[Jan Fisher]

The ABC reported this week many Australians are heading to Bali to get dental treatment at a fraction of the price they would be charged in Australia.

The added holiday probably doesn’t hurt.

This isn’t new. A friend’s husband is from an eastern European country and they save up any major dental work for when they go to visit his family. Saves them thousands. They’ve been doing this for more than a decade.

In 2023, the government’s Smartraveller website stated that more than 15,000 Australians travelled for medical tourism.

But while the costs are cheaper, there are naturally some risks.

The Australian Dental Association president Scott Davis told the ABC he has seen some treatment that was ‘basically disasters’ and many people even loose some teeth. There is almost no legal recourse if something goes wrong.

With spiralling dental costs in Australia, it may become more popular. The ABC reported people are putting off dental care and living with rotting teeth and gum disease because they cannot afford to visit the dentist.

However, people who can’t afford to get their teeth fixed probably can’t afford an overseas holiday either.

Would you go overseas to save money on dental care?

[David Ryder]

My wife is Filipino and she and her friends get all their dental work done on visits back home.
The service and materials are the same as in Australia, the care is good, the surgeries they use are modern and up to date.
The cost is around 80% less than you pay for the same treatment here. eg a procedure such as a filling costs around $200 in Australia and around $40 there.

[rtrish]

Not for me, although a holiday sounds tempting. Family member did that, ended up with an infection. She spent the “holiday” in bed, sick as a dog, while her spouse enjoyed the holiday.

[Author]

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