Dental tourism is no longer a niche phenomenon. It is a multibillion-dollar global industry — and its rapid growth is reshaping how dentists across North America manage patient expectations, clinical complications and post-treatment care.
Market estimates vary, but industry groups agree on one trend: dental tourism is expanding as patients seek lower-cost care and faster access to treatment abroad.
Grand View Research estimates the global dental tourism market was valued at US$12.48 billion in 2024 and could reach US$65.39 billion by 2033. The non-profit Medical Tourism Association (MTA) places dental tourism at roughly US$15 billion to US$20 billion annually, accounting for about 15 per cent of the global medical tourism market, which it estimates at US$100 billion to US$120 billion.
“Dental care remains one of the highest-volume segments, largely because of high out-of-pocket costs and long wait times in many countries,” said Jonathan Edelheit, chairman and co-founder of the MTA.
The Medical Tourism Association also operates Better by MTA, a patient-facing platform developed in partnership with Mastercard that connects medical travelers with overseas providers and facilitators.
Patients often combine treatment with travel, Edelheit added, bringing family members and spending days or weeks abroad. For Canadians, Mexico and Costa Rica remain the most common destinations, with some also travelling to parts of Europe.
Canadians travelling abroad — by the numbers
There are no recent official federal figures tracking how many Canadians travel abroad specifically for dental care.
The most widely cited national estimate remains a 2016 Fraser Institute report, which found that 63,459 Canadians received non-emergency medical treatment outside the country that year. Physicians in British Columbia reported the highest provincial share of patients seeking care abroad, while Ontario accounted for the largest absolute number, with an estimated 26,513 patients leaving the country for treatment.
While more recent national data are unavailable, industry observers suggest outbound medical travel has likely increased since then, citing rising health-care costs, long wait times and limited dental insurance coverage in Canada.
Industry data suggest Canada remains one of the most active outbound markets globally, alongside the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, according to the MTA.
“There is no centralized global source that breaks down dental-tourism volumes by nationality,” Edelheit said. “Dental care is delivered mainly in private clinics, so reporting is not standardized.”
Based on aggregated clinic and partner data, he said Canadians, Americans and Europeans make up the majority of patients travelling specifically for dental procedures, with veneers and dental implants the most common treatments worldwide.
When patients come home — and things go wrong
For dentists, the impact of dental tourism often becomes visible only after patients return home.
“Just last week, two of my patients sought treatment overseas,” said Dr. Rinil Patel, a board-certified oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
One patient underwent a same-day “teeth-in-a-day” procedure involving full extractions, multiple implants and immediate prosthesis delivery. Another travelled abroad for bone grafting ahead of planned implant placement.
“In both cases, cost was the primary factor that drove them there,” Patel, who practises with Riverside Oral Surgery in the United States, said. “But as their procedures failed, they learned that repairing the damage would be more costly — and take more time — than the original treatment.”
Patel said infections are among the most common complications he sees when patients return after overseas dental procedures.
“Many patients do well for the first week or so,” he said. “It’s after they return home that problems begin to surface. If the infection is due to improper treatment, further surgery is often required.”
Patients underestimate the lack of recourse
Dr. Jordan Soll, a Toronto-based dentist and principal of Central Dental Group, described treating a Canadian flight attendant who received a dental implant in Colombia that ultimately failed.
The implant damaged surrounding bone and could not be salvaged, he said, requiring removal, extensive bone grafting and placement of a three-unit bridge instead of a replacement implant.
The clinic attempted to contact the overseas dentist to obtain implant specifications, including platform diameter, but received no response.
“She chose Colombia because dental care is expensive here and insurance coverage is limited,” Soll said. “Among her colleagues, it was word-of-mouth. Everyone was going to the same dentist.”
While some overseas cosmetic dentistry produces acceptable results, Soll said patients often underestimate the lack of accountability when complications arise.
“If something fails in North America, there are standards, follow-up and professional oversight,” he said. “In many cases abroad, patients have none.”
Related: Dental Tourism: Caveat Emptor
Global warnings — and uneven enforcement
Concerns around overseas cosmetic dentistry are not limited to North America.
In November, British Army dentists urged service members not to travel abroad for so-called “Turkey teeth” procedures, warning complications could render soldiers medically unfit for deployment.
Lt.-Col. Wassim Slim told Soldier magazine that half of army dentists surveyed reported repairing cosmetic work done overseas, with most rating the quality of care as poor or very poor.
The FDI World Dental Federation has also raised alarms. In its 2024 policy statement on ethics in dentistry, the organization urged dental professionals to avoid misleading advertising, be transparent about treatment risks and set realistic expectations.
Yet enforcement remains inconsistent. According to FDI’s 2025 report on illegal dental practice, while 95 per cent of surveyed countries have laws prohibiting illegal dental practice, only 49 per cent of national dental associations believe those laws are effectively enforced.
Related: British man, 36, dies after hair transplant and dental treatment in Turkey
Who bears responsibility?
Edelheit argues patients must do more due diligence — but acknowledges the system itself remains fragmented.
“Patients sometimes choose poorly — the wrong dentist, the wrong website, the wrong facilitator,” he said. “Six months later, their veneers are falling out.”
He cautioned patients against chasing the lowest price online.
“If veneers or implants typically cost $15,000 to $20,000 overseas, and someone is offering them for $4,000, patients should understand the risk,” he said.
At the same time, dentists say the trend reflects deeper pressures — rising health-care costs, limited insurance coverage and growing demand for immediate results shaped by social media.
“Our role isn’t to judge,” Patel said. “It’s to help guide patients toward better decisions in a landscape that’s becoming more global, more complex and more difficult to navigate.”