When we first travelled from the UK to Turkey to visit dental clinics, we will be honest. We were... skeptical.
In the UK, dental tourism in Turkey often carries a heavy reputation. Stories of patient safety scandals circulate widely and loudly, and some of them are unfortunately true.
What is less known is the full picture. Turkey is a very large country with a wide range of dental providers. Some are truly unsafe, some are excellent, and many fall somewhere in between. This is exactly why we decided to go there in person. We wanted clarity, not stereotypes.
How We Evaluated Dental Clinics in Turkey
We used our own rigorous clinical quality assessment method. It is the product of more than twenty five years of combined clinical experience and eighteen months of academic research at Imperial College London.
Our findings surprised us.
We screened fifteen different dental providers in Turkey. Only one met the quality threshold required for patients coming from the UK.
Just one.
Surprisingly (not), this provider was not the cheapest. However, patients still can save a significant amount compared to UK dental prices, while receiving care that exceeds the average quality seen internationally.
There is a lesson here.
Cheap does not mean safe.
Beautiful clinics do not guarantee high standards.
Large numbers of Instagram followers do not indicate clinical expertise.
Yet these are often the things patients rely on when choosing a dentist abroad.
So Is Dental Tourism in Turkey Safe
The short answer is yes, it can be.
The real answer is that safety depends entirely on choosing the right clinic and the right professionals.
This is where most people struggle, and this is exactly where we step in.
Identifying a high-quality dental provider requires clinical knowledge, an understanding of international care standards and insight into the behind the scenes practices that patients never see. It is unrealistic to expect the average patient to evaluate all of this. We do the careful screening so that you can access safe treatment abroad and enjoy a well deserved break at the same time.
What We Learned Beyond the Clinics
What stayed with us the most was not only the clinical quality but the people themselves.
During our time in Turkey, we were consistently impressed by the warmth and hospitality we encountered. We also met clinicians who were genuinely committed to improving the reputation of medical and dental tourism in Turkey. Many of them feel frustrated by the reputational harm caused by a small number of dishonest competitors. The impact falls disproportionately on small businesses that are doing exceptional work.
Alongside all of this, Turkey offers world class beaches, food, culture and hospitality. This combination of experience, people and quality care is what makes dental tourism in Turkey a strong option for many patients coming from the UK.