Can't Afford Dental Work? Go Overseas
BOSTON (CBS) - A trip to the dentist can be expensive.
So what would you think of taking a much bigger trip to save money?
More patients are making that choice and an industry known as "Dental Tourism" is now flourishing.
Sheila Liner needed extensive work done on her teeth.
Even with insurance, it was going to cost her $14,000 out of pocket.
"I just thought I'd never be able to have it done."
So to get her smile back, Sheila booked a trip thru a company which specializes in finding cheaper dental services overseas.
She packed her bags for Costa Rica and paid less than $4,000. She even made a vacation out of it.
Travelling abroad for dental work to countries like Mexico and Turkey is a growing trend.
That's not much of a surprise when you consider more than 40-percent of Americans don't have any dental insurance at all.
Dr. Edmond Hewlett of the American Dental Association said, "In these difficult economic times when everybody is looking to save money, and asking what can I cut out, my personal opinion, your body shouldn't be the first place you look to start making cuts."
Hewlett says prices are higher in the United States because dentists meet rigorous training standards.
There are also high thresholds for hygiene and sanitation.
He warns that patients won't get the same guarantees going abroad.
"Let me make it very clear," says Hewlett, "There are untold numbers of highly qualified dentists out there all over the world. You want to make sure if you're going to another country you have one of those."
David Boucher of Companion Global Healthcare says the dentists his company uses are fully vetted, and their work speaks for itself.
"If their patients were returning to the U.S, or to their home country, saying negative things about their experiences to their friends and family, it would significantly impact their business."
It's one trip Sheila is glad she took.
"It was well worth it," she said. "I'd do it all over again."
When was the last time you heard someone say that about a trip to the dentist?
Some insurance companies will pay for dental work done overseas, but you have to check with your provider ahead of time.
