A company in the US has begun arranging dental tourist trips to let Americans take advantage of cheaper treatment outside their home country. Jaime Bellos and his business partner Richard Dziurda have created a website called mydentaltrip.com, designed to help people in need of expensive dental care to find a dentist in another country who can provide this for them. It is estimated that about a quarter of a million Americans travel outside the US to get their teeth treated every year, and now they can easily find contact details of reputable clinics in places like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Panama.
The idea came from founder Dziurda when he was told he would need thousands of pounds worth of dental procedures; rather than pay up, the entrepreneur decided to combine a holiday with his treatment and save himself some money into the bargain.
The website allows patients to upload their medical records and contact details, after which dentists around the world bid for the right to carry out the necessary work at a lower price than they would pay in the US – where healthcare is notoriously expensive. Lots of different procedures are available, such as dental implants, porcelain crowns, root canals, and dentures. It costs nothing to read up on the initial bidder, then $25 for each one after that – customers could save thousands of pounds and enjoy a holiday at the same time.