Why ask for documents instead of photographs and scores?
Dental tourism has been described in the dental literature as a growing phenomenon since at least 2008, and the main concern is how continuity of care, follow-up and complication management are ensured when patient and dentist are in different countries. A series from Australia showed how difficult it is to resolve problems in patients who return with complications after implants abroad when no records or component details are available.
For this reason, what to look at when choosing a clinic is the documentation that can be checked afterwards and that is useful when something goes wrong. Textbooks also state that a poor outcome does not by itself mean negligence; the yardstick is what a reasonable dentist would do under similar conditions, which is why documenting the planning (records, images, consent) matters to both sides.
The 12 points below are derived from these principles. You can ask each of them in writing before you travel. General criteria such as hygiene, digital planning and the make-up of the dental team apply to any clinic; this page highlights the points specific to patients arriving from abroad.
The dentist and the team: points 1–3
1. Who will carry out my treatment? Find out the dentist’s name, degree and registration details and the field they work in. Ask specifically who will perform the surgery; textbooks cite reports that surgical experience affects failure from implant placement through to the second stage. At our clinic, surgical planning is carried out by our head physician, Dr. Dt. Mehmet Fuat Bozaba, a dentist working in periodontology and oral surgery.
2. Can I communicate directly with the dentist? Ask for at least one conversation or written exchange with the dentist who will treat you, not only with the sales or coordination team. Consent is an educational process, and that process is built with the dentist.
3. Which disciplines work under the same roof? If the implant, gum and prosthetic stages are carried out by different dentists, find out who coordinates between them. The written plan should name the person responsible for each stage.
The plan and the options: points 4–6
4. Is there a written diagnosis and plan? Tooth numbers, the proposed procedures, the reasons, how many visits are needed and what happens at each visit should be in writing. A plan given remotely is a screening step; it can change after the examination and, if needed, the CBCT scan. When it changes, a written update is expected.
5. Were all reasonable options explained, including no treatment? Consent should cover what the problem is, the consequences of leaving it untreated, the proposed plan, realistic expectations and all reasonable alternatives. A plan that offers only one option and does not discuss alternatives is incomplete.
6. Is the least-reduction principle applied in cosmetic work? Full crowns should not be proposed for healthy teeth without explaining why options involving less reduction, such as whitening, orthodontics, bonding and veneers, were not chosen. Preparation for a full crown removes roughly 63–72% of the crown structure of a front tooth; a veneer removes roughly 3–30%. This is covered in detail on our “Turkey teeth” page.
Imaging and records: points 7–9
7. Is implant planning based on CBCT? Three-dimensional imaging (CBCT) is a rapidly spreading diagnostic tool in implant dentistry; although there is no single legal standard, failing to use it when available is questioned if a complication occurs. The field of view must be adequate: if a sinus graft is planned in the upper back region, a small-field scan cannot show the sinus drainage opening or sinus disease. A small scan taken earlier may need to be repeated.
8. Can I have copies of the images and records? The full DICOM data of the CBCT, not a screenshot; the control X-ray after implant placement; the baseline X-rays taken when the crown is fitted. Baseline X-rays are the reference for comparing bone levels in later years, and your home dentist will need them.
9. Are the implant system and materials documented? The implant brand, diameter, length, component details and the materials used should be given in writing; components that are available internationally make later repairs easier. The brand question is discussed in our implant brands guide.
Consent, follow-up and communication: points 10–12
10. Is consent obtained before I travel? The consent discussion and documents should take place in advance, leaving time for questions, not on the morning of surgery. Consent signed on the day of surgery is a recognised weakness. For a patient coming from abroad, this means discussing the plan and consent by video call or e-mail before the trip.
11. Who is responsible for follow-up and complications after I return? Written post-operative instructions in a language you understand and an emergency contact number should be provided; how follow-up after your return will work (photographs, video calls, cooperation with your home dentist) and what to do if a problem arises should be agreed from the outset. Implant maintenance in the first year is roughly every 3 months and realistically takes place with your home dentist; the records must reach them. Details are on our aftercare after you fly home page.
12. Is communication written, timely and free of pressure? Do you receive written, concrete answers to your questions within a reasonable time? If you are being rushed, steered towards finishing everything in one go or made to feel that seeking a second opinion is unwelcome, stop. A clinic that can defend its plan does not shy away from a second opinion.
The 12 points at a glance: comparison table
The table below summarises each point, the good answer to expect and the warning sign. You can fill in the same table when comparing several clinics.
| Point | Expected answer | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dentist and surgeon | Name, registration, field of work; the surgeon is identified | “Our team does it”, no name given |
| 2. Contact with the dentist | At least one direct conversation | Correspondence only with a coordinator |
| 3. Team coordination | Person responsible for each stage in writing | Uncertainty between stages |
| 4. Written plan | Tooth numbers, reasons, number of visits | Verbal plan, a single line |
| 5. Alternatives | Options explained, including no treatment | One option, no alternatives |
| 6. Least reduction | Explained why not veneers/orthodontics instead of crowns | Crowns on multiple healthy teeth |
| 7. CBCT | CBCT with adequate field of view for implants | Panoramic X-ray only |
| 8. Record copies | DICOM, X-rays and report provided | “Not necessary” or a screenshot |
| 9. Implant/material documentation | Brand, dimensions, components in writing | Brand not disclosed |
| 10. Timing of consent | Discussion and documents before travel | Signature on the morning of surgery |
| 11. Follow-up responsibility | Written instructions, emergency number, plan for after return | Limited to “message us if there is a problem” |
| 12. Communication style | Written, concrete, without pressure | Rushing, hostility to a second opinion |
How do you apply the list to your travel plan?
The checklist is not completed in one go; it is spread across the stages of the trip. The order below is a practical framework.
- 4–8 weeks before travel: ask points 1–6 in writing; request a pre-assessment with a panoramic X-ray and photographs. What to send is listed on our what to send before your trip page.
- Show the written preliminary plan to your home dentist; get a second opinion.
- Complete point 10 before travelling: have the consent discussion and the documents in hand.
- Arrival day: after the examination and CBCT, ask for the updated written version of the plan; this is where you verify point 7.
- During treatment, collect the documents for points 8 and 9.
- Before departure: do not board the plane without all the documents of point 11 (instructions, emergency number, X-ray copies, implant details).
What to do if a problem arises after you return is explained on the relevant page. You are welcome to put these 12 questions to us as well: write to +90 544 289 66 33 on WhatsApp; you receive the answers in writing, and the definitive plan is set at the examination.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single most important point when choosing a clinic?
If one point has to be chosen, it is having in writing who is responsible for follow-up and complications after you return. The problem most often reported in the dental tourism literature is that follow-up and complication management fall into a gap when patient and dentist are in different countries. Written instructions, an emergency contact number and records to share with your home dentist close that gap.
Is a panoramic X-ray enough for implant planning?
A panoramic X-ray is a minimum starting point for a pre-assessment, but for implant and especially sinus planning three-dimensional CBCT is widely expected. The field of view must be adequate; a very small scan cannot show sinus disease or a blocked drainage opening. Ask in advance whether a CBCT will be taken and whether you can have the DICOM copy.
How do I verify a dentist’s registration?
Ask for the dentist’s full name and degree details; in Turkey dentists are registered with the relevant professional chamber and the clinic can share this information. Dentist profile pages on the clinic’s website and being able to speak directly with the dentist who will treat you are also part of the verification. Insist with clinics that give no name or speak only in terms of “the team”.
Is it normal to sign the consent form on the day I arrive?
The document may be signed on arrival, but the consent discussion should have taken place earlier. Consent is a process in which the problem, options, risks and expectations are discussed in understandable terms, with time left for questions. Consent read and signed for the first time on the morning of surgery is a recognised weakness. Ask for the documents by e-mail before you travel.
Why does it matter that I know the implant brand?
Implant components are brand-specific. Years later, when a screw loosens, a crown fractures or a component needs replacing, your home dentist needs the brand, diameter, length and connection details to find the right part. In patients returning from abroad with complications, the absence of this information has made treatment harder. The written implant record and X-ray copies should therefore be obtained before you leave.
Is a clinic that wants to finish the plan in one visit a bad sign?
Not always; some treatments really are completed in a single visit. The warning sign is squeezing procedures that need biological healing time (osseointegration of an implant typically takes 4–6 months) into one visit, or proposing crowns on multiple healthy teeth. Limited time should not be the reason for abandoning safer options that involve less reduction.
What should I send to get a second opinion?
Send your home dentist the written preliminary plan (tooth numbers and reasons), your panoramic X-ray, the DICOM data of the CBCT if there is one and your intraoral photographs. A second opinion is particularly important for plans that include “crowns on all front teeth” or “full-arch implants”. A good clinic supports this process and, if an alternative suggestion comes back, evaluates it with you.
How do I compare several clinics?
Send the same 12 questions to each clinic in writing, in the same words, and put the answers in a table. Compare on documents and concrete answers rather than photographs or scores. Eliminate clinics that do not answer, are evasive or rush you; among the rest, prefer the one whose reasoning for the plan is clearest and whose follow-up arrangement is most explicit.
Related guides
Contact: Yayla Dental Akademi, Ferit Selimpaşa Cad. No:44A, Bahçelievler, Istanbul (Basın Sitesi, opposite Migros; about 600 m from İlkyuva metro station, line M3). Monday–Saturday 10:00–21:00, Sunday closed. WhatsApp and phone: +90 544 289 66 33 · Online booking: DoktorTakvimi.
Sources
- Barrowman, R. A., Grubor, D., & Chandu, A. (2010). Dental implant tourism. Australian Dental Journal, 55(4), 441–445. PubMed ↗
- Turner, L. (2008). Cross-border dental care: ‘dental tourism’ and patient mobility. British Dental Journal, 204(10), 553–554. PubMed ↗
- Kovacs, E., & Szocska, G. (2013). ‘Vacation for your teeth’ – dental tourists in Hungary from the perspective of Hungarian dentists. British Dental Journal, 215(8), 415–418. PubMed ↗
- Edelhoff, D., & Sorensen, J. A. (2002). Tooth structure removal associated with various preparation designs for anterior teeth. Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, 87(5), 503–509. PubMed ↗
- Monje, A., Aranda, L., Diaz, K. T., Alarcón, M. A., Bagramian, R. A., Wang, H. L., & Catena, A. (2016). Impact of maintenance therapy for the prevention of peri-implant diseases: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Dental Research, 95(4), 372–379. PubMed ↗
- Resnik, R. R., & Misch, C. E. (2018). Misch’s avoiding complications in oral implantology. Elsevier. WorldCat ↗
- Hupp, J. R., Ellis, E., & Tucker, M. R. (2014). Contemporary oral and maxillofacial surgery (6th ed.). Elsevier Mosby. WorldCat ↗
- Newman, M. G., Takei, H. H., Klokkevold, P. R., & Carranza, F. A. (Eds.). (2019). Newman and Carranza’s clinical periodontology (13th ed.). Elsevier. WorldCat ↗
Search the databases: PubMed · Google Scholar · NIH PMC · Cochrane (institutional access may be required).
This page is for information only; diagnosis and treatment plans are determined by a dentist after an examination. Figures are population averages from the cited sources and do not describe an individual outcome.
