Dental Tourism is an increasingly important segment of the medical tourism market. According to a 2007 survey by Healthcare Tourism International, dental procedures were the most commonly searched terms by American medical travelers looking for medical treatment in other countries.
Specialist Dental Group™ has been treating international patients for almost 30 years. Many of our patients come from countries as diverse as Australia, USA, UK, Russia, Mongolia, Fiji, the Maldives, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia. Expatriates in Singapore and in nearby countries also make up our clinic's patient base.
Expand All | Collapse AllWhy Come to Singapore for Dental Treatment?
- Peace of Mind
- Our dentists have received international training and admission as Fellows or Diplomates of the various professional bodies in the USA, UK, Canada and Australia. The standard of care and experience of dental professionals in Singapore is generally very high. One can rest assured that one is in good hands when seeing a Singapore dentist.
- The use of modern and cutting edge equipment and stringent sterilization practices in the clinic also give more peace of mind when going to a Singapore dental clinic. Our sterilization protocol meets the requirements of the American Dental Association. Your safety is our focus.
- Ease of Access and Safety
- Singapore is strategically located in the Asia Pacific region and easily accessible by air from many neighboring countries.
- The crime rate is low and public transportation is plentiful and reasonably priced. One has a choice of traveling by taxi, MRT (subway), bus or even on foot, when in Singapore.
- Languages
- English and Mandarin are widely spoken. Other major languages spoke in Singapore include Bahasa Malaysia and Cantonese. Thus, communication is generally not a problem in Singapore. We can also arrange for interpreters for Russian, Japanese, Indonesia and Middle Eastern patients.
- Plenty to See and Do
- Singapore has many tourist attractions, a diversity of cultures and is a shopping paradise for every budget. There are also different types of accommodations available ranging from luxury hotels, service apartments, private apartments, budget hotels and hostels.
- Food is something close to most Singaporean's hearts, and there is plenty of mouth-watering food to be found on this island.
More information on Singapore can be found at the Singapore Tourism Board website.
Visa, Travel And Accommodation Requirements
Visa
You can check whether you will need a visa to enter Singapore by visiting the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority website. Please also ensure that you have at least six (6) months validity on your passport when you come to Singapore.
Air Travel
Most major airlines fly to Singapore. More information can be found atChangi International Airport website. There are also budget airlines such asJet Star Asia, Air Asia and Tiger Airways that will help keep your airfare costs low when you plan a trip to Singapore for dental treatment.
Several US airlines fly to Singapore, including Northwest Airlines and United Airlines. In addition, other airlines such as Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Ana Airlines also fly between the US and Asia. Your best option, where airline travel is concerned, is to search sites such as Travelocity andExpedia as they will be able to show a comparison of the fares of different airlines. An alternative is to visit the websites of the respective airlines (can be accessed with a Google search). In Singapore, other useful websites include Via Singapore, Wego and Zuji.
Singapore is a very easy city to navigate and most people here speak English. There is a very efficient taxi system at the Changi International Airport – just follow the signs for “taxi” after exiting the arrivals lounge and there will be a line of taxis waiting to take you to your destination. It costs about SGD$20 for a taxi to the city
Accommodation
Our clinic is happy to provide contact information for the various hotels in Singapore but you will still need to use your own credit card to guarantee the reservation. You can find out more about accommodation options in Singapore at the Singapore Tourism Board website.
There are different types of accommodation options in Singapore, ranging from 5 star hotels to budget hotels, to room rentals and backpacker dorms. Hotels can be searched online at Via Singapore, Wego and Zuji. There are also many other hotel-specific websites.
Languages Spoken
Our clinic staff are able to assist you in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Bahasa Malaysia and Tagalog.
If you require assistance in other languages, please let us know ahead of time and we will try to arrange for an interpreter in the following languages: Russian, Bahasa Indonesia, Japanese, and Arabic.
Modes of Payment
Our clinic accepts payments in cash and credit card (Visa and Mastercard). Wire transfers are also an option. Please contact our clinic for more information on this.
No Surcharge for International Patients
Our clinic does not believe in imposing a surcharge on international patients – both local and international patients are charged the same rate.
Singapore has a dozen hospitals and health centers with JCI accreditation.[100] In 1997 (published 2000), the World Health Organization ranked Singapore's health care system sixth best in the world and the highest ranked system in Asia.[101] In 2000, Singapore received 410,000 medical tourists. By 2012, the Singaporean government aims to attract one million international patients annually. [102]
Patients come from neighboring countries, such as Indonesia and Malaysia, and patient numbers from Indochina, South Asia, the Middle East and Greater China are growing. Patients from developed countries such as the United States and the UK are also beginning to choose Singapore as their medical travel destination for relatively affordable health care services in a clean cosmopolitan city.
The Singapore Dental Association says dental clinics here are seeing more overseas patients than before.
At a clinic at the Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, 20% of its overseas patients come specifically for dental work.
This trend started in the 1980s with many wealthy Indonesians seeking dental care in Singapore.
Now, the clinic is also getting calls from other parts of Asia and beyond.
"Increasingly we're seeing patients from Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Cambodia and as far away as North America. Just this morning, I had a patient from Vancouver," says Dr Neo Tee Khin, a dental surgeon at Henry Lee Dental Surgery.
And these patients are not just looking for a quick clean up or checkup, they are here for the whole shebang, like full mouth reconstructive work, which can cost up to S$90,000 (US$60,000).
"In terms of prices, more or less, it's the same. Some additional costs like value added taxes are higher in Europe. But I'm referring only to Western Europe. Switzerland, Germany and Austria, more or less, in terms of prices, it's the same like in Singapore," says a patient from Austria.
So what's making Singapore dentists so popular?
"Our dentists do a lot of overseas teaching. For example, we are involved in overseas conferences. And we are also represented in different organisations, like in cosmetics... And for implants, we represent Singapore in the world stage for demonstrations. So this makes the profile of dentists here higher," explains Dr Keng Mun Wong, dental surgeon ay T32 Dental Clinic.
And with the World Dental Congress meetings set to take place in Singapore in 2009, the profile of the Singapore dentist is set to rise. - CNA /ls
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