addition, family dental traveling is a good opportunity for families to receive dental treatments and have vacation together the same time while saving money from performing those treatments at home.
3. Choosing the destination due to some certain criteria like proximity, safety, cost of travelling, accommodation cost, visa requirement, foreign language use.
4. Deciding if the patient will travel alone or with a friend, family member or the entire family.
5. Performing research for finding the right clinic. Speak with the dentist or coordinator, see if the location is convenient, read what other people say through reviews, videos, and testimonials, see their premises and also check for certificates, quality assurance systems and malpractice protocols. 
6. Select the clinic. Ask the clinic to send you a detailed quote with your treatment plan and cost. Learn about your dentist! 
7. Select your accommodation options. Some clinics will make accommodation suggestions or provide a full package including treatment and accommodation services. 
8. Plan your budget. Make sure incorporating all possible expenses.
9. Make all arrangements for taking some time off from work
10. Book your clinic 
11. Plan your travel and accommodation and make sure to have all the travel documents that will be required for travelling to this destination.
12. Book your travel and accommodation and buy travel insurance if this is possible.
13. Travel to your selected destination and meet your doctor. Before starting the treatment plan make sure to get some consultation for the dentist to see your condition and ensure that this is the tight plan for you
14. Recieve the treatment. 
15. Make sure to ask your doctor about any possible effects and how to overcome these. Ask for the aftercare directions.
16. Make sure to pay as per your agreement. It is important to receive a great dental treatment, but it is also important to fulfill your obligations on time.
17. Make sure to thank your dentists or let them know in case you feel something goes wrong. It is far more important seeing all issues with the clinics before leaving the country.
18. Follow the aftercare instructions.
19. Make sure to share your experience! Sharing your positive or negative experience is valuable for other prospective dental travelers and the same time help the clinics improve and get encouraged to keep on with their good work!