Dental Tourism Has A New Destination

By Genni Burkhart, Editor

According to recent data from CareQuest Institute for Oral Health®, 9.6 million people, or approximately 4% of the U.S. adult population, have sought dental care outside the country at some point. Dental tourism has also increased in recent years as patients struggle to access affordable care, so much so that the CDC reports dentistry is the most common reason U.S. residents seek medical care abroad.

While the U.S. ranks as the most expensive country for dental treatment, countries such as Mexico and Turkey have long attracted medical tourists with the allure of affordability. Albania has now emerged as the newest dental tourism destination, with the term “Tirana teeth” becoming part of its marketing to attract international patients.

Understanding why patients seek care abroad and what overseas clinics offer can help dental practices answer questions about cost, treatment, and safety before patients make that decision. It also reflects a broader shift in how dental patients are weighing their treatment options, with some willing to travel thousands of miles for care that’s available in the U.S. but remains out of reach because of cost or access.

Cost and Effect

While dental care in the U.S. keeps getting more expensive, insurance doesn't cover enough to make treatment affordable. In 2025, CareQuest reported that about 69 million adults had no dental insurance coverage at all. Yet, even for those who do, cost remains a problem. In that same report, 12% of insured adults, or roughly 32 million people, reached or exceeded their annual dental benefit maximum, with nearly half claiming it kept them from getting additional care.

That helps explain why some patients are looking outside the country for dental care. CareQuest also found that 58% of adults who received dental care abroad cited lower treatment costs, and those who had reached their annual benefit maximum were more than twice as likely to have sought care elsewhere. The CDC also points to rising U.S. dental costs and inadequate coverage as reasons Americans travel overseas for treatment.

While the American Dental Association (ADA) and other dental organizations continue to push for insurance reform and better access to care, federal action has been slow to respond. For patients facing thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket costs, lower prices abroad can be hard to dismiss, even with the cost of travel and concerns over safety, follow-up care, and legal recourse.

The Allure of International Clinics

Lower prices may be what first attracts international patients, but many overseas clinics offer much more than a cheap alternative.

Cost remains a major draw for patients. For example, a dental implant in Albania typically runs about €600, or roughly $700, while the same treatment can cost four times as much in the U.K., France, or Germany. Several Tirana clinics also advertise four-star hotel stays, airport transfers, multilingual coordinators, CBCT imaging, in-house CAD/CAM labs, written warranties, and telehealth follow-up after patients return home.

While Turkey had dominated dental tourism in Europe for years, some patients are now looking elsewhere. The uniform, bright-white “Turkey teeth” look has started to lose its appeal, while reports of serious complications have raised separate safety concerns. One patient interviewed by the BBC said reports of procedures going wrong in Turkey influenced his decision to choose Albania instead.

Yet, standards still vary from one clinic to another. The BBC report visited one large Tirana clinic where all 15 resident dentists were licensed by Albanian health authorities. However, Albania's government reports it's still "catching up" with the recent rapid growth of medical tourism. Patients must do their own due diligence by checking provider credentials, infection-control standards, follow-up care, and what options they have if complications develop after they return home.

In Conclusion

Nearly half a million Americans traveled abroad for dental care in 2019. By 2023, the global dental tourism market was valued at an estimated $10.9 billion, and it’s expected to keep growing.

As long as dental care in the U.S. remains expensive and insurance leaves patients with substantial out-of-pocket costs, more people will continue looking elsewhere. For dentists, that means dental tourism will remain a source of competition and a concern as patients seek treatment in countries with different systems of licensure, oversight, follow-up care, and legal recourse.

Author: With over 16 years as a published journalist, editor, and writer, Genni Burkhart's career has spanned politics, healthcare, law, business finance, technology, and news. She resides in Northern Colorado, where she works as the editor-in-chief of the Incisor at DOCS Education.

References:

1. CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. (2026, June 16). High Costs and Access Gaps Push Americans Out of the Country for Dental Care, CareQuest Institute for Oral Health Data Shows. CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
   https://carequest.org/press-release/new-report-nearly-9-6-million-adults-have-traveled-outside-the-us-to-receive-dental-treatment/
2. CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. (2026, February). Maxed Out: The Reality of Reaching Dental Insurance Limits. CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
   https://carequest.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/CareQuest_Institute_Maxed-Out_2.12.26.pdf
3. Stoney, Rhett J., and Laura Leidel. (2025, April 23). Medical Tourism. CDC Yellow Book 2026. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
   https://www.cdc.gov/yellow-book/hcp/health-care-abroad/medical-tourism.html
4. Delauney, Guy. (2026, September 8). “Tirana Teeth”: Albania Hopes to Be the New Turkey for Dental Work. BBC News.
   https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq63m88ymqro
5. Reade, Lucy. (2026, May 13). Sorry, but Your Turkey Teeth Have Just Fallen Out of Fashion. The New World.
   https://www.thenewworld.co.uk/lucy-reade-sorry-but-your-turkey-teeth-have-just-gone-out-of-fashion/