Nearly 9.6 million people, or 4% of U.S. adults, have traveled outside the country for dental care, primarily seeking lower cost dental treatment, according to a new report from the CareQuest Institute for Oral Health.
CareQuest released its “State of Oral Health Equity in America” report June 16 based on a survey of more than 9,300 adults in the U.S. The report includes data on adults’ knowledge and behaviors related to oral health, along with information on factors influencing oral health outcomes.
Four notes:
- The report found that adults were equally likely to have traveled outside the U.S. for dental care regardless of whether they have dental insurance or the type of insurance they have.
- Fifty-eight percent of those who sought care abroad said they did so because dental treatment costs are lower outside the U.S. Nine percent said they traveled abroad because they lack dental insurance.
- Adults who hit their maximum annual dental benefit in the past year were nearly three times as likely to have sought care abroad compared to those who did not hit their benefit cap.
- CareQuest cautioned in its report that dental tourism carries risks including differences in safety standards, challenges with follow-up care and limited legal recourse if complications arise.
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