You can save a lot of money and have some really good quality work done at Turkish dentists, if you do some proper research. I went to the dentist in Turkey last week and here is my impression about the work I had done at the Maltepe clinic in Istanbul.
Is it safe to use a dentist in turkey?
You should always do some proper research before using a dentist abroad. Cause you have a long way back to the clinic if something is not done properly. I did a fair bit of online research and felt comfortable with the Maltepe dental clinic which seemed very professional to me. They also had some competitive prices that were cheap. But not rock bottom discount and this is where I feel safe about using a company.
How was my experience at the Maltepe clinic?
I contacted the Maltepe clinic by mail. Within a few hours, I had an answer from the clinic, confirming that they had time to see me for an appointment with the owner of the clinic, where we could discuss what needed to be done. And what the whole thing would cost.
When I arrived at the clinic I was met by Dr. Yusuf Ilhan, who is a very pleasant person. He speaks fluent english. Dr Yusuf examined me and we agreed that I needed 4 root canals and 4 crowns where I opted for Zirconium crowns. Zirconium crowns are the best and also most expensive crowns on the market. Maltepe dental clinic has their own laboratory where they produce the crowns. So they are made within a few hours, once they have taken the measures. I was down the laboratory myself having a look at the process and saying hello to the people who made them. Because I needed 4 root canals made, I had them made over two days. This was a surprisingly painless experience. Only one of the root canals was a little painful.
They were made by Dr. Alper Gurhan, who is a very nice guy too. His English is not as good as Yusuf’s. But we had no problems communicating. And Alper was very professional and good and made me feel comfortable and was always careful to make sure that I was not in any pain. After the root canals, they recommended that we took a few days before implementing the crowns. I used these days to tour around Istanbul and holiday a bit. The crowns were all produced and fitted within a day. and so far, I have had no problems with them at all. Very happy with the work from Maltepe dental clinic.
Where is Maltepe located?
Maltepe is a little outside the center of Istanbul on the Asian side of the city. It’s a pleasant middle class suburb where you have no major tourist sights. So you will most likely not see any tourists there at all. I chose to stay there as I liked being able to walk to the clinic, but if you want to stay in a part of the city that is a little more lively, then Kadikoy is fairly close to Maltepe. Kadikoy is one of the nicest neighbourhoods in Istanbul, with lot’s of upscale cafes, bars and restaurants.
In Maltepe, I stayed at a place called Emsa Pansiyon. It’s a small family run hotel, which is quite simple. My room was super clean and quite nice, with a little balcony and a nice bathroom. I had nice strong wifi in my room as well. So I could sit and work in my room. If you are ok with a small family run hotel, then Emsa Pansiyon should do fine for you. Maltepe is a little off the beaten track. That was fine with me though, as I like staying in a very local part of Istanbul. Some other people might prefer a place like Kadikoy, when going to the dentist in Turkey, where you have a more international setting and some very nice hotels.
What did I pay for my dental treatment?
I had four root canals and four zirconium crowns made at the Maltepe dental clinic and I paid 100€ for each root canal and 300€ for each zirconium crown, making it a total of 1600€ for the whole treatment. This is a hell of a lot cheaper than most western countries and as mentioned earlier. I felt in very safe hands with Dr. Alper and Dr. Yusuf. So I can only recommend this to people who like to save a lot of money on the dental bill, while holidaying in Istanbul. Their prices can be found on this link.
Is language a problem at Maltepe dental clinic?
As mentioned Earlier Dr. Yusuf Ilhan speaks fluent english and Dr. Alper Gurhan speaks some English. They are both very calm and professional guys, who made me feel totally comfortable with the whole thing. Melike Bora, who takes care of the international communication at the clinic, speaks both English and German. I spoke to one other dental assistant who was also fluent in german. She had grown up in Germany as a kid. So if you are comfortable with either english or german then you should be just fine at the clinic.
The website of the clinic is here. if you are interested in having some work done there. I plan to return there myself in a few months to have some more work done there.
Update from December 2022.
Hello Claus,
thank you very much for your blogpost about our clinic and maltepe. It is written very interesting and the photos are very nice.
Dental tourism is the best is cheap and you travel. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Dental tourism is quite popular these days and actually doing great.
Claus,
Thank you for writing this article because I would never have found this great clinic had you not done so.
While visiting Istanbul I had a large piece of a crown break and needed a new one. While looking for a dentist online I came across your article and was sold on the clinic from your description. I contacted them by e-mail on a Friday afternoon and by the next morning had an appointment for the following Monday.
It was a real pleasure being seen by Dr. Yusuf, who I found to be highly competent and confident as well as someone with a remarkably good and gentle nature.
After taking some digital measurements he told me to come back in 40 minutes to put on the new crown. As you mentioned, they have the ability to make crowns on site using computerized imagery (Cerec technology). Amazingly, I was in and out of there with a new tooth in just two hours.
I would say that the level of care I received at the clinic was easily as good as, if not better, then what I would expect to receive in my home country (the U.S.) and for a vastly more fair and reasonable price.
I need alot of Dental work. At least 5 implants, 2 teeth extractions, Veneers or Zirconia caps & bonding etc and I definitely need nitrous/anesthesia. So I really need to save money but I also need an excellent hi-tech dentist/office using Volumetric Tomography for implants & Cerec caps, etc. I need to take out a loan. But I am also a single thin woman and want to know how safe it would be for me to go alone for all this work. Plus does he have all the new technology or do you know someone there that does all this work? I would greatly appreciate a response as soon as possible because I need to get work as soon as possible. I know some dentists there will set up a dental holiday package – pick you up from the airport, & get a very economy hotel or free, etc. Tha k you in advance of your response. Lyn
The place I mention here is a modern clinic with all the latest technology. And it’s absolutely safe for a single woman to go there. The place is being run by some very professional and cultivated people.I am not sure if they do packages that includes pick up and hotels though. But you should write them. They usually answer enquiries very fast.
Hi. My name is Ugur from Maltepe Dental Clinic. As Mr. Claus said about our clinic, we have the state of the art technology, English speaking staff, very experienced dentists and in-house lab for your needs. Please visit our website (maltepedentalclinic.com)
Thank you,
Special thanks to Mr. Claus again for this lovely blog post. You are always welcome to our clinic.
Hi Lyn did u finally make it to turkey and if you did di you go to the same clinic for your procedures, if you did how was it?
Your smile is one of the most important aspects of your appearance, but these days it can be difficult to maintain a good smile as dental care is hard to afford. As dentists in the West demand more out of their clients’ pockets, many are turning to take advantage of dental tourism in Turkey.
Great article, many thanks about this blog. So many people should know about Turkey. Happy to hear from you If you want to visit Antalya too 🙂
A very well written article. I hope you had pleasant time in istanbul and never need to see a dentist again.
I always feel proud when people talk about their positive experiences in Turkey.
My wife needs some dental work doing I want to visit Istanbul where is best to fly to and stay.
Who do I contact over dental treatment
Thank you for this article ! Very helpful! I went to the clinic a week ago and since then my life has changed completely! I’d need to write a book to cover all the great things about the experience, but in few words I have to say the clinic and all the staff are just amazing and so professional. I can say that they are my new little family in Istanbul ! Not only was the treatment 5 star, but so was the hotel they had me stay in. From the moment I landed in Istanbul I was looked after by the clinic. Life changing really is no exageration, and I cannot wait for the opportunity to see them all again!!🤩
I have 4 teeth missing and need implants
Hi’ Brian. Maltepe dental clinic that I mention in the article should be able to help you with that. The owner of the clinic speaks perfect English, so do not hesitate to contact them for a price quote.
Hi, my name is Ugur from Maltepe Dental Clinic. You can contact us thru our website or whatsapp (00905452315329). We are happy to help you and answer your questions 24/7.
Best.
Thanks so much for your post I’m currently in Turkey on vacation with my son for a month and was looking into getting 5 implants done as well as changing a filling,professional cleaning and crown for my front tooth. After reading your article and a few others that also recommended this amazing clinic I decided to give them a chance. I’m so glad I did I was able to be seen the same day to start implant procedure and returned 2 more times over the next week. I have to come back in 3months to have implants finished but even with the cost of flying and hotel I’m saving 80% from what I would pay in Canada and let me say the way the dentist and there team treated me was way better then any dentist in Canada or USA.
Hi everyone,
I was planning to go to Turkey this summer but have been slowed down by my teeth and some tests I had to do. So, I often joke that I would go ahead with travel plans but in case my tooth hurt, I will just stop at a dentist in Istanbul. Then, last night I had dinner with friends and one of them told me Turkey is a destination for teeth work. And here I am searching for dentists and preparing.
Thank you Claus for writing this blog as this is really helpful. I think I am sold on this.
Thank you!
Great, article. We are really to see that your dental travel in Turkey made you really happy.
How much is teeth whitening and braces invisible one .
How Long will I need to day there ?
Thay
Hi’ Aina.
You have a price list from Maltepe Dental Clinic on this link: https://www.maltepedentalclinic.com/prices/ Hope this helps and good luck.
En tant qu’équipe hairextreme, nous avons beaucoup aimé, merci
My wife needs some dental work doing I want to visit Alanya where is best to fly to and stay.
Who do I contact over dental treatment.
Great, article. We are really to see that your dental travel in Turkey made you really happy !!!