5. You Speak English?
It is an absolute must that everyone you come into contact within the clinic, especially the dentist who will be treating you, should have a firm grasp of the English language. Your communication with your dentist needs to be very specific and, if you haven't already pre-negotiated your treatment, then you both need to decide between you on the best course of action to take. Any inability to communication will seriously hamper both your treatment and potentially your wallet.
4. Guarantees
A lot of dentists now offer guarantees on their work and this is often a good way to compare clinics. Check the terms and conditions carefully and beware any web-sites that do not clearly state this. For dental crowns you should expect 3 to 5 years and for implants up to 10 years. Always ask whether the guarantee is provided by the clinic, the manufacturer or both. A large and well established clinic is a good sign that the guarantees will be honoured.
3. Clinic Facilities
There are some technical aspects to consider here when looking at a dental clinic's facilities which I'll spare you for now but, as a rule of thumb, we found the larger the clinic the better. More space and more dental chairs is a sign of a clinic with serious intentions to invest in their own future and therefore also in their clients.
The clinic should of course be spotless and well equipped but a good sign is often a clinic that provides a good sized waiting area for its clients and their family & friends and these days things like a free internet access area. For a large clinic we also like to see a good number of receptionists on hand to attend to client's non-dental requests which can be especially important in a foreign city.
Check a prospective clinic's web-site for 3D virtual tours which allow you to inspect before you arrive.
2. Are they up to the job?
You might say that surely a dentist is a dentist, but delve a little deeper and you'll find there can be a world of difference between them. The basic qualification for a dentist in the UK is the BDS or LDS and in Hungary and America the equivalent is the DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery).
This is usually all a general dentist will need and, when combined with good postgraduate training and solid real life experience, they are ready to take up their own private practice.
However, when offering surgical procedures like implant placing, we always look for the all important MD (Medical Doctor) qualification plus postgraduate specialisation in maxillofacial surgery which can only be obtained by a dentist if they are an MD first.
Similarly cosmetic dentistry specialists should have undergone specific training to enable them to produce truly stunning results.
1. Experience is King
So the qualifications look good and the price is right but have they got any lengthy real life experience to back it up?
Depending on their specialisation, if any, a good dentist needs to be practicing in the field for at least 5-10 years to achieve an acceptable level of experience. And it's no good if they've been tucked away in some back water for years treating children and even less so if their client list is too small.
Always ask to see case studies and if you're still in doubt ask for some reference telephone numbers of people they have treated from your area.
In our search for the ideal clinic in Budapest we always heavily favour any clinic staffed by dentists with a history of working on the Austrian Hungarian border where we know there has been a steady flow of dental tourists for the last 15 years. This unique experience is ideal and also, for us, why Hungary stands heads above other countries offering the same service.
To sum up, my top 10 list of things to look out for and questions to ask when choosing a good dentist abroad are:
'As you can see there are a few things to watch out for when selecting a clinic but in our experience if you follow the rules and do your research properly you should have no trouble joining the ranks of the many people, including myself, who have had some very happy and rewarding experiences getting great low cost dental treatment at some of the best dental clinics abroad.'
See the following for more information:
...that could allow people travelling abroad for Dental treatment to claim back some of their costs from the NHS....
...the time it's well worth taking a tour which Costs around £6 per person starting at entrance 10....
... The West-End Balloon Costs about the same but then it doesn't have the stunning architecture, interior and not to forget the added attraction of the mummified hand of Hungary's patron saint, the 1st King St Stephen, in a box that lights up on receiving a donation! See it first here....
...that can be made by travelling to Hungary for Dental treatment. Linda saved an estimated £20,000 on her dental work....that could allow people travelling abroad for Dental treatment to claim back some of their costs from the ... dr. zsolt nemeth dds dr. nemeth started his carrier on the austrian border where he gained invaluable experiences in cosmetic dentistry....
In the UK dental costs can often be prohibitively high - people are sometimes only able to afford the most basic of treatements, more like a patch up than a fix - the old drill-and-fill mentality looms large. At Smile Savers Hungary we have a solution. We have researched our subject well and have many extremely satisfied clients as proof of our achievements which has been to bring you the best dentists that Budapest can offer. Check out our prices here or by entering our main Flash web site.
Of course price is not everything and there are limits
as to how low we and our clinics are prepared to go. The main stopping point is quality.
Even though our dentists have done everything to keep your costs to a minimum
in order to remain competitive, their standards are high and in no way
will their professionalism allow them to drop their levels of service
and quality. All our dentists have long standing reputations to maintain
both in Hungary and abroad and this is the main reason that quality will
never be sacrificed.