Dentistry in Ukraine: Why foreigners come here to be treated
Dental tourism is actively developing and annually attracts tens of thousands of foreigners to Ukraine. Half of all foreigners who cross the Ukrainian border for medical purposes come here for dental treatment. In this article let's talk about what attracts US and European citizens to Ukrainian dentists.
In the meantime, let's name the main advantages of dental treatment in Ukraine.
- Low cost.
- Good quality of service.
- No entry visa required for citizens of states with visa-free entry to Ukraine.
- Convenient transportation and no language barrier.
Now tell us more about each of the items. Let's start with price. On average, a patient from abroad leaves $700 at the dentist. And if for locals the prices of private dental clinics in Kiev, Kharkov or Dnepr seem overpriced because of low income, for an American, Frenchman or German they are more than loyal.
Prices for dental services in Ukraine
Just think: an ordinary denture made of plastic in an American clinic will cost $1000, but in Ukrainian one - $150. Gumming up a tooth - $ 400 in the U.S. and $ 25 in Ukraine. To put an implant in - $6000 and $500, respectively. As you can see, there is a big difference. This is why it is more profitable to fly from the USA to Ukraine to get your teeth fixed than to do it at an American clinic. Even including airfare, hotel accommodation and food. As some Americans admit, they are advised to treat their teeth in Ukraine by dentists at U.S. clinics. They motivate it by affordable prices and equally good quality of service.
In Europe the prices are lower than in the US, but much higher than in Ukraine: one will pay 70 euro for a filling, 170 euro for an implant and 600 euro for a crown.
Ukrainian dental clinics can really compete with Western clinics in quality of work, but offer much more loyal service: first, low prices, and second, efficiency. Here you can make an appointment with a dentist in the next few days, and solve all your dental problems in a couple of weeks. In Europe, a person who wants a filling can wait in line for months if his or her situation is not considered urgent.
The most popular dental services for foreigners
The most popular services among foreigners are prosthetics (40% of patients ask for it), implants (25%), treatment of caries (20%), application of braces and veneers (15%).
And now a little about quality. Many people are used to thinking that cheap means bad. Does low price mean poor quality of services provided by Ukrainian dentists? Absolutely not. Prices for Ukrainian dentistry is due to the purchasing power of Ukrainians, and it is known to be much lower than Europeans, Americans or Canadians. And if we raise the prices to the Western level, the locals will not be able to afford even basic services, not to mention "Hollywood smile" or braces. Moreover, qualification of Ukrainian dentists is not worse than that of their Western colleagues. On the contrary: in European countries Ukrainian dentists are highly valued.
Quality of work and materials of Ukrainian dentists
Private dentists in Ukraine work with the same materials as European dentists. Clinics have advanced professional equipment, ultra-modern computer 3D-technology, multi-level systems of instruments cleaning and strict infection control are implemented. Specialists of clinics regularly improve their professional level.
Patients receive the full range of services, in some clinics including maxillofacial surgery. In one place you can get the necessary oral diagnostics, tests, consultations and treatment. Many dental clinics have their own dental laboratories with digital equipment.
Simplified entry into the country
As for the simplified entry into the country, the advantages are obvious: foreigners do not need to open a visa to enter Ukraine. This implies a significant saving of nerves, time and, again, money.
Сonvenient location
Finally it is easy to get to Ukraine from any part of the world - international air and land transport links are well developed here. From Europe you can easily get to Ukraine by bus or by car.
English-speaking foreigners feel quite comfortable at the Ukrainian dentist: dentists speak English well in many clinics. And to communicate with the French, Spanish, Italians and Germans, dentists hire interpreters. In other words, no matter what language the patient speaks, it is not difficult to discuss existing problems and treatment plans. And even more so for citizens of post-Soviet countries - both Ukrainian and Russian are spoken here.
As you can see, the benefits are more than compelling, and more and more foreigners are choosing Ukrainian dentistry. And this is understandable. Who wants to overpay thousands of dollars when they can pay several times less and still get high quality service?