5 Questions to Ask Your Dental Tourism Provider Before Booking Your Trip

Interest in dental tourism (and medical tourism overall) is growing – and this is a “good news, bad news” story. 

The good news is that it means more people are becoming aware of, and ultimately getting access to, the dental care and treatments they need yet cannot afford in the U.S.

For example, a single dental implant can cost between $5,000 and $7,000 in the U.S., but under $2,000 in Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, and many other popular dental tourism destinations. And for patients who need reconstructive “smile makeovers”, the cost savings can easily exceed $50,000.

The bad news, however, is that this increasing interest and demand is prompting some unqualified and unethical dental tourism providers to enter the marketplace. Driven by profits rather than service, they’re putting their clients at risk. 

Fortunately, you can steer well clear of these (so-called) providers by asking 5 key questions before booking your trip:

1. How much experience do you have? 

As the old saying goes, there’s no substitute for experience. You ONLY want to partner with a provider that has proven experience helping clients take advantage of dental tourism. If it’s something they’re unfamiliar with or “dabble in”, then walk (or run!) away.

2. What services do you provide?

Not all dental tourism providers offer the same range of services. You want to choose a partner that offers ALL of the services you need, including end-to-end logistics, paying the bill on your behalf (so you don’t have to deal with currency exchanges, etc.), facilitating communication between you and your dentist abroad, and so on. Your focus should be on getting the treatment you need, and enjoying what is essentially a free trip! 

3. How will you help me find the right dentist and destination?

Your dental tourism provider should take an active role in helping you evaluate and ultimately choose a dentist and destination that is right for you. For example, you should be given access to a database of pre-screened dentists, all of whom have had their credentials verified. What’s more, prior to choosing a dentist, you should have the opportunity to communicate with them directly, or if you wish through your dental tourism provider’s HIPAA-certified web dashboard (which you can also use to send X-rays, charts, notes, etc.).

4. How will you support me before, during and even after my trip?

24/7 concierge care is a MUST – not because you should expect something to go wrong, but because you need and deserve the peace of mind in knowing that if you have a question, need some help, or simply want to extend your fun and exotic vacation abroad (which happens often!), then you can pick up the phone or send an email and connect with a partner you know and trust. And of course, if you need advocacy for any reason, your dental tourism provider will be there for you as well.

5. How much will you charge?

As you might expect, fees vary from provider to provider. However, in terms of overall fee approach and structure, you should demand the following:

• All fees you will pay must be 100 percent transparent, and with no hidden costs of any kind.
• You will not be charged anything unless and until you choose to book your trip with a particular provider. Any provider who requires that you pay an initial fee, consulting fee, deposit, down payment or anything else prior to booking should be avoided.
• The fee you’re ultimately quoted should be clearly itemized, and based on a percentage of the overall fee quoted by your dentist.
• The quote you receive should be comprehensive and cover all services (e.g. airport transfer, ground transportation, hotel, flight, insurance, etc.). 

Learn More

To learn more about what you need to know before booking your trip, contact the SkyMedicus team today. Regardless of whether you choose us as your provider, we’ll gladly and honestly empower you with information. Your consultation with us is free, and there’s never any obligation or risk.

For more information about medical tourism and if it is the right choice for you, download our FREE eBook for 10 factor you need to consider to make sure your trip is successful and safe: 

Topics: Dental Medical Tourism