When a Bargain Smile Comes at a High Cost
With millions of Americans traveling abroad for cheaper dental care, a tragic case in Turkey underscores the potentially serious risks of seeking complex treatment far from home.
Other countries advertise high-end dental treatment at bargain basement costs, and consumers are listening. More than 9 million Americans traveled abroad in 2025 to seek less expensive dental care, but at what cost?
Recently, a 53-year-old Canadian man visited a private clinic in Turkey at the end of July for implant therapy on 12 teeth. Alarm bells are already going off as most United States dentists won’t place more than four to six implants at one appointment.
The patient underwent full anesthesia during the 5-hour procedure in Anatolia Lara Hospital in Antalya, Turkey, and never woke up. The unfortunate patient went into cardiac arrest and experienced hypoxic encephalopathy. The patient remains in the intensive care unit in Canada after undergoing a medical evacuation from Turkey.
His family noted that after conducting some research, Turkey was chosen due to the low cost of treatment compared to Canada. The most popular countries for dental tourism include Mexico, Costa Rica, Thailand, and Eastern Europe where costs can be 40% to 80% less than in the US or Canada.
Patients, however, may be putting their own lives at risk. In other countries, infection control standards may not be as stringent as in the US and materials may not be as high-quality as those used by American providers. Lack of training and difficulty communicating are also common issues when seeking foreign-based dental care. Click here to read more.
