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A new survey by the Irish Dental Association indicates that in the past twelve months 6,000 people who travelled abroad for dental treatment have had to receive corrective treatment on their return to Ireland.
According to the survey 75% of Irish dentists say they have provided treatment to patients in these circumstances.
Commenting on the eve of the Association?s annual conference in Galway, Dr Donal Blackwell, outgoing President of the IDA said he was shocked at the numbers of people needing corrective treatment.
"This survey supports the findings of a separate study last August which also found that three quarters of dentists have provided corrective treatment to Irish people who went abroad for treatment. What we didn't know then was the precise number of patients affected and this is truly shocking. Common problems include too much dental work being done over too short a time frame, unnecessary work being done and poor materials being used by dentists abroad" he said.
The findings have prompted the Irish Dental Association to remind dental patients contemplating treatment abroad to ensure that any dentist treating them abroad is registered with the Irish Dental Council. The survey findings will be discussed at the annual conference of the IDA which opens in Galway tomorrow and runs until Saturday the 15th.
Dr Blackwell advised anyone who required dental treatment to check with a local dentist in the first instance to see what work is required and to get a valid price comparison.
"This is not like buying a computer or a phone abroad. This is a personal health issue and every situation is different. People need to focus on the quality of the care and the work they will receive and not just on the short term price. We believe a patient's lifelong dental health is best protected by establishing a long-term, professional relationship with a local dentist whom the patient trusts and feels comfortable with" he said.
The survey and Dr Blackwell's warning comes in the wake of a recent decision by the General Dental Council in the UK to suspend a Hungarian dentist it found guilty of misconduct
Last month Bela Batorfi, a Budapest registered dentist was suspended for one year by Professional Conduct Committee of the GDC following a complaint by a patient residing in Britain, who opted to be treated abroad.
Among other things the Committee found Mr Batorfi had failed to adequately plan his patient's treatment, had failed to give adequate advice regarding treatment alternatives and had failed keep adequate records of the treatment.
Dr Blackwell said the case showed how important it is for anyone going abroad for treatment to ensure the dentist who is treating them - and not just the dentist who might examine them in Ireland pre-departure - is registered with the Irish Dental Council.
"If the dentist is registered with the IDC patients will at least have some come back if the treatment goes wrong. A study carried out a number of years ago found that only 4 out of 27 patients who went abroad for treatment had received a satisfactory level of care. Therefore we would advise people to go for a consultation locally, weigh up the pros and cons and make an informed choice. The best quality care and long term value may be closer at hand" he concluded.
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