I don’t usually feel the need to comment on media articles, but after reading a recent piece about the risks of travelling abroad for dental treatment, I felt it was important to share an honest reflection from my own clinical experience.

As a dentist working in the UK, I see the consequences of dental tourism far more often than people might imagine. And yes, a significant number of those cases come from Turkey. Not because Turkey is a “bad country”, but because it has become strongly associated with fast, aggressive and highly marketed dental solutions.

I understand why patients go. The offers are appealing: quick results, lower prices, dramatic transformations in a matter of days. For someone who has been waiting, saving, or feeling unhappy with their teeth for years, this can feel like a solution finally
within reach.

But what I see when patients return is often very different from what they expected.

I’ve seen infections, poorly planned full-mouth rehabilitations, unnecessary extractions, crowns placed on teeth that could have been treated conservatively, and situations where long-term maintenance was never discussed. Many patients are shocked when they’re told that what they were promised as a “final solution” is already failing — sometimes only months later.

There are two points I feel are essential to make, and I say this very deliberately.

First: good and bad professionals exist in every country. This is not about nationality. I have colleagues I respect deeply across the world, including in Turkey. But certain destinations do seem to favour a business model where speed, volume and dramatic results are prioritised over long-term planning and biological respect.