Are dental implants in Turkey safe?

What official UK advice says

We think you should hear this from official sources first, not from a clinic.

The UK government's travel advice for Turkey has a section on medical tourism. It says that cosmetic surgery, dental procedures and cardiac surgery are the most common procedures for medical tourists, and that standards vary widely. It reports that 7 British nationals died in Turkey in 2025 following medical procedures, and that some others had complications that needed further treatment. These figures cover all medical procedures, not only dental ones.

Its advice if you are considering treatment in Turkey is:

• discuss your plans with your UK doctor, dentist or clinician before going ahead
• do your own research, because private companies have a financial interest in booking your treatment and their literature should not be your only source of information
• check the Turkish Ministry of Health's list of approved providers on the Health Türkiye website

What can go wrong

The Oral Health Foundation, a UK charity, lists the problems that have been reported after dental treatment abroad:

• infection
• ongoing pain
• broken or poorly fitting crowns, veneers or bridges
• failed dental implants
• dentures needing repeated adjustments
• treatment that was more extensive than expected
• difficulty getting follow-up care

Implants can also develop a gum infection called peri-implantitis if plaque builds up around them. It can cause sore or bleeding gums and, if not treated, loosening or loss of the implant. Good daily cleaning and regular check-ups help prevent it. This can happen wherever your implants were placed.

Why distance is the real risk

Problems can happen with any dental treatment, in any country. The difference abroad is that fixing them is harder. You may need to travel back, or pay a UK dentist to correct the work. The Oral Health Foundation warns that correcting work after you return home can be expensive.

So the questions that matter most are about what happens after treatment:

• Who do I contact if I have a problem at home?
• What does the guarantee cover, and for how long?
• Who pays for travel and accommodation if something needs fixing?
• Will I get the details of my implants so a UK dentist can help?

Warning signs to walk away from

The NHS treatment abroad checklist says to think carefully before booking if there is:

• a hard sell, or pressure to decide quickly
• a lack of information
• no discussion of possible complications
• no mention of aftercare

The Oral Health Foundation adds that it is a warning sign if nobody asks about your medical history, medicines, smoking or past treatment at your consultation.

From our own experience as a clinic, we would add:

• a price with no implant brand named
• a promise of everything done in one short trip, before anyone has seen a scan
• healthy teeth being filed down or removed without a clear reason
• no named dentist, or a dentist whose qualifications you can't find

How to lower your risk

1. See your UK dentist first. They know your mouth and can tell you whether the plan you've been offered makes sense.
2. Check the clinic is approved. Ask for the Ministry of Health licence and the health tourism authorisation, and look the clinic up on Health Türkiye.
3. Check the dentist. Get their name and qualifications before you book.
4. Get everything in writing: the plan, the price, the implant brand, the guarantee and the aftercare.
5. Read independent reviews on Google and Trustpilot, as the Oral Health Foundation suggests, and look for examples of real cases.
6. Don't rush. A good clinic will give you time to think.

Our step-by-step guide on how to choose a clinic turns this into a checklist you can use.

Common questions

What does the UK government say about dental treatment in Turkey?

The Foreign Office travel advice for Turkey says to discuss your plans with your UK doctor or dentist first and to do your own research, because private companies have a financial interest in booking your treatment. It also points to the Turkish Ministry of Health's list of approved providers on the Health Türkiye website.

How do I check that a clinic is approved?

The UK government points to the Health Türkiye website, where the Turkish Ministry of Health lists approved providers. Ask the clinic for its Ministry of Health licence and its health tourism authorisation, and check the name of the dentist who will treat you.

What are the most common problems?

The Oral Health Foundation lists infection, ongoing pain, broken or poorly fitting crowns or bridges, failed implants, dentures that need repeated adjustment, treatment that was more extensive than expected, and difficulty getting follow-up care.

Is it safer to have implants in the UK?

Any treatment carries some risk, wherever it is done. The main extra risk abroad is distance: if something goes wrong, it is harder and more expensive to get it checked and fixed. That is why the aftercare and guarantee terms matter so much.

Sources

1. GOV.UK — Turkey travel advice: health (medical tourism)
2. Oral Health Foundation — Going abroad for dental treatment
3. Oral Health Foundation — Understanding dental implants
4. NHS — Treatment abroad checklist
5. Health Türkiye — Turkish Ministry of Health portal

Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.