One of the key parts of our business we intend to grow over the next five years is the dental tourist.
This week we have started to see a solid start to our marketing initiative with a patient flying in from Italy to do some dental work the patient deemed essential to his well being mentally and physically.
The patient contacted our dental practice last week explaining what he felt was needed to be done after consulting a dentist locally where he resides. We discussed via email and eventually by telephone what was required. I explained to him inwriting what we would require before we could treat him.
We required from the patient:
1 x Panoramic X-Ray
1 x Local dental advice
1 x Blood Analysis proof of no blood related diseases
1 x medical practitioner declaring the patient of good health and no ongoing medical conditions including heart, circulation or blood problems
1 x list of current medications being taken
The patient emailed all the required documentation so we could make sure all the possible problems could be coped with should the need arise.
Our suggestion for the patient was the following:
2 x Implants
5 x Amalgam Replacements
1 x root canal
1 x extraction
General Cleaning and gum treatment
We organised several hotels for the patient to choose from and we also organised the transfers for the patient while he was here.
Once we had agreed all with the patient he booked his flight in for a lunchtime arrival and a following evening departure.
When the patient arrived the first thing we did was to have x-rays done locally followed by our first consult where we confirmed the work that would be required and commenced immediately on the removal of the amalgam to be replaced with suitable more aesthetically pleasingfillings.
This work was able to be completed in a timely fashion but we found that one of the potential filling replacements might be unwise as the amount used was quite large so we decided to leave for later in the procedure list so the patient could decide.
After this we undertook the root canal which was fairly straightforward and was completed quickly.
As we completed the first stage of the works that had been planned the patient took a break for 90 minutes to go for some fresh air and a rest at his hotel.
Part two of the procedures was the placement of two implants in the lower jaw. We prepared for the implant surgery in the approved fashion as required by local law with all wearing surgical clean suits to minimise the risks of infection while completing the implant procedure.
The implants procedure went smoothly, as we all know this is not always the case but we were confident having examined the patients initial x-rays and x-rays done locally we had a strong jaw to work with and good bone density, so we were able to place the to implants withlittle difficulty or procedural problems.
After the finishing of the implant placements the patient was dispatched to the hotel to rest and recover from a long day in the chair and the surgical procedures he had undergone that day. The patient was also given 7 days of antibiotics to minimise any risk of post surgicalinfection. The patient was also supplied with several contact numbersshould he have any discomfort during the night.
The patient was picked up in the morning and returned to the surgery for the final procedure which was the extraction. This was relatively quick and simple as the tooth was in poor shape. Once the extraction was done we placed Bios Bone which will need 6-9 months to bed into theextraction point so the patient can consider an implant to replace theextracted tooth.
The patient was then kept under observation for the rest of the day with hourly checks to make sure the work that had been completed was settling in with no discomfort to the patient. Once I was satisfied that the work completed had been successful from the patients point of viewand myself the patient was signed out and returned to the airport to flyhome.
I then breathed a deep sigh of relief.
Dental Tourism is going to grow but it is also very stressful as a dentist to be involved with supplying this service as unlike traditional patients where you have time to organise work and stage it over a period of time dental tourists are usually on a strict schedule an theyare looking for cost effective and timely procedures. This particularcase went smoothly from both mine and the patients point of view but youcan also have terrible problems when the patient expects too much orthey don't realise you can only put the mouth through so much stressbefore you over exert the healing capabilities of the mouth.
Educating the patients on what is possible and what is impossible is one of the key elements to providing a successful dental tourism offer to international patients. Managing expectation prior to their arrival is how you stop issues arising.
One of the key factors for dental tourists is savings to the patient. This is the highest motivation for dental tourists.
Comments