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ShareAhmedabad, Ahmedabad: British national Richard is in Ahmedabad to get a crown fixed on his tooth. The reason is simple: the treatment will cost him £100 here, while the same would have cost him £1,000 in the UK. This is apart from the difficulty in getting appointments from dentists there.
"I always wanted to visit India for its scenic and cultural beauty - however, now the visit has dual purpose - getting my dental treatment done as well as exploring India," said Richard. Stating that he will require paying much less than what he would have been charged in London, the Brit is also impressed by the quality of treatment here.
Richard's is not an isolated case as Gujarat is fast emerging as a major hub for international tourists and non-resident Indians seeking dental treatment. Dental care hospitals here have latest dental equipment and facilities that are at par with or even better than medical standards available in the west. The relative inexpensiveness and easy availability of dentists has attracted several NRG patients to the state who come for their dental-related problems and also to look their best during the season of weddings.
A dental filling work, which costs about $300-400 in the US or Europe, costs a mere $20-40 in India. In the case of CIS sealing of the root, which costs anything between $3,000-5000, in western countries can be done for around $100-200 in India. Even dentures, that costs only $200 in India, comes for a whopping $1,000 overseas.
Talking to DNA, dental and laser-cosmetic surgeon at Dental Care and Implant Clinic, Dr Jay Mehta, says, "We are totally packed for the next couple of months with appointments from NRIs and NRGs for dental implants and surgeries. The NRIs plan their trips three months in advance and always arrive during this time of the year. By now, it is safe to say that Gujarat is making its place on the global map as a hub for dental treatment."
"Dentists in the state provide clients with facilities like surgery, dental implants and cosmetic dentistry at a price at least four times lower compared to that in western countries," claimed Dr Viral Patel, president, Gujarat state dental council, the governing body of state dentistry.
Moreover, many dentists in the state have also started offering special packages to attract NRI patients. These include ways to meet the treatment and also providing them a guide about how to utilise their vacations in India. The facilities and costs, preferred and developed by individual practitioners, are also made available on their individual websites.
"I prefer to get my dental treatments done in India since the charges in the UK would cover my airfare both ways and also my stay.Also as my niece is getting married in December I will have plenty of time to get my treatment done," said Gujarati homemaker in the UK for the past 35 years, Meenakshi Bhatt.
