Medical and dental tourism in South Africa is growing exponentially. Mainly due to the advancement in medical infrastructure and the exchange rate.

Thanks to South Africa’s leading position as a global medical and dental tourism destination, medical tourism is one of the fastest growing – and therefore most important and priority-worthy sub-sectors of South Africa’s already booming tourism industry.

This is according to South African Tourism, who notes that the potential for this sector to grow is significant, sensational and still ‘untapped’ despite ferocious and phenomenal growth in the last few years.

At Silver Oaks Dental Clinic we have certainly seen the effects of this growth. Because we partner with several safari and similar providers, we are able to help you with a full-service bouquet when it comes to your dental tourism needs in South Africa.

Medical and dental tourism in South Africa has experienced and upward trajectory that exceeds the global year-on-year growth of 15%. By 2015, revenue from medical and dental spend from foreigners in South Africa had leapt from €39m (R582 million) to €64m (R961 million), and has long surpassed R150 million mark.

Tourists from Europe, other African countries and Australasia account for the big jump in revenue and medical tourist numbers for the most part. Dental tourism in South Africa as a stand-alone subsector stands almost shoulder-to-shoulder with medical tourism as a sub-sector.

What makes South Africa such an tour de force in medical tourism globally?

Research by a tourism specialist department in FNB, one of the big five retail banks in South Africa and frequent winner of global banking accolades for its world-leading electronic banking engineering and breakthroughs, ascribes the country’s leading position in worldwide medical tourism to the following factors:

South African medical and dental qualification, training and professional body admission standards are on a par with, and in some cases higher and more stringent, than in foreign countries. As a result, South African dentists and doctors are sought after in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand in particular.

The South African currency means foreigners get exceedingly good value for their medical and dental procedures, while the integrity of adherence to the best of global standards remains in place

The country has great infrastructure. Whether by road or air, the infrastructure is mostly well-maintained and sign posted. The urban metropolises are modern, vibrant and international with a uniquely South African flavour.

The food and amenities on offer in general are highly palatable and pleasing to international travellers.
There is an abundance of sightseeing options and experiences.

Access to neighbouring countries such as Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia is quick and effortless, and under two hours away by plane depending where in South Africa travellers find themselves.

English is widely spoken and understood everywhere, as are foreign accents. This is critical when travellers undertake dental tourism in South Africa. There are 11 official languages but English is the language of commerce, work and parliamentary proceedings.

Medical technology is on a par with what can be found in the rest of the world. South Africa is no stranger to medical innovation either, with Dr Chris Barnard having pioneered the first heart transplant in Cape Town’s Groote Schuur Hospital.

The impact of dental tourism in South Africa

South African Tourism takes medical as well as dental tourism extremely seriously because of what it is already contributing to the local economy, what vast potential it still has and the treacle down effect to the rest of the tourism industry.

Figures show that the average medical tourist spends an average of 6 days in South Africa.

As a result, there are numerous gains for many tourism and tourism-related touchpoints. This means revenue traction for formal and informal tour operators, the hospitality industry and accommodation services, retail, safari and environmental attractions, the transport sector, food, catering and beverage services, and spas and wellness centres.

Dental tourism in south africa

South African Tourism is committed to improving both medical tourism and dental tourism in the following ways:

• Reminding all stakeholders that the success of medical and dental tourism in South Africa rests on the exchange rate, and that pricing structures have to remain competitive.
• Engaging all stakeholders to keep the quality of services at international standard or higher.
  Diversifying procedures, in tandem with medical care and hospitality services offered to potential medical tourists
• Getting the medical, dental and tourism spheres to form an even more tight-knit triad as partners who work together to offer a premier, effortlessly integrated offering to travellers from abroad.
• Advising allied businesses how to diversify their product offering so that it benefits their bottom line while still representing value to tourists, with whom they may otherwise not engage economically.

As a medical tourist destination, South Africa has it all

Most medical tourists to South Africa stay a few days more than they need in order to recuperate, statistics show, because the country as a destination encompasses so much to experience.

The spas and wellness centres combine healing techniques from around the world. Whether it’s tai chi or traditional western therapies those coming for dental tourism in South Africa are seeking, they’ll be sure to find it.

There is no shortage of extreme adventure either. From white water rafting to ziplining, skydiving and the world’s highest bridge bungee jump, microlighting and more, there is ample adventure to get that adrenaline pumping.

On the shopping front, locally made high-end fashion and the like is well made and reasonably priced compared to overseas. Most international designer lines are available here too, sometimes at a cheaper price. Duty-free shopping has the most to offer the international traveller.

As for wildlife and safari’s, the country is home to the Big 5. Besides lion, cheetahs, leopards, elephants and hippos, there are incredible and rare game and bird species at many sights.

The natural splendour of the country is also unrivalled. From majestic Table Mountain and the winelands in Cape Town, the garden route along the east coast, Durban and KwaZulu-Natal’s tropical paradise-like havens and lush lowlands and highlands to the starkly beautiful Karoo and eastern Free State.

 

At Silver Oaks Dental Clinic we are a premier dental cosmetic and reconstructive surgery practice specialising in meeting the medical needs you have as a dental tourist

We have had the pleasure of performing life-altering dental work on travellers from many corners of the globe and can’t wait for you to make us your next pit stop too.

Silver Oaks Dental Clinic Cosmetic Dental Procedure is as follows:

We will plan and map out the extent of the work required and make a formal diagnosis.

• We send you a treatment plan and quotation
• The procedure starts and we may then have to build up the bone if it is too brittle to accept an incision straight away.
• Next comes the actual implant insertion.
• Then, we give the jaw bone time to heal.
• Your final dental crown is now fitted.
  We like to see you back for a final check up and to provide you with aftercare instructions.

Call us now or click here to learn more about our cosmetic dental procedures.

South Africa has long been known for offering top cosmetic dentistry at incredibly competitive prices.

What do you get when you combine the best of world-class dentistry with one of the most unforgettable tourism destinations in the world, at a fraction of the cost due to a favourable exchange rate?

You get unbeatable, quality-of-life enhancing overseas dental packages.

Why choose Silver Oaks Dental Clinic for your dentistry needs?

Not only are we situated in South Africa, one of the top medical tourism centres in the world, but we ourselves have partnered with game lodges and safaris to bring you deluxe overseas dental packages. As highly skilled surgeons committed to continuous skill refinement and research, we are so confident in the end result that our work comes with a money back guarantee. Thanks to a favourable exchange rate, medical tourists to South Africa in general can expect to pay a third of the price for overseas dental packages here, compared to treatments in the UK or US.

We house the best of world-class equipment in our dental suites, so that it’s less time in the chair and more time taking in that sea or bushveld air. There is no language barrier at our practice or in the country in general, as English is widely spoken and a mother tongue to many people.

Along with the rest of South Africa, we frequently welcome guests from Australia, the UK, Australia, Africa, Europe and just about everywhere. A good percentage of patients had never considered overseas dental packages, until realising that they could afford the best treatments in the world in modern dental and cosmopolitan surroundings at a very affordable rate.

We have a range of payment options that may suit your pocket and mitigate against forking out a one-off outlay, and medical financing is also available. Many of our local patients go this route to cover what medical aid does not. Speak to us about our overseas dental packages to see what your options are.

Porcelain Veneers in South Africa

Veneers are ‘teeth’ made we make to emulate each patient’s natural teeth. If you’re looking for for porcelain veneers in South Africa, we’d love to be your dental service provider. Veneers look real and are for you if you have chipped, cracked, crooked or damaged teeth, or if you’re looking to close a gap between your teeth.

Sometimes, teeth also do not respond properly to teeth whitening procedures. You could consider fitting veneers instead.

We have a superb track record of fitting porcelain veneers in South Africa. We use a dental glue to apply the new layer of tooth to the front and back of your original teeth. The result is life-like tooth exteriors or veneers that enhance your smile in a way that’s not forced or artificial.

A Dental Consultation with Silver Oaks Dental Clinic

As with all cosmetic dentistry procedures, we’ll begin with a consultation. Tell us what exactly is bugging you so we can be sure veneers are the correct and best option. The better we understand your desired outcomes, the better we can align expectations to actual results at the end of the day.

It is not all that useful to want to emulate a certain celebrity’s smile. Each person’s mouth is different. We also have to make sure that your underlying tooth is healthy and capable of having thin layers of porcelain bonded to it.

During this consultation for your porcelain veneers in South Africa, we’ll begin with a smile analysis. From this, we can map the steps we’d like to follow in fitting your veneers. Then we’ll proceed to do cosmetic imaging, so we can project your new smile onto you. In other words, we can show you what you’ll look like with your new smile before you actually proceed.

How porcelain veneers are made

Several thin ceramic layers are compressed and compiled which replace your original tooth enamel. Before we can apply your veneer, we need to remove a thin layer of your tooth enamel. This is so it fits on your tooth exactly without protruding and irritating your gum line. Not placing an exact fit will also affect tooth function.

When fitting your porcelain veneers in South Africa, we use an industry best bond. This bond is critical to ensure your veneer stays in place. We’ll place light-sensitive resin between your original tooth and the veneer, and then harden it with a UV curing light.

It is important to remember that veneers are not reversible. They can be adjusted and new ones can be fitted, but you can never quite return to your original tooth.

No-prep veneers

When you come to us for your porcelain veneers in South Africa, it may be that you’re looking for minimal preparation veneers. As always, we will assess whether this is a viable option for you before proceeding. Many people are tempted to go the no-prep route by default, but we always have to consider the long-term effect of any treatment on our patient. This is especially true of medical tourist patients, who may not be able to return to us specifically for interval check-ups.

With no-prep veneers, we don’t have to remove as much enamel from the front of your teeth. This means that veneers can often be fitted quicker and with less ‘down’ time.

Maintaining your dental veneers

Veneer aftercare is important. Brush and floss them as you would your natural teeth. We suggest using a toothpaste that is not gritty or too abrasive chemically.

We need a follow-up consultation with you after the procedure – come back to us after a few days on your leisure break. We need to see how your mouth is handing the new ‘intruder’ and may recommend a night guard if, for example, we feel that you are biting your teeth.

Make sure to return to your own dentist to properly look after the veneers. They should preferably be polished with a special paste so they remain in premium pearly white condition.

Call us now or click here to learn more about our dental veneers process.