A Family Adventure in Medical Tourism
'It is hard to recommend taking a 19-hour flight with a toddler to get a root canal with a straight face. But after going on just such a mission in December, I will aim to get all future dental work done in Thailand.
Our 16-day trip began as a search for savings. Not for a budget vacation, but for affordable dentistry. Between my husband, Tim, and I, both freelancers, we needed $5,000 to $6,000 in routine, but nonetheless prohibitively costly, dental care. Frustrated at our situation, I tossed out a tongue-in-cheek Facebook post announcing my intention to become a “dental tourist.” I was half joking, but within minutes, recommendations for hospitals, clinics and hotels in Bangkok were rolling in.
Even within my immediate circle of friends and family, a surprising number of people had traveled abroad to get fillings and crowns, whitening and implants. With good reason, it turns out. If the work needed is extensive enough, it is possible to save money even after accounting for the cost of travel. In other cases, the savings are just enough to pay for a tropical vacation, which is compelling when you are staring down the barrel of subfreezing temperatures. . .
Having heard the commotion, a waitress arrived with a pitcher of water. We threw Roxie’s head back, drenching both her and me. Then, without saying a word, the server whisked Roxie, dripping, red-faced and wearing only a diaper, downstairs. She was immediately surrounded by five women who went to work as if this happens all the time, rubbing her in what looked like lotion. Did they have some secret miracle ointment? Soothed, Roxie was returned, a couple shades paler, and we had our answer. “Only in Thailand,” Tim said, “would a bar be stocked with baby powder.”'
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/08/travel/frugal-family-medical-dental-tourism-bangkok-thailand-vacation.html?