3-hour flight from Perth, this Indonesian tropical paradise may sound like the perfect destination.While travelling abroad for dental implants may seem like a modern thing to do, the truth is that people have been travelling abroad for health reasons for centuries. The wealthy used to flock to mountainside spas to partake in the mineral baths, while others journeyed to faraway cities to seek help with medical ailments. Today, travelling abroad for healthcare is known as medical tourism and it’s a multi-billion-dollar industry. Yet, while no one country has a monopoly on good health care, it’s important to know that there are pros and cons to this type of travelling.So, why do people jump on a plane and travel hundreds or (in some cases) thousands of miles to have dental procedures such as dental implants? Simple…the cost!Dental implants in Bali, Thailand, and Malaysia for example, can be up to 70% cheaper in some cases. Clearly, that’s a huge saving on dental fees in Australia. However, aside from the money saving aspect, there are some important facts you really need to be aware of.
Varying standards
Perhaps the biggest medical risk when seeking invasive procedures such as dental implants is that sterilisation, vaccination, and infection control might not be up to the same standards as here in Australia. In addition, dental education standards can vary from country to country and certain accreditations may be far easier to obtain. Finally, and in some cases, materials such as crowns and implants may not be the same quality as you’d expect back home.
As a top tip, ensure you thoroughly research your chosen dental clinic abroad and the background of the dentist looking to carry out your implant process. Check out reviews and testimonials and if possible, visit the clinic in Bali yourself before you decide, to get a gut feeling before you sign on the dotted line.
Dental implant process may be lost in translation
While English may be widely spoken in Bali, it may be difficult to ensure that any questions asked or concerns raised have been fully understood. While many medical tour companies send out your medical records beforehand, if you decide to ‘go it alone’ it can be difficult for foreign clinicians to access your medical records back in Australia. Likewise, in some cases, complete documentation of your dental implant treatment abroad may be lacking and communication problems may lead to a lack of transparency when it comes to costs, meals, accommodation, and travel arrangements. This leads your cheap dental implant trip to Bali to grow considerably beyond what was initially budgeted.
The joys of (medical) travel
When you’re relaxing on a beach In Bali on your two-week vacation it may seem like bliss. Unfortunately, it isn’t always like this when you consider undergoing any type of medical procedure. Even when opting for dental implants, Bali flights may be a regular occurrence as treatment can involve several visits over a period of months. Alternatively, some decide instead to have a lot of dental work over a short space of time. This isn’t always ideal in terms of overall wellbeing and you probably won’t feel much like sunbathing, instead preferring to recover at home. In addition, ‘vacation type’ activities such as swimming, exploring, and drinking alcohol are understandably out of bounds to recovering patients.
Know before you go
While it is certainly possible to receive the very best medical and dental care anywhere in the world, potential patients should be educated in what they should and shouldn’t expect. So, don’t let the dental implants all on 4 cost cloud your judgement when considering dental implants in Bali. Instead, look at the bigger picture and weigh up the pros and cons as a whole, including the risks and alternatives.
At Digital Dental Surgery Sydney and our sister practice, the Digital Dental Implants Institute, we use the latest innovative technology making dental implant surgery and other dental treatments, safer, faster, and better. So, if you’re considering dental implants in Bali, then we’d love you to come and talk to us first. With competitive pricing, we offer affordable dental implants cost in Australia. Contact us today to find out more.
Thanks for sharing this, that seems to be very useful. But if I spend quite much time doing my own research, checking out chat boards, discussions, clinics itself, publications, reading guides and recommendations, then a dental implant treatment in Bali might be safe and a cost- saving solution. Otherwise, I’ll opt for a local dental clinic like yours.
High have top teeth faluse , not happy with the fit looking at getting all on 4 at top only how long does it take and the cost please
Well, I think I can say that I can get 3 implants in Bali for the price of 1 here in Australia. But the question is, will I get the same quality? I am very skeptical when it comes to low cost dental or medical tourism. Fortunately I don’t have any need for it yet.
I couldn’t agree more! I realise that dentistry in Australia is expensive but I think it will be wise to have the procedure done in your home city. If something goes wrong, which it can as implant is a type of delicate work, then the dentist isn’t far away and aside from that, it might require more work and money to repair shoddy work done by a dentist from out of the country if ever.
There may be thousands of people yearly that go overseas for their dental work with wonderful results. But, I’m still not sure if I’m going to place my future dental health in the hands of a foreign dentist. So, thank you so much for posting this. I was very apprehensive about having dental implants in Bali but your detailed info has certainly helped ease my mind. I think I might contact you guys too – Cheers!
I’m in need of 2 implants and I have been working my butt off for the last few months saving money for it. It sure sounds great getting dental implants done in Bali all for less than what they cost here in Australia but it is not guaranteed to be safe and the outcomes may not be any better. I think I’d stick to picking my dentist the old fashion way, by word of mouth!
I’m in need of dental implants and I’ve been procrastinating far too long because of the alluring dental tourism. It’s getting down to choosing time and I have been scouring forums which seem to be uncertain on all of their experiences. I have been contemplating Bali but wouldn’t even know where to start ’til I came across this article. This absolutely helped me boil down my decision. Thank you!
It sure sounds great to get dental implants done on the cheap or rather all for less than what they would cost here in Sydney. But I still don’t think it’s worth the risk.Unlike local dentists, most work is guaranteed an essay fix if something goes wrong. Understandably so as the dentist isn’t far away. If anyone would still give Bali a shot though then the number of visits required for the treatment should not be overlooked.
It may be true that one of the most affordable ways of getting dental implants is to have them through dental tourism. However, the cost should not be your primary criteria. Having dental implants placed might be a one-shot. If they fail, you might not have the option to get them redone back home. So, before you pack your bags for a dental vacation, take time to think it over.
It’s understandable how some people would prefer getting their dental implants done overseas for noticeably less than they would expect to pay here in Sydney. But, they should choose a dentist with a proven track record and have been personally recommended. Knowing the extensive local knowledge of the skills and honesty of the dentist is very important. Otherwise, if things go wrong, there may be a high price to pay.