Doaba region emerges as a hub of dental tourism

After yoga and meditation, it is now designer smiles, fresh crowns and tooth implants, which promise a refashioned "nirvana" for an increasing number of foreigners and non-resident Indians (NRIs) visiting the city.

India has recently become a major tourist hub of dental care solutions. You can have your teeth fixed and make your holidays memorable without getting a hole in your pocket.

As dentistry gets a new edge with state-of-the-art technology, a large number of NRIs, mostly hailing from the Doaba region of the state, better known as the NRI belt, are thronging the city for specialised dental treatments at affordable costs. The NRIs mostly club their travel with treatment.

"There is great potential in dental tourism in India. Patients from West Asia, Europe, the US, Canada and Africa are visiting the city for various dental treatments. Even though such procedures are available in the West, the cost factor plays an important role," says Dharmesh Nanda, a dentist here.

The NRIs, at one time or the other, have been exposed to treatment given by Indian doctors in their own countries, he added. The most sought-after treatments include root canal treatment, crown replacement and even fixing teeth for a better smile, says Munish Kaushal, a cosmetic dentistry expert.

"Dental treatment is not covered under insurance in some countries. For example, the root canal treatment in the US, Canada or the UK could cost a patient around $4,000, while the same procedure is being conducted here for a sum between Rs 1,000 and Rs 15,000," Munish claims.

Dentistry is a growing industry with 13,000 practising dentists in the US. However, it is not affordable for the average citizen. In fact, one can save expenses for travelling by air from a western country to India by going for dental treatment here, maintains Kaushal

"In countries like the UK, where people have to wait for months to get cosmetic dentistry done under the National Health Services (NHS), dental tourism has come as a boon," said Nanda.

Comparing the cost, doctors say it comes to be about $300-400 for a dental filling in the US and Europe as compared to only $20-40 here "" a denture can cost $2,000 overseas, but the dentists here charge only $200..

"In spite of the vast potential of dental tourism here, there is no visible promotion by the government or any other agency. Only individual efforts by doctors or hospitals are being made to promote this," says another dentist.

"Word-of-mouth publicity counts a lot. Patients, once they go back, can tell about the cost-effective treatment to their friends and relatives and the personal touch here compels many NRIs for treatment, says Sunil Aggarwal, a dentist.

Internet, too, is emerging as a good promotional medium and many queries are being received through mail, adds the dentist.