The hidden price tag of medical and dental tourism: the impact on the nhs

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe The growing trend of UK patients travelling abroad for dental treatment, cosmetic surgery, and weight-loss surgery is placing strain on NHS

services and UK clinicians. While some care offered by overseas providers is of high quality, there have been numerous incidents where patients have returned to the UK with severe

complications, requiring urgent and complex care from the NHS. This article explores the drivers of medical and dental tourism, misleading marketing tactics, risks to patient safety,

misconceptions around NHS coverage, and the urgent need for improved data collection and public education. Recommendations are included for policymakers to mitigate these risks and protect

patients and NHS resources. An increasing number of UK patients are travelling abroad for dental treatment, cosmetic surgery, and weight-loss surgery, with some also having hip and knee

replacements. While some care delivered by overseas providers is of high-quality, there have been several high-profile cases where patients have experienced severe harm, and in very tragic

circumstances, even dying after having surgery abroad. This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution ACCESS OPTIONS Access through your institution ADDITIONAL ACCESS

OPTIONS: * Log in * Learn about institutional subscriptions * Read our FAQs * Contact customer support REFERENCES * British Dental Association. Dental tourism: Patients need to know the

risks. 2022. Available at: https://www.bda.org/news-and-opinion/news/dental-tourism-patients-need-to-know-the-risks * NHS England. Referral to Treatment Waiting Times Data. 2025. Available

at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/rtt-waiting-times/rtt-data-2024-25/ * Association of British Insurers. Health insurance and overseas treatment policies.

2023. Available at: https://www.abi.org.uk/products-and-issues/choosing-the-right-insurance/health-insurance/faqs/overseas-treatment Download references AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND

AFFILIATIONS * Dean, Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons of England, London, United Kingdom Charlotte Eckhardt Authors * Charlotte Eckhardt View author publications You can

also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Charlotte Eckhardt. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS

ARTICLE Eckhardt, C. The hidden price tag of medical and dental tourism: The impact on the NHS. _BDJ In Pract_ 38, 124–125 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-025-3091-9 Download citation

* Published: 07 April 2025 * Issue Date: 07 April 2025 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-025-3091-9 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this

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