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Implant Dentistry Practitioner in Joondalup: “Dental Tourism Can be Dangerous.”

Announcement posted by Joondalup City Dental 19 Nov 2015

Practitioner of implant dentistry in Joondalup reveals why dental tourism is seldom worth the cost, despite the deceptively “cheap” pricetag.
Joondalup, WA, 19 November 2015 - An increasing number of Australians are going overseas for dental work. This is called “dental tourism” and the trips are called “dental vacations.” The rationale behind dental tourism is that the patient can save money on the procedures and get a “free” vacation out of the deal, too. While some patients come back with glowing reviews about how much fun they had, they are often sorry as little as three months later.

Is Dental Tourism “Risky Business”?

According to the Australian Dental Association (ADA) and dentists such as Dr Roy Sarmidi, who practises at Joondalup City Dental, it can be extremely risky to go overseas for dental work. There are many reasons why the ADA has taken the position that dental tourism contains far more risks than benefits.

Standard of Emergency Care

In Australia, if a patient has a dental emergency, they can rest assured that their dentist has been well-trained to handle it properly and promptly. If a patient goes overseas, there is no assurance that standards will be high as those in Australia. In addition, English is a second language overseas. There is no guarantee that a doctor in another country can speak English well enough to understand or help if a patient is having a dental emergency.

Standard of Materials

Another risk faced by dental tourists is the use of substandard materials. Crowns, bridges and implants should be made of the best materials so they do their job and last as long as possible. In Australia, the standard for materials is high. All materials are registered with the Therapeutic Goods Association (TGA), ensuring that no substandard materials are ever put in an Australian patient’s mouth. There is no such guarantee overseas.

Standard of Education and Qualification

In Australia, dentists are well-regulated. Thanks to the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, all dentists must undergo a college education, register with the AHPRA and take professional development courses on a regular basis. There is no such guarantee that an overseas dentist will be fully qualified or able to perform up to the standards of an Australian dentist.

Standard of Sanitation

In Australia, dentists must provide sanitation to standards provided by the National Health & Medical Research Council, the Australian Dental Association and the Dental Board of Australia. The risk of bloodborne diseases and infections is high when having any kind of surgery, but especially dental surgery.

There is no guarantee that an overseas dentist will provide the standard of sanitation necessary to protect a patient from infections or bloodborne diseases.

No Recourse

If a patient goes to a local dentist and isn’t satisfied, they can call and the dentist will usually fit them in for that day. If it happens to someone who went overseas for work, they have no recourse. They can’t force anyone to repair their work or “make it right.” The cost of another trip overseas is prohibitive.

According to Dr Sarmidi: “The risks of dental tourism far outweigh the financial benefits. If you need dental work, call a local dentist who can guarantee high quality work.”

Joondalup City Dental performs implant dentistry and other professional dental service procedures in Joondalup. They also offer emergency dental services from their Joondalup location. They specialise in treating patients like family and taking the fear out of a trip to the dentist. To learn more or to make an appointment, call (08) 9404 9500 today or visit their website: http://www.joondalupcitydental.com.au/.