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Since this is my 5th time back to Thailand, some of you are probably wondering why I didn’t go somewhere else for a vacation.  I would have loved to have gone to Sulawesi, Indonesia, because as "Noodles" had said, the diving was so great, “I would have shit my pants”.  The main reason I’m here is because I’m now one of thousands of people in Thailand for “medical tourism.”  Medical tourism is a booming business in Thailand, and encompasses medical, surgical, and dental procedures.  When I’ve told some people I was coming to Thailand to get dental work, their reply was “Thailand?!?”  I’m sure they were envisioning me in a dark and dingy room in some back alley of Bangkok.  This couldn’t be further from the truth. 

In reality, Thailand actively promotes medical tourism, along with Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, and more.  This year, more than 250,000 patients will visit Singapore, where 500,000 will go to India.  The numbers aren’t too surprising in India, where 20,000 to 30,000 doctors and nurses are churned out each year. 

“With the growth of medical-related travel and aggressive marketing, Bangkok became a centre for medical tourism.  Bangkok’s International Medical Centre offers services in 26 languages, recognizes cultural and religious dietary restrictions, and has a special wing for Japanese patients.”  At Bangkok’s Bumrundgrad Hospital, more than 200 surgeons are board-certified in the United States.  A few years ago, I went to Bumrundgrad when I had a dental problem pop up.  The hospital is really posh.  There were valets, doormen, a bakery, and Starbucks in the building.  This hospital was also featured in the U.S.’s “60 Minutes” and "Today Show."  "Bumrungrad Hospital in Bangkok alone sees more foreign patients than all the Singapore hospitals combined." [source]

A year ago, before I left for Korea, I went to a dentist for a check-up.  My x-ray revealed that both root canals I had done on my molars had abscesses on them.  I was advised to get them re-done soon before they became worse.  Soon after, I came to Korea and eventually went to see a dentist.  Basically, the dentist in Kunsan said that if it didn’t hurt, don’t worry about it.  That’s completely opposite of what a western dentist would tell you.  Everyone knows that prevention is the key to healthy teeth.  Even after some urging, he still wouldn’t tackle my root canals.  I then resigned to the fact that I’d have to get it done in Thailand.  When I return to the States, I’ll be like 120 million other Americans who won’t have dental coverage.

Not only are the facilities in Thailand first class, prices are cheap when compared to the West.  For example, when I had a filling done in southern California at a dinky clinic, it cost me $100 (for less than 10 minutes).  In Thailand, the same thing would cost $15-$40.  A root canal treatment for a molar would cost over $800 back home.  Here, it’s $200-$250.  My aunt came to Thailand a few years ago and had dental work done at a smaller Thai clinic (she speaks Thai).  Her teeth looked fantastic, and nothing like the mouth full of Chiclets I was expecting.

As for me, I’m going to a bigger and more “expensive” dental facility.  I called last night at 6:30 pm and was able to get an appointment for a cleaning and consultation today at 11:30 am at Thantakit Dental Clinic.  There are 30 dentists who all speak English, and many of them had overseas training in New York, Missouri, Toronto, and various other places.  The location I’m going to, opening in 2004 and is a 6 story stand alone building with 2,500 sq.m. of floor space.  I’m looking forward to the visit, and will give a total review later.