Australian dental tourists fall victim to unexpected price-gouging

Many Australian citizens seeking affordable dental care find it easy to board a direct flight to various parts of Asia where they can not only have dental treatment but also enjoy an idyllic holiday at the same time. This double appeal has contributed to a dramatic increase in dental tourism by Australians, and established tourist destinations like Bali are among the most desirable.

Others have ventured further afield to places such as Mumbai in India in search of the same medical and holiday combination. As reported by ABC News Australia, however, some of these dental tourists have been faced with alarming increases in the cost of their treatment after arriving in the country. Queensland retiree Christine Gwin travelled to a clinic in Mumbai on the basis of a quote for dental work totalling approximately A$4,500 (€2,681^*). On visiting the clinic, Gwin was shocked to be informed that the procedures were now expected to total A$16,000. According to the report, many patients at the clinic had also seen their initial quotes grossly inflated on arriving at the clinic, and they perceived this as a form of price-gouging.

The disadvantages of dental tourism are not new to Australians and can be not only economic but also physical in character. A report last year by 7NEWS, for example, described how a woman had dental work performed in Turkey that left her teeth in a deteriorated state that took 12 months of additional dental work to rectify. What these cases clearly show is that, while dental tourism remains an attractive option for its economic and leisure aspects, the possible disadvantages should always be kept in mind.

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