Korea’s dental tourism predicted to rebound from pandemic slump

South Korea: The Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI) predicts that the country’s attractive dental tourism sector, which fell 9.6 percent on-year in 2021 due to COVID-19 restrictions, could recover rapidly next year.

Equipped with superior technology and low-cost services, the Institute believes that the Korean dental clinics are gearing up to attract foreign patients amid eased Covid-19 regulations, following the recent lifting of all quarantine restrictions for travelers entering the country.

Weekend customers

In an e-mail interview with Korea Biomedical Review, Bae Ji-eun, a dentist at Seoul-based Yonsei Yegam Dental Clinic, sees an upturn in the number of foreign tourists, most evidently on weekends.

“Foreign medical tourists usually visit our clinic to get an aesthetic treatment such as tooth bleaching, laminate, artificial crown, and resin,” said Bae.

Korean dental tourism is buoyed by an increasing interest in Korean pop culture, the so-called Hallyu, which is attracting more global tourists interested in “K-beauty” and Korean dental tourism, she said. 

Foreign customers, she added, account for 25 percent of her clinic’s clientele – most of who are travelers seeking dental treatment during their short stay in Seoul. In particular, Bae sees more foreign patients than local ones on Fridays and Saturdays.

Affordable prices, even without insurance cover

Korean dental care is also well-known for affordable prices as compared to those of developed Western countries. This is true even though foreign medical tourists are not eligible for Korea’s national health insurance coverage. 

For example, a non-reimbursable dental crown (zirconia) costs about 500,000 won (US$384)  at a dental clinic near Gwanghwamun Station in central Seoul, as compared to an average U.S. price of US$1,000. An inlay (resin) costs about 290,000 won ($223) as compared to approximately US$900 in Canada, according to industry data.

Meanwhile, the country’s well-established expat community is also complimentary of the quality of Korean dental care and pricing.

A 42-year-old British office worker living in Seoul, said he spent about 350,000 won for gold fillings at a dentist in Seoul, which was cheaper than the NHS service, priced at about £282 (US$346).

“Access is the main issue. It’s much better here. And equipment is also as good (compared to the UK), I think,” he said.

Adoption of advanced technologies 

Besides affordable pricing, Korea’s dental tourism is also attractive due to the dentist’s use of advanced equipment including painless anaesthesia machines, ultra-precision 3D CT scans, and steam sterilizers to provide accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. 

According to an orthodontist in Euijeongbu, northern Seoul, Korean clinics tend to use the latest cad cam systems in order to provide same-day dental restorations.

“These advanced technologies could allow foreign patients to get the service quickly within a day,” he said.

Korean dentists are also well regarded around the world for their clinical skills, Bae said.

“Korea is increasingly becoming a dental tourism destination because Korean dentists have great skill and provide satisfying results,” she added.

Another area that benefits dental tourism is the fact that many Korean dental practitioners are versed in foreign languages. 

No language barrier

An English-speaking dentist at Dogo Clinic, located near Coex in southern Seoul, emphasized the importance of communication as perceived by his foreign customers. 

“Before they get consultation for the first time, they ask whether I can speak English. Because I have New Zealand nationality, I find it easier to speak in English,” the dentist said.

“As I offer both medical consultation and treatment, we can meet patients’ needs smoothly.”