Dental tourism seen to spur boom in cosmetic dentistry

The rise of dental tourism is expected to trigger a boom in cosmetic dentistry, where the Philippines is said to have superior global advantage in cost and quality.

This assessment was made by US-trained cosmetic dentist Dr. Cecile Infantado as she acknowledged the growing number of foreign tourists purposely coming over for various dental treatments.

“No wonder the Philippines has been chosen as host of the 2009 WHTC (World Health Tourism Congress). This will all the more bring global attention to our world-class Filipino cosmetic dentists who can make a world of difference in the field of health and wellness tourism,” Infantado said.

“In fact, the WHTC’s hundreds of foreign delegates can spread the word around that our country is a prime dental tourism hub in the Asia-Pacific,” she added.

Gearing up for this eventuality, Infantado is expanding her own clinic at the third floor of the Dusit Thani Hotel in Ayala Center, Makati City, tripling its size to accommodate new sets of high-tech equipment and facilities that will blend well with her concept of a beautiful, nature-inspired and relaxing dental health environment.

Trained in Hawaii and educated at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) for advance studies, Infantado is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, whose annual meetings and workshops she attends regularly.

The reasons why foreign-trained Filipino dentists like Infantado return to the Philippines and practice their profession in Manila often include the country’s low cost of living and the expanding local and foreign clientele.

“Foreigners join the local elite in tapping the services of topnotch Filipino cosmetic dentists, not only because of the much lower fees, but also because of their inherently caring and nurturing attributes that basically define our national character,” she explained.

“Add to that the world-renowned Filipino passion and craftsmanship, plus the warm hospitality of the people and the many natural wonders of the Philippines, and you have the perfect recipe for dental tourism,” she added.

So foreigners whose health insurances do not cover cosmetic dental treatments are finding Manila a haven for prosthodontics, which remains very inexpensive even if the equipment and materials used are imported from the US.

Such treatments include even the more complex procedures such as the lengthening of teeth that have worn out through the years, making the teeth appear straight and sculpturing gums for gingival symmetry, cosmetic contouring for a more pleasing dental shape and better length-to-width ratio of the teeth, smile lifts for improved facial contours and muscle structure through tooth and bite alignment, and bonding for chipped teeth edges, cracks, and gaps.

With the country’s competitive edge in dental tourism, the Department of Tourism has conceptualized and now promotes the so-called “Smile Holidays” where foreigners can have their teeth fixed as part of this package tour.

Smile Holidays includes dental implant, crowns and veneers to give tourists the perfect smile that befits a perfect holiday.

For more information, contact Infantado at (+632) 840-4284, 867-3333 local 3415 or 0905-2650889, e-mail at [email protected], or log on to www.smilesbydrce-cile.com.