One of the reasons I am staying away from the tourist district for a couple of weeks, is that I’m taking care of chores. When you are travelling for as long as I am, things like teeth cleaning, picking up medications and purchasing basics all need taken care of along the way. Today I was visiting the dentist in Turkey and this was my experience.
First Time
This is my first time in Turkey and my first time having my teeth looked at outside of Canada. To say I was a little lost and unsure is clearly true. My strategy to find a dentist in Turkey was to start a google search upon arrival.
I narrowed down my prospective dentists for four, based on their closeness to my apartment but most of all their google reviews. I was specifically looking for reviews submitted by patients from outside of Turkey, but most of all from North America. My reasoning was if they are familiar with the care given in the west and they give a five start review here, that would be a positive sign.
Choosing
After walking to each one, to inquire about costs and have a peek at the offices, I ended up choosing Markasya Agiz Ve Dis Sagligi Poliklinigi. This office was bright and clean, the clerk was friendly and professional and I was satisfied with the prices provided. Bonus points for the doctor speaking English.
Services
To start my dental journey abroad, I was interested in having my teeth cleaned and having an old filling looked at that I thought required attention. I went into the clinic early in the week and was able to procure an appointment a few days later.
Filling
First, I was taken downstairs to have an oral x-ray done. Gowned up in lead with earrings removed, it was an easy and quick procedure.
I had a hunch that a filling in a font tooth needed to be checked, as the floss was starting to catch on something. There was also a teeny area on the same tooth that was attracting stain from coffee and tea much easier than the rest of the tooth, so though there might be an issue there too.
I had asked about this spot while at my last appointment in Canada. The dentist had said there was nothing they could do, it was just an old filling and it was natural for staining to settle at the edges.
Well the area was growing slowly and ultimately I was unhappy with how it looked.
Dr. Zubeyde Gunel
My lovely dentist today, Dr. Zubeyde Gunel, first numbed the area with one single shot of novocaine preceded by a spray of surfacing numbing agent. Once the area was truly numb, the work began. Of course I couldn’t see or feel what was going on. The doctor and her assistant worked together and at the end I held a mirror to see my beautiful little white tooth. 😊😁
Cleaning
Next the cleaning. This service was quite different than what I have experienced most of my life in Canada. It was incredibly basic; my tartar was removed and a very brief polish finished off the procedure. That was it. I did not experience any pain or discomfort.
With everything that I had requested finished, I went back out to the lobby to make payment. The total cost was 3,000 TL or $147 CAD. Pretty darn good.
When I arrived home of course I went straight to the bathroom for a closer look. It appears the imperfection was filled and a whole layer of white amalgam was placed over the surface of the entire tooth.
The offices of this dental practice are impeccably clean and the staff are very friendly and professional. I would not hesitate to return here for future work. They specialize in cosmetic dental work, so teeth whitening and such.
Crowns
Note: I have four gold crowns which they thought must be more than 20 years old. Alas, I only received the last one just over a year ago in Canada. Gold is not used here and hasn’t been for a long time. It is ugly and there are much better options. Dr. Gunel informed me that a zirconia crown can be applied for a price of €250 each. She was aghast when I informed her that I had paid $1,500 CAD for each of my gold crowns in Canada. The cost savings are substantial and is why so many people flock to countries like Turkey and Mexico to have their dental work done.
