Anyone who has experience with the healthcare system in the United States (and plenty of people who don’t have experience with it) knows that going to the doctor can be expensive. Going to the dentist, in particular, is notoriously costly because it’s not typically covered under a regular health insurance plan. So after one TikToker, Delia O’Malley, was quoted over $3000 for a root canal in the United States, she came up with the brilliant idea of going to Turkey to get it done there instead. Below, you can hear Delia’s full story, and maybe it’ll inspire you to consider taking a holiday the next time you’re quoted with an exorbitant medical bill. And if you’re looking for another Bored Panda story about the American healthcare system after reading this piece, we’ve got another for you right here.
More info: TikTok
After this TikToker was quoted over $3000 for a root canal in the United States, she decided to book a trip to Turkey and get it done there instead
Delia’s entire trip, including her dental bills, came out to less than the root canal would have cost in the US
Image credits: asdeliadoes
You can hear Delia tell the full story here
@asdeliadoes My dentist wanted $3099 for a root canal so I booked a week in Turkey to get it done here! Came to less than $1200. So I get a root canal and a holiday now #turkey #lastminutetrip #manifestation #dental #kusidasi #graitude ♬ original sound – Delia O’Malley
While Delia’s trip was a creative solution for her medical needs, she’s not the only one who has had to think outside the box for treatment. In fact, “dental tourism” is a real phenomenon among people trying to avoid paying extremely high dental prices. According to Forbes, in 2020 approximately 290,000 Americans traveled abroad for dental and medical procedures. Mexico is one popular destination, due to proximity and the price of treatment. For example, root canals in Mexico cost 80% less than they do in the US. However, Americans aren’t the only ones seeking treatment abroad. Sometimes even Britons and Irish people take short trips to Eastern Europe or India for affordable procedures. Other common countries to visit for dental work include Thailand, Turkey, Costa Rica, the Philippines and Spain.
Although medical tourism is gaining popularity, it can still be overwhelming to navigate alone. Knowing where to go and how to communicate with treatment providers when you don’t speak their language is daunting, but that’s where companies like Beyond Borders Dental come in. Beyond Borders Dental works specifically with Americans looking for affordable dental care in Mexico and provides them with the resources and support needed to find treatment. Their website says that patients typically save 50-75% on dental care, and in their cost breakdown for various treatments in Mexico, root canals are listed at only $250. “We’ve carefully selected the best dental offices in Mexico for our dental referral program,” their site states. “With Beyond Borders Dental you don’t have to sacrifice quality dental care to save money.”
While it’s ridiculous that those living in the US can’t afford the treatment they need close to home, it’s great to know that there are resources available elsewhere. I’m so glad Delia had a great trip, but I hope the next time she goes abroad she can just take a vacation, without needing to squeeze in a visit to the dentist. We’d love to hear your thoughts on dental tourism in the comments down below. Have you ever traveled abroad for medical care, or does your country provide affordable treatment?
Many viewers agreed that the American healthcare system is flawed
But some argued that the bill is reasonable for everything Delia needed done
So others called out the US for brainwashing people into believing exorbitant dental bills are normal
The post ‘The American Health System Is A Joke’: TikToker Flew To Turkey To Get Her Root Canal Done, The Entire Trip Cost Less Than Dental Work In The US Does first appeared on Bored Panda.
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