Here are 13 things to know about dental tourism.
• 41 percent of Americans report cost as the largest concern associated with receiving dental care.
• 16 percent of Americans report time for treatment and recovery as the largest concern associated with receiving dental care.
• 9 percent of Americans cite fear or pain as the biggest concern associated with dental care, while 35 percent of Americans report an unspecified concern.
• Dental tourism seems to be primarily of interest to uninsured patients. Of those with insurance, only 17 percent of interested in seeking dental care abroad.
• Insured people in the Western United States (25.2 percent) are the most likely to participate in dental tourism.
• 10.1 percent of insured people in the Southern United States would be willing to participate in dental tourism.
• 9.9 percent of insured people in the Midwest would be willing to participate in dental tourism.
• 8.2 percent of insured people in the Northeast would be willing to participate in dental tourism.
• Though interest in dental tourism may be rising, patients considering dental care abroad could be persuaded to seek care in the United States.
• 39 percent of potential dental tourists would be convinced to stay in the United States if they were informed of health risk of seeking care abroad.
• 23 percent of potential dental tourists would reconsider care abroad if informed of the lack of legal protection.
• 22 percent of potential dental tourists would reconsider care abroad if informed of flexible payment plans in the United States.
• 16 percent of potential dental tourists would reconsider care abroad if informed of weekend and evening hours in the United States.
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