Tooth tourism

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Does the Middle East have the potential to rank as a top-line dental destination? MED reports.

Health tourism is on every country's agenda. Courtesy of rising health costs, uninsured patients and lengthy waiting lists, what was once a trickle of tourists has turned into a flood.

The Middle Eastern healthcare market is keen to soak up its percentage. Regional tourism offices predict ambitious growth, with the United Arab Emirates claiming it will receive upwards of 11.2m patients by 2010.

However, while the Middle East speculates over potential growth, other countries are already posting record figures. For Eastern Europe, Asia and South America, tooth tourism has proved a lucrative business niche. Could Arab countries follow their lead?

Price draw

A handful of states are already showing up on the tooth tourism radar. Jordan nurtures a quietly flourishing trade, largely built on its cut-price dental costs (around 90% cheaper than those in the US). Lebanon, known for its cosmetic appeal, attracts the majority of inter-regional trade with a number of dentists citing tourists as a regular revenue stream.

Pat Patton, head of Unlimited Marketing, a US partner of international health tourism website Recover Discover, says unofficial figures are starting to suggest a solid industry.

"There is a lot of activity in terms of healthcare travellers from both the US and the EU to that area. There is a lot of growth and development and, coupled with the quality of treatment and services, we are expanding into that area."

The primary driver behind this growth, he says, is the 46 million uninsured American citizens and the flawed social healthcare model in the UK. "There are people here having to sell their houses to cover their healthcare bills," he reports.

His comments are backed by recent statistics from health tourism site RevaHealth.com. The portal lists dental providers to help would-be tooth tourists source suitable treatment.

In a poll, the company claimed 83% of those questioned wanted to save on the cost of dental treatment. Another 17% reported saving £10,000 on dental costs by seeking treatment outside of the UK. According to Jason Ismail, business development manager for the site, that figure reflects a 50% to 70% price saving.

Money is certainly the main spur for overseas patients visiting Dr Habib Zarifeh, owner of the Habib International Medical Centre in Beirut. "One Canadian client told me that for the cost of two implants at home, he could afford to holiday in Lebanon, get his implants and still have spending money to spare," he says. "The treatments here are cheaper than the US, Canada and European countries."

Still, despite the lure of cheaper treatment, some industry analysts are dubious the Middle East will ever rank as a top dental destination. Perversely, claims Timea Milolovecz, head of customer services at TreatmentAbroad.com, the region's high-end holiday market could work against it.

"Countries like Jordan and the UAE that want to sell dental tourism, market themselves largely as holiday destinations as well," she explains. "After major treatments patients are not allowed to swim or go out in the sun for extended periods so they won't use a holiday to Dubai as a time to get major dental treatment like 18 implants or similar."

For European and American clients, the length of the journey also plays a factor. A number of dental procedures require a recuperation period and should anything go amiss once the patient has returned home, they are faced with a long-haul flight to have it repaired.

This, claims Milolovecz, is where eastern European or South American countries will always win out. "The convenient location offers patients an easier option to return if there is a complication."

For this reason, dentists targeting the tourism trade may find themselves limited to minimally invasive aesthetics. "Normally the treatments that dental tourists have are not very invasive," says Dubai dentist Joy Anthony. "It's largely procedures such as whitening, rather than implants. There is very little worry then about finding a dentist if problems develop when they get home."

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