The article about using foreign dentists made interesting reading (The Argus, March 27). I regret only two things about Sam Underwood's report - that he only used information from websites and that this information referred only to inquiries and people looking into overseas treatment and not to concrete figures of British citizens who have actually undertaken dental tourism.

I wonder how many people like myself have not sought the help of agencies and websites but have made their own independent arrangements for dental treatment abroad through friends in Eastern Europe.

What struck me in the report was the naivety of the dentist in Chichester who was quoted. He must have his head in the sand to maintain that he was not aware of the financial benefits of getting dental treatment abroad.

Allow me to enlighten him. I have just returned from a second visit to my Slovakian dentist in Bratislava where I paid the following for necessary treatment: initial consultation, check-up and X-rays, £18; four fillings and inlays, £94; two cleanings and polishings, £51.

If I had visited a dentist in Brighton, I would have paid £95 for the initial consultation, between £52 and £130 for each filling, and £106 for the hygienist's work.

Assuming that a British dentist would have charged the minimum for each filling, I would have paid £409 in total compared with £163 in Bratislava.

The difference of £246 is well in excess of the cost of the flights and airport parking. My saving on the dental treatment itself is therefore more than the 50 per cent which the article quotes. I am also fortunate in having a friend in the Bratislava so I have no hotel expenses.

The article also quotes a spokeswoman for the British Dental Association who said: "Follow-up treatment and the cost of dealing with any complications must be considered."

This was my one anxiety - what if I needed some emergency treatment here at home? But there is good news here too.

I was formerly with a British dental insurance scheme which cost £14 a month for an annual check by a dentist and two treatments by a hygienist. Note that no actual dental treatment is included in this cover - that would have had to be paid for in addition.

I wrote to the company terminating my arrangement and explaining why and by return of post they offered an insurance policy to cover me for emergencies in this country.

Even if the dentist in Chichester is not aware of dental tourism, dental insurance companies clearly are.

  • Michael B Johnson, Kevin Gardens, Brighton