DENTAL TOURISM: WHY ITALIANS CHOOSE FOREIGN COUNTRIES AND HOW OUR DENTISTS DEFEND THEIR BUSINESS

Let’s start, first of all, from some figures; Italy is the second most expensive country for dental treatment in Europe, surpassed only by the United Kingdom. Infact, while our fellow citizens spend on average 135 € for dental treatments, in England, they spend on average 156 €.

For this reason, about 15% of Italians, more and more often turns abroad to receive dental treatments. The most popular destination remains Croazia. Here Italians represent the lions share of trips for dental care. Croats professionals know how to communicate to their potential clients, informing the about the possibility of saving up to more than 70% of expenditure for a dental treatments.

In addition, it’s always present in these websites a “dental tourism” section which speaks about the beauties of Croatia, offering tours, so that the hospitalization of patients can be as pleasant as possible.

What do Italian dentists to defend themselves?

Dental wards, inside or outside shopping malls, are starting to bloom. Many dentists are starting to react to the flow of patients abroad and have been inspired by the well-established Spanish model of low cost dental clinics to create a brand new business model.

This usually means longer opening hours, seven days a week operativity, to ensure that a doctor is always present to receive any customers and a more aggressive commercial approach, launching offers and discounts more like retail stores.

It is clear, in any case, that the dentists, as many other professionals, are adapting more and more to what is the modern economic environment, more changeable, more dynamic, more liquid.