Dental patients make big savings by going abroad

DENTAL patients looking for the perfect smile could have more reason for cheer if they go abroad for treatment — and enjoy thousands of euro off their normal bills.

Patients willing to travel to private clinics in Germany and Hungary can save up to half on dental work compared to Ireland.

This week, the Munich Dental Clinic began advertising on buses in Dublin, promising quality work for less than dentists in Ireland charge.

Deborah Koty, the clinic’s director of international relations, said the response from Irish patients had been encouraging so far.

“Irish dentists charge too much. Their charges are not transparent and there is no competition, whereas in Germany there is competition.

“When we started to advertise we didn’t know what kind of response we would get, but it’s going very well,” she said.

Sample prices from the clinic show it costs between €490 and €590 for a ceramic inlay filling compared with €650 to €750 in Dublin.

An implant and crown would cost around €700 to €1,100, compared with around €900 to €1,200 in Ireland, according to figures obtained by the Irish Examiner.

While a three-point bridge costs €1,500 to €1,980 in Munich, the same would be €2,100 to €2,500 in Dublin.

Patients who need complex dental work would stand to make the greatest savings over the cost of getting it done in Ireland.

Those willing to travel to the Hungarian capital Budapest can also make savings typically of about half.

“Root canal treatment can cost €900 in Ireland, whereas our maximum is €300 and that would be for a back molar and for a front tooth it would be €75,” said Margaret Molloy, an Irish-born administration manager at a Budapest dental clinic.

Dermott Jewell, from the Consumers’ Association of Ireland, said Irish dentists would keep losing custom until they brought their costs into line with foreign competitors.

“But consumers have got to beware: they must be 100% sure of the quality of the treatment and the professionalism of the dentists,” he said. The Irish Dental Association, which represents 1,340 dentists, said prices were on a par with those found abroad for “like-for-like” treatments.