Medical Tourism Is the New Trend in Travel!
“Darling, how about a trip to Cuba this summer? I need to get some dental implants.”
Medical tourism, a practice so common that it has even been given its own name, is a phenomenon that is flourishing at the speed of a galloping horse. As dental treatments costs may sometimes be expensive, there is a real temptation to go and have dental work done in other countries where costs are much lower. But buyer beware! There is also a flip side to this coin.
Oral Health Comes at a Cost… But It Is Also Priceless!
At Centre Dentaire & D’implantologie Boucherville, your dentists on the South Shore at 550 De Mortagne in Boucherville, are particularly attentive to these new practices and strongly recommend vigilance in order to keep your mouth in perfect health. They can help you avoid the pitfalls and even dangers that come with getting dental work done abroad, which is often too good to be true and, above all, safe.
The Internet has certainly brought about a plethora of services and offers of all kinds. The dental profession is no exception to this rule. Nowadays, you can find just about anything and everything on the web. In most cases, this can be useful, or even essential, but it can also mean making mistakes that can be detrimental in the long run. This is especially true when it comes to our health.
Dental care does carry a price tag, but should not come at ALL costs. The price of the equipment, the products, the training and continuing education of professional dental experts is very high and should be somehow reflected in the price of care and in the cost of the equipment, not to mention the cost of running a dental practice in a safe environment. And while some practitioners may be able to offer you significantly lower rates, chances are they most likely skipped over some of these basics of safety, training and proper equipment.
The first thing that comes to mind when contemplating medical care abroad is whether or not the host country requires the same level of training for its practitioners. Do the country’s medical authorities expect its practitioners to have the same level of training? Does it require ongoing training to ensure that the care the medical providers offer is always up to date and always as effective and safe as possible? A single tool can either be very effective or devastating depending on whether it is handled by skilled or unskilled hands.
Another important question to ask: is the equipment used hygienic? Is it safe to use? With respect to safety, diseases or serious complications can occur and ruin your oral health permanently. HIV or Hepatitis B or C is still prevalent in many of these places, to name but a few health complications. Let’s not forget that in some countries, drugs and medication can be fake or simply totally different from the ones we would normally use (strictly controlled and monitored).
So, if seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty is part of your mindset, you should remain vigilant about medical service offers for your dental health. Although many people are and will continue to be satisfied with the dental care they have received abroad, or will receive in the future, it is important not to forget those whose medical holiday has turned into a nightmare because their implants were not placed properly or they were improperly treated or got sick or worse.
Your experts at Centre Dentaire & D’implantologie Boucherville are always on hand to give you the most impartial advice possible. Come and speak to them in confidence to discuss your queries and find the best solution for your case. And if, unfortunately, you suffer from consequences due to procedures performed outside our country, they can still help you remedy them. But be aware, however, that it is not always possible to turn back the clock. Prudence is essential in these cases, and should always be the main order of the day.