Why dental tourism?  Have you ever visited the dentist for a complicated procedure and experienced the knot in your stomach, knowing that your insurance wouldn’t cover much (or any) of it, and that you would be on the hook for a huge bill?  Have you ever done everything you could to take care of your teeth, only to have a dentist treat you unkindly and imply that your issues are your own fault?

Me too.  I’ve been fearful of the dentist for most of my life, and as a result, I developed some dental issues in adulthood that I was too scared, too ashamed, and too frugal to get addressed in the US.  After researching medical and dental tourism, I was ready to take a chance and seek treatment abroad.

This series of posts is an honest account of my dental tourism experience.  All the costs, all the concerns, all the fears, and eventually, all the joy of having confidence in my smile back.

I sought treatment at Bangkok Smile Dental Clinic in Thailand, where I was consistently treated with kindness and compassion.  My treatment is still ongoing, but the truly scary parts are behind me.  I’ll update this page as I make further trips back for treatment.  My experience has been excellent so far, so this may be more than just a single fix for me– it may be the future of how I seek dental treatment.

Dental Tourism in Thailand:

Part I: I consider whether dental tourism is right for me.  What would the procedures I expect cost in the US?  What would they cost abroad?

Part II: I research and decide to pull the trigger on dental tourism.  I select a clinic, correspond with them to get full pricing information, and make plans to travel.

Part III: A daily journal of my experience traveling to Bangkok. There are adventures with street dogs, lots of dental appointments, and a full listing of all my expenses.

Part IV: A summary of my first trip for treatment, how to select a dental clinic, frequently asked questions answered by the clinic, and a discussion of what comes next.

Part V: I return for a second trip to Thailand, this time for the most intensive part of my treatment: the installation of two dental implants and a crown.

Part VI: I go for my final trip to Thailand and the end of my dental tourism journey. Was it worth it in the end? Did I actually end up saving any money?