Finding an affordable and safe local alternative to dental tourism

However, almost nine in every 10 UK dentists say they have had to treat patients who developed problems following dental work abroad, such as failed or failing treatments (86 per cent), ongoing pain (76 per cent) and poorly executed treatment (72 per cent).

Crowns (87 per cent) and implants (85 per cent) were the most common procedures requiring follow-up treatment post-holiday.

Dental tourism’s ‘false economy’

Australian Dental Association (ADA) president Dr Scott Davis says cost-of-living pressures in the aftermath of COVID-19 are a major reason why Australians are pursuing cheaper treatments in developing countries.

“The ADA stresses that many overseas dentists provide good dental care but flying somewhere to have dentistry provided by a practitioner you’ve never met before, are unlikely to ever meet again and whose qualifications and training are unknown is not good healthcare practice,” he warns.

“Also, it is worth noting that the infection control requirements for dentistry in Australia are of world best-practice standards and well above countries popular for medical tourism.

“Dentists and dental assistants are trained to a high standard but there are no guarantees that the same infection control procedures are adhered to in all overseas countries.”

Three Australian dentists – Nauvneel Kashyap, Elwynn Heah and Jonathon Munro, who established Value Dental Centres just three years ago – also point to unaffordability as driving the dental tourism trend in Australia and have witnessed nightmare results for many patients.

“In one case, six implants were placed overseas, four of them had fallen out, one of them had snapped in half and for one of them, they had drilled through nerves,” Munro says. “That nerve damage will be there forever, and five of the six implants were no longer usable.”

Launching an affordable alternative

The three men decided to do something to encourage patients to stay in Australia for treatment, opening their first Value Dental Centre in Hamilton, Brisbane, in September 2021, followed by centres in Helensvale (Gold Coast), Hawthorn (Melbourne) and Mascot in Sydney. Its growth and success have marked Value Dental Centres for inclusion in this year’s Australian Financial Review Fast Starters list.

Kashyap says under the partners’ innovative business model, the group can offer treatments at about half the cost of what patients may pay at a typical dental practice.

“Major dental treatment can be literally life-changing for patients,” he says. “However, it has been unaffordable for a lot of people in Australia. Our mission is to bring major dental prices to a more affordable place for the general public.”

Heah says that since opening the first Value Dental Centre, patients have saved a combined total of more than $19 million (based on comparisons with standard industry pricing).

He says unlike other more typical dental practices, the group does not offer checkups and fillings and only focuses on major dental treatments.

“Most of the dentists who work with us also work at other general practices,” he says. “The dentist, the equipment, the staff and materials – everything is exactly what you’d find in any reputable practice in Australia.

“There is no compromise in quality. If anything, the sheer volume of major dental treatment at Value Dental Centres makes the dentists more experienced than many general dentists.

“Many of our dentists are shareholders in the business, so they also have a vested interest in ensuring a high level of quality and service.

“Furthermore, all our crowns are made in Australia, so nothing is going overseas.

“Quality-wise, it’s what you’d expect in Australia under our regulations, and, pricewise, it’s what you’d more likely find overseas. That’s our little tagline – ‘Australian quality, overseas prices’.”

For example, a crown at Value Dental Centres costs $999 compared to typical costs of up to $2000, while dental implants cost $2999 compared to $6000-plus.

Keeping costs down

Munro believes Value Dental Centres provide a genuine alternative to patients going overseas for dental treatment.

“Not only does it decrease the risk for these patients, but it can also significantly reduce dental costs for every Australian,” he says.

Patients can use private health insurance benefits and, depending on their plan, may have little to no out-of-pocket expenses.

Indeed, Compare the Market’s executive general manager of health, life and energy, Steven Spicer, suggests a health insurance policy that includes dental can be a more affordable and less risky option than overseas treatments.

The comparison website has analysed the cost of receiving dental treatments at several dental tourism hotspots, as well as in Australia, and warns against risking dental health to save money.

“It’s important not to compromise on quality for affordability,” he says. “By using private health insurance, you can choose your own local doctor when being treated as a private inpatient, avoid multiple overseas trips for post-operative care, and feel at ease knowing you’re receiving reliable, safe treatment from credible and local doctors.”

To learn more, visit valuedentalcentres.com.au/