Dental Tourism ...Let's work together

The Irish Dental Association is the body of medical professionals the latest to publish a "lifting" raising doubts about medical tourism.

In a recent press release from Irish dental Association, they claim that "3 of every 4 Irish dentists are sick of treatment for problems resulting from the treatment abroad. Let's take a look at the background for the search and examine some of the real concerns that are generated.

The Consumers ' Association of Ireland published research on the high costs of dental treatment in Ireland. The Irish Dental Association accepts that Irish dentists are not immune to the general economy and the result is that Ireland is an economy of high cost. As a result, a significant number of Irish travel dental patients and treatment to minimize the costs of treatment. Some of these are tourists dental borders. Many services carried out in Northern Ireland are between 25% and 45% cheaper than the same services in the Republic, according to the study published in the consumers ' Association of Ireland magazine Consumer choice. And of course, many Irish patients take advantage of low-cost treatment in countries such as Hungary and Poland. Various providers of dental treatment of Budapest have offices or representatives of the Republic of Ireland.

According to the Irish Dental Association survey, 76% of Irish dentists in private practice [more than 3 of 4] had to treat patients for problems related to dental treatment you received abroad.
First, we need to examine the basis for this claim.

There are approximately 1700 dentists in private practice in Ireland at the moment. Dentists Irish 440 responded to the survey. 334 said they are treating problems resulting from the treatment abroad. Then .... actually 334 1700 said they were seeing problems that is 20%. Of course, this assumes that those who didn't bother aren't seeing problems.

When analyzing these surveys conducted by or on behalf of professional associations, we must bear in mind the following:

Sample inbuilt bias: Who sees a problem are more likely to respond to a survey on this issue, than those who don't. We've seen similar bias built in surveys conducted by a PR Agency on behalf of the British Association of plastic surgeons. Motivation: You must always remember that professional associations represent the interests of its members. Lose patients to Belfast or Budapest reaches the pockets of private dentists.

However, .... the Irish Dental Association has made some valid points. There are concerns for dental patients traveling to treatment? Yes. The problems are as great as the Irish Dental Association suggests. Not.

At the end of the day, the Irish Dental Association also has the best interests of the Irish dental patients at heart. Dr Donal Blackwell Irish dental Association says that one of the problems is that when one considers that moving abroad for dental treatment, patients tend to concentrate on short-term, aesthetic results instead of long-term quality of care they receive, and suggests that people who move abroad for dental treatment really don't know what they need when they find out about costs. He is certainly right in some cases.

So what is the solution and what is in the best interest of dentists and patients?

I'd like to see the following:

The Irish Dental Association have guidelines for dentists and patients to consider dental tourism. See Checklist dental tourism UK General dental Council concerning treatment abroad. Irish Dentists providing assessment and follow up of patients travelling abroad for treatment. Irish Dentists visiting some dentists abroad to gain an understanding of how they work and their clinical skills and quality. Irish Dentists, forming partnerships with dentists abroad, so that patients who require extensive treatment but can't afford treatment Irish have access to the treatment they need under the supervision of your dentist. Dentists abroad communicating with the patient's dentist Irish when a patient is in Budapest or Krakow-informing the patient's dentist Irish that work is to be undertaken and provide treatment of post reports about the work that was performed.

Common sense really. So let's work together!