How to compare dental quotes like for like
Two quotes with the same headline can describe very different work. Here is how to line them up fairly.
[Draft guide: Ana to check facts, Arthur to approve, before publishing]
Before you read on
- Treatment through Smile Passage takes place in Georgia, at independent clinics. Smile Passage is not a clinic and does not give dental advice.
- A dentist must assess you before any treatment plan or price is final. Nothing here replaces that assessment.
- Ask every clinic, in writing, how follow-up and complications are handled once you are home, and who pays for them.
Start from the same plan
A price only means something next to the plan it describes. Before comparing, make sure each quote is based on an assessment of your records, not just a description, and that it is written tooth by tooth. If one clinic proposes four implants and another six, you are comparing two different treatments, not two prices. Ask each clinic why it chose its approach.
Check what each line actually includes
These are the items that most often differ between quotes. Ask each clinic to say yes, no, or “extra, at this price” for every one.
| Item | Clinic A | Clinic B |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation and examination | ||
| X-rays or 3D scan | ||
| Extractions, if needed | ||
| Bone grafting or sinus lift, if needed | ||
| Implant system (brand) and the connecting part (abutment) | ||
| Crown or veneer material | ||
| Temporary teeth between visits | ||
| Medicines and anaesthetic | ||
| Follow-up and adjustment visits | ||
| Guarantee: length and what it covers | ||
| Number of trips and nights per trip | ||
| Deposit, when it is due, and when it is refundable | ||
| Currency and payment method |
Add the trip, honestly
A clinic price is not the cost of treatment abroad. Add flights for every trip, nights in a hotel, airport transfers, local travel, interpretation if you want it, food, and time off work. Multiply by the number of trips. If one plan needs two trips and another needs one, that difference can matter as much as the clinic price.
Price the “what if”
Ask what happens, and who pays, if something needs redoing after you are home. A cheaper quote with no written guarantee and no help with return travel can cost more in the end than a dearer one that covers both. Treat the guarantee terms as part of the price.
Compare with home on the same terms
If you have a UK quote, check it covers the same plan and the same items before comparing. Your UK dentist may also tell you whether the plan from abroad looks sensible for your mouth, and they will need to know your plans in case you need care later.
Warning signs
- A firm price before anyone has seen your records
- Pressure to pay a deposit quickly, or a “this week only” offer
- A plan you can’t get in writing, or a guarantee nobody will put on paper
- No clear answer to who treats you, or which materials are used
For what to ask beyond price, see Questions to ask before dental treatment abroad.
Official UK guidance worth reading
How we are paid: partner clinics pay us a fee when a patient we introduce books treatment. It does not change the clinic’s price to you, and clinics do not pay to be recommended. Details.
We can help you line up the details
If you go ahead with a partner clinic, we give you the trip costs up front, before you agree to anything.