Medical Tourism Competes with Strings and Doorknobs

Medical Tourism, Thailand’s Signature Attraction

In 1997, Thailand’s currency collapsed, forcing its government to look diligently for sustainable revenue streams.  Thailand's solution was to offer plastic surgery to tourists at lower prices than they could find at home.  Since then, Thailand has expanded services covering the gambit of medical tourism care.  Today, health travelers experience lower costs for dental fillings and breast augmentation alike.  For example, the cost of dental fillings in Thailand can run as low as $12-14 per filling, compared to $75 to $145 per filling in the US. 

Thailand Capitalizes on Low Cost Dental Fillings and More

As we saw in campaign promises and presidential debates, health care is a major issue in the US, particularly in terms of affordability.  While the new administration works to make healthcare more affordable in the US, Thailand and other medical tourism destination countries will continue to capitalize on that need.  These countries offer prices and packaged deals that the middle and upper class can’t refuse.  Acceptance of these offers is reflected by the 750,000 Americans who sought medical care abroad last year.  Experts anticipate the number growing to 6 million or more by 2010.

Technological Advancements Strengthen Medical Tourism Industry

The only other way I know to receive the kinds of savings medical tourism offers for your dental health involves string and a doorknob.  Of course, that method would reduce the cost of getting a tooth out, but does little for putting dental fillings in.  Fortunately, countries like Thailand have taken advantage of technological advances that make the process almost as easy as the doorknob method.  In the old days, there were few options to justify the high cost of dental fillings.  Most were amalgam fillings that could be unsightly; creating a darkened appearance through the tooth.  Research and technology helped develop new options increasing the strength, durability, and aesthetics of filling materials.  Today porcelain fillings, known as inlays, can be ordered to match the color of the tooth.  Although on average, the porcelain fillings are more expensive than their amalgam counterparts, medical tourism patients travelling to Thailand have found even the porcelain option much cheaper than what they’d pay for amalgam fillings in the US.

 

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