Dental Treatment Abroad: What to Check Before You Go

Travelling to another country for dental care is sometimes called dental tourism. Smartraveller, the Australian Government's travel advice service, lists dentistry among the most common reasons Australians go overseas for treatment, often to save money, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the same of US residents.

Treatment abroad is not always poor: the American Dental Association has said there are very capable dentists providing quality care outside the United States. But standards vary, and problems can be harder to sort out once you are home. This guide expands on the short sections in our articles on crowns and veneers and dental implants.

What do health bodies advise?

UK. The General Dental Council (GDC), the UK dental regulator, says to be fully aware of what to expect and the risks before you commit. The government's Travel Aware campaign says going abroad for treatment, including dentistry, can significantly increase the risk of something going wrong. The NHS says to decide on the quality of care, not on how appealing the destination is for a holiday.

Australia. The Australian Dental Association's policy is that Australians should only have elective (planned, non-urgent) dental treatment in Australia, so that Australian standards are met and complications are managed promptly.

US. The American Dental Association says saving money overseas may lead to greater expense to your health and your wallet when you get home. The CDC says the risk of complications depends on the destination, the facility and whether you are in good health for the procedure.

Talk to your own dentist first

The GDC says your own dentist can advise based on your dental history, and needs to know your plans in case of later complications. The Australian Dental Association says to get advice from an Australian dentist first. The NHS suggests a second opinion, and asking how your notes will be passed to the overseas team. The American Dental Association suggests arranging follow-up care at home before you travel, and the CDC suggests seeing a doctor or travel medicine clinic 4 to 6 weeks before the trip.

Think hard about extensive cosmetic work. In a British Dental Association (BDA) survey, some UK dentists raised concerns about "smile makeovers" abroad on previously healthy teeth, which would need a lifetime of costly maintenance. The Dental Board of Australia suggests asking whether a cosmetic procedure is an irreversible, lifelong change, and what the alternatives are.

Checking qualifications and registration

The GDC suggests finding out whether the country has a dental regulator and whether dentists must register with it. If so, its website may explain the standards, qualifications and how to complain. Travel Aware says you should be able to find the practitioner's details through the host government's official sources. Also check:

• The person who treats you. Travel Aware advises checking that the clinician you consult is the one who will carry out the treatment, and not assuming that someone you meet in the UK is UK-registered.
• Consultations in the UK. Some overseas clinics hold events or consultations in the UK. The GDC says assessments and advice given there may count as practising dentistry, which only GDC-registered professionals can legally do in the UK, and recommends checking its register. See finding a dentist.
• Insurance. Smartraveller says some countries do not require doctors and hospitals to hold professional indemnity insurance, so ask.
• Standards. The Australian Dental Association suggests comparing infection control (including the clinic's water quality), materials and complaint procedures with what you would expect at home. The CDC notes that accreditation does not guarantee a good outcome.

Questions to ask the clinic

The GDC suggests asking:

• Who will treat me, what qualifications do they have, and are they registered with a regulator?
• Will the team speak English, or will you provide a translator?
• How often have you done this procedure, and what are your rates of complications and infection?
• Is the work guaranteed, what aftercare do you provide, and who can I contact after I get home?
• If I am unhappy or there are complications, who pays for further treatment, flights and hotels?
• Do you have insurance for this procedure, and a complaints system I can see?

The GDC says the dentist assessing you should take your full medical history, and you should not feel you have to commit on the day. The NHS warning signs are a hard sell, a lack of information, pressure to decide quickly, and no discussion of complications or aftercare.

Aftercare and follow-up

The Oral Health Foundation says crowns, bridges, veneers and implants cannot easily be done quickly, and getting the bite right can take repeat visits that may not be possible if your dentist is abroad. The American Dental Association says many dental procedures are surgical and may need months of healing.

The Australian Dental Association says records of overseas treatment are often not available to the dentist who treats you later, and it may be hard to find someone at home to continue or repair the work because of incompatible systems, techniques or materials. The CDC advises getting copies of your records before you come home, translated if needed.

Travel, flying and recovery

The NHS says to stay in the country long enough to recover before travelling home. Travel Aware says to fly only when you are fit to, and to plan to stay at least 10 days after a general anaesthetic. The CDC says flying after surgery can increase the risk of blood clots, and suggests waiting 10 to 14 days after major surgery. Ask the team treating you when it is safe to fly after your particular treatment.

Insurance and the real cost

• UK. The NHS says you cannot get NHS reimbursement for dental treatment abroad, and suggests allowing for exchange rates, a longer stay and return trips. Travel Aware says most travel insurance is invalidated by planned treatment abroad, so you are likely to need specialist cover.
• Australia. Smartraveller says basic travel insurance rarely covers medical tourism and that Medicare does not cover you overseas. The Australian Dental Association says complications are not always covered by travel insurance, and treatment may not be covered by Australian health funds.
• US. The CDC says follow-up care for complications can be expensive and may not be covered by your health insurance.

In the BDA survey, about two-thirds of dentists said repairs had cost patients at least £500. The Oral Health Foundation suggests comparing prices at several practices at home and asking about payment plans. See dental costs and help.

What if something goes wrong?

While you are there. Smartraveller suggests finding out whether you could take legal action against the clinic, and says Australian consular staff can list local English-speaking doctors but cannot pay your medical bills.

Back home. The GDC points out that you may not know how to raise concerns in another country; if a UK-registered professional was involved, for example at a UK consultation, you can raise concerns with the GDC. The Australian Dental Association lists a lack of recourse among its reasons for advising against overseas treatment. In the US, the American Dental Association's ethics council says dentists should treat a patient who has had treatment abroad like any patient transferring from another practice, and in an emergency should at least make reasonable arrangements for care. It warns that seeking redress for treatment abroad can be difficult.

For sudden problems after you return, see dental emergencies.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. Treatment abroad checklist, NHS, accessed September 2026
2. Dental abscess, NHS, accessed September 2026
3. Going abroad for dental treatment, General Dental Council, accessed September 2026
4. Surgery abroad, cut out the risk, Travel Aware (UK Government), accessed September 2026
5. UK dentists picking up the pieces from dental tourism boom, British Dental Association, accessed September 2026
6. I am thinking about getting treatment overseas. Is this a good idea?, Oral Health Foundation, accessed September 2026
7. Policy Statement 2.2.6: Elective overseas dental treatment, Australian Dental Association, accessed September 2026
8. Cosmetic procedures by dental practitioners are not without risk, Dental Board of Australia, August 2023, accessed September 2026
9. Going overseas for a medical procedure (medical tourism), Smartraveller (Australian Government), accessed September 2026
10. Travel: dentistry abroad, American Dental Association (MouthHealthy), accessed September 2026
11. Statement on dental tourism: ethical obligations of dentists (PDF), American Dental Association Council on Ethics, Bylaws and Judicial Affairs, 2009, accessed September 2026
12. Medical tourism: travel to another country for medical care, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, accessed September 2026

This article is general information about oral health. It is not a diagnosis or a substitute for advice from a dentist or doctor who knows your situation. If you have pain, swelling, bleeding that does not settle, or a problem that is getting worse, see a dental professional. In an emergency, contact your local emergency service.

More on dental visits and treatments