Treatment Prices

A dental fee relates to the work proposed in your individual plan. When comparing estimates, check the diagnosis and treatment, the number of implants or teeth involved, materials, laboratory work, additional procedures, sedation, appointments and follow-up. Ask which items are included, excluded or still awaiting assessment.

An individual treatment estimate needs an assessed plan behind it. Clinical examination should come before decisions about necessary X-rays or scans¹. Treat an estimate given before that assessment as provisional, and ask what could change it.

On this page, "we" means the dental team at our clinic in Antalya, Turkey. We suggest using the questions below with any clinic whose plan you are considering.

The diagnosis is the problem the dentist identifies; the plan describes the proposed response. Ask the dentist to explain both before you assess the fee.

X-rays can reveal disease or damage that is not visible during a regular examination¹. For implant planning, assessment involves examination of the mouth and X-rays or a scan of the jaws². These findings provide the basis for deciding what work to propose.

A scan is not an automatic requirement for every dental estimate. Imaging should be selected for your individual clinical needs, and images alone cannot establish a diagnosis and treatment plan¹.

If an estimate arrives before your examination and any necessary imaging, ask which assumptions it uses. Request confirmation of the treatment and its fee after assessment, before agreeing to proceed. Ask separately about assessment and imaging charges, including what you would pay if treatment does not go ahead.

Ask the written plan to identify the tooth positions, procedures and quantities. If it uses the word "unit", ask exactly what that means: an implant, a crown, part of a bridge or another item. Check whether the proposed work covers the upper jaw, lower jaw or both.

Implants anchor replacement teeth, which may be crowns, bridges or dentures³. The implant count therefore does not describe the whole treatment. Ask for implant placement, connecting components, temporary teeth and final replacement teeth to be identified separately.

A change in the quantity or scope of work is a reason to request an updated estimate. Compare plans for the same proposed work, and ask the dentists to explain any differences in their recommendations.

Restorative materials differ in their properties, processing methods, clinical uses and cost considerations⁴. Ask for the material to be named for each proposed crown, bridge or other restoration, meaning the part that repairs or replaces teeth. Keep temporary and final materials clearly distinguished.

Indirect restorations involve fabrication outside the mouth, which can include laboratory work⁴. Ask what the laboratory element covers: design, manufacture, any proposed trial work and adjustments.

A written plan should state whether laboratory work is part of the restoration fee or listed separately. If a material or design changes, request an explanation of its clinical implications and an updated written estimate.

Ask whether the plan contains any extractions, gum treatment or bone grafting, and which entries remain conditional on assessment. For each proposed addition, request the reason, the tooth or area involved, and its effect on the fee and appointment schedule.

For example, active periodontal disease needs treatment before implant therapy², and bone grafting may be needed to build up bone at an implant site². These are clinical decisions to discuss with the dentist assessing you.

If sedation is proposed, ask for its type and charging basis in writing. Does the estimate cover its assessment, the person providing it, monitoring and recovery arrangements? Ask separately about local anaesthesia and medicines. This checklist does not establish whether sedation is suitable or available for your treatment.

Mark each possible addition as included, excluded or awaiting a decision. Ask for the revised plan and fee before accepting additional work.

Ask for the plan to list the expected appointments and trips, what happens at each stage, and which visits the fee covers. Clarify whether an additional appointment would be included or charged separately.

For implant treatment, bone healing takes time and the timing of replacement teeth differs between patients³. Ask how readiness for the next stage will be assessed and what happens to the schedule and estimate if treatment is delayed.

Implants need ongoing dental checks and professional care². A written plan should distinguish reviews during treatment from later maintenance, and state who provides each. Ask about assessment, adjustments, repairs and further treatment if a problem develops.

Before travelling, ask your dentist at home, if you have one, whether they can provide the proposed follow-up and what they would charge. Check the rules of the health service or your insurer in the country where you live, and ask for your records, the materials used and the aftercare plan in writing. In an emergency after you return, call your local emergency number. Keep travel and accommodation in your own budget, including the possibility of another trip. For wider planning questions, see dental treatment abroad.

Put the written plans beside each other and check the same details in each:

• Treatment: the diagnosis, tooth positions, procedures and quantities.
• Components and materials: what is specified for temporary and final work.
• Supporting work: examination, imaging, laboratory work, additional procedures, anaesthesia and any proposed sedation.
• Appointments: the stages, expected visits and terms for additional appointments.
• Follow-up: who provides reviews, maintenance and help with problems, and which charges are separate.
• Conditions: what remains provisional, how changes are approved, payment stages, and cancellation or refund terms.

Do not count a missing entry as included. Ask for it to be clarified in writing. If the treatment recommendations differ, ask why before comparing the totals. Keep the estimate with its date, validity period and matching treatment plan.

Request a written explanation of what has changed, why it is proposed, and how it affects the fee and schedule. Ask about alternatives before deciding.

FDI guidance supports explaining the diagnosis, the benefits and risks of treatment or no treatment, future care and potential costs⁵. It also calls for discussion with the patient and time to reflect before complex or elective procedures⁵.

You can decide against the proposed treatment. Ask the dentist to explain what declining or postponing it would mean for you, and ask how any payment already made would be handled under the written terms.