Too cheap to be true
The above saying is very true in many cases, and dental procedures are surely no exception.
When we first meet our patients, the question often arises as to what criteria they use to select a clinic or even a country for their dental treatment.
How is it possible that a very similar treatment plan costs 5,000€ in one country and 20,000€ in another?
Our shortest answer is: find out what you get for your money!
You have to clearly see how the dental tourism business model works: one country can offer dental treatment significantly cheaper than another. But what’s behind it?
Ideally, the cheaper dental clinic uses the same equipment and materials as the clinic at home, so no savings are possible there. A KaVo dental chair or a Straumann implant or a zirconium block costs a similar amount in Hungary or Turkey than in Germany The United Kingdom.
The price advantage lies solely in the wage and overhead costs if the previous paragraph applies, i.e. the same high-quality materials are used. And this is where the dog is often buried, but let’s go step by step.
First, we will explain why our patients are in complete safety during their dental treatment at the FlyDent clinic and beyond, for many years after the treatment, and show you the aspects that are worth thinking about before agreeing to a promising, cheap treatment.
What makes the FlyDent Clinic 100% safe for patients?
- The FlyDent Clinic works in Hungary and Switzerland, and in both places you can meet the same head dentist, Dr. Alexander Schreiner, who has more than 40 years of experience in dentistry. This already indicates the quality we represent since standards are surely very high in Switzerland.
- Before the treatment, it is possible to get a first impression using our free dental consultation possibility in Budapest. We are very easy to reach, you can get to Budapest from ost European destinations fast and cheap.
- At the FlyDent Clinic we use exactly the same equipment and materials as in Switzerland and Germany. Here are some brand names that you will probably recognize: Straumann, Ihde, Nobel, Prettau-Zirkon. All tools and materials that we use in the FlyDent Clinic have original certificates from the European Community.
- For citizens of the European Union, it is worth being aware of another reassuring factor: if, in the event of a problem, they wish to resolve a conflict through legal means, they can do so in the court of their place of residence, in accordance with EU rules. In the case of the FlyDent Clinic, it is not necessary to go to a Hungarian court.
Based on what was written above, we can say that the FlyDent Clinic offers its Swiss, German, French and other EU patients exactly the same security as a domestic clinic, but on average 60% cheaper. This difference is due to the low overhead and wage costs in Hungary.
Let’s see what dental treatment looks like in a clinic outside the EU.
Unfortunately, in our Swiss Clinic it regularly happens that patients come to Dr. Schreiner with problems related to dental treatment that has already been carried out.
Falling out implants, poorly prepared crowns, unprofessional work, low-quality crowns…etc. the list of complaints is long and various. A doctor with a lot of practice notices the signs very quickly and after a few sentences it usually turns out that the patient has agreed to a price offer that seemed very promising in a non-EU country.
It’s understandable that everyone wants to get the best deal, but let’s see what going too cheap can result in. For your own safety, we advise you to think about the following before making your decision:
- What materials does the clinic work with? This is one of the biggest pitfalls. We have come across a surprising number of counterfeit implants that have simply fallen out because they do not have the characteristics of a branded implant. You cannot simply copy an implant that has been developed and tested over many years. Even if it is copied, then it will cost a lot as the machines and tools used for production are also very expensive. The same applies to the zirconium crowns that are very often replaced by fakes from an Asian country. Experienced eyes can see from a distance that real zirconium was not used.
- Materials of uncertain origin are not only likely to be unsustainable, but are also likely not good for your health. Since we cannot check whether the material of the crown crumbles due to biting and grinding, there is also the risk that a substance that is dangerous to the body will not only end up in the mouth, but endanger the entire organism.
- If a legal dispute arises between the parties, it must be carried out outside the EU, which does not guarantee protection by the EU rules.
- There is simply no guarantee of a fake. Even if the clinic reports promising warranty conditions, it cannot offer anything better than a repair and another fake. The patient then has to travel again and will still not receive a satisfactory solution.
- For dumping prices you usually get dumping quality. The best dental technicians in non-EU countries usually work for Western European dentists, as they can receive several times more for their services than from local dentists. The latter must therefore work together with the dental laboratories that “remain”.
Let’s also take a closer look at the numbers
The prices at the FlyDent Clinic are on average 60% cheaper than the prices at Western European clinics.
In non-EU countries such as Turkey or Albania this value rises to 75%.
At first glance, the 15% difference seems significant. However, if we include in the formula the risk factor that after a non-EU treatment there is a high probability that something will have to be corrected within 2 years or that the whole treatment will have to be started again, the time, energy and money spent many times over, not to mention the physical and psychological damage.
Of course, it is up to everyone to make their own decision and of course costs are an important aspect, which is why people primarily look for solutions abroad and there are certainly many excellent results in cheaper countries, but you should be careful in any case, be aware of the above risks and make sure that proper materials used and have the relevant original certificates sent to you and confirmed in writing.
What this will do in the event of a possible legal dispute in a non-EU country is of course a different question, but at least this way you are doing your own homework.
At Flydent Clinic we are very transparent, both in the materials used and the actual costs.