Giving Jordan Something to Smile about

Jordanian Medical Vacations Beckon Arab Tourists

Regardless of all the commotion over the dangers of dental tourism, it appears the trend hasn’t spared wealthy residents of the Persian Gulf states.  Moneyed Arabs, overwhelmed by the cost of dentistry in their countries, are heading over to nearby Jordan to get root canals, dental crowns, and everything in between.   

And it’s not residents at the lower end of the economic scale choosing to go overseas.  The wealthy and insured seem to also prefer the reasonable costs and fine work that Jordanian dentistry offers.  Patients arriving in Jordan are there not just for essential procedures like dental crowns, but also for more cosmetic procedures.  Most bookings are done online, and the availability of trained personnel and the latest equipment in Jordanian dental clinics seem to have convinced Arabs to take their dentistry money away from home. 

UAE Doctors Warn of the Dangers of Dental Tourism

Dentists in the United Arab Emirates and Dubai in particular, have been warning patients in the country of the dangers involved in visiting foreign countries for dental tourism.  Ironic, since the country has been investing heavily in promoting medical vacations in the regions through its multi-million dollar Dubai Healthcare City project.  According to Dubai-based dentist Katherine Trelles, dental work performed in Jordan is “unimpressive,” and the country’s patients would be more likely to find quality dental treatment in their own backyard, rather than on foreign shores.   

Jordanian dentists refute these allegations, saying their country boasts of more dentists with a master’s degree in dentistry than any other country in the Middle East, making the country the favored destination for dental tourism.  

Clearly, the presence of massive state-of-the-art healthcare complexes isn’t the only thing required to establish a reputation in medical tourism.  Dubai also has had to face problems with its locals heading off to Thailand for cosmetic surgery and life saving procedures.