What happens if my Turkey teeth go wrong after I get home?

Contact us first, with photos if you can. We take it up with the clinic for you, get a clinical opinion and a written plan, and arrange any return visit. Your written quote sets out what the clinic's warranty covers and who pays for corrective work, flights and hotel. For urgent symptoms such as severe pain, swelling or fever, see a UK dentist or call NHS 111 straight away.

Who pays for flights and hotel if I need to go back?

It depends on the clinic's written warranty, which is why we only send you quotes that spell it out. Many clinics cover corrective treatment and some or all of the travel costs within the warranty period. Read the terms before you book: if it isn't in writing, assume it isn't covered.

Can I sue a dentist in Turkey from the UK?

Yes. Patient rights in Turkey apply to foreign patients, and a claim can be run remotely through a Turkish lawyer with a power of attorney. Smaller claims go to consumer arbitration, larger ones to mediation and then the consumer courts. Court cases usually take one to two years, so for most problems, getting the clinic to fix it is far faster.

Will a UK dentist fix it instead?

UK dentists can examine and repair dental work done in Turkey, and it's much easier when you bring your full records. Private UK fees apply unless your warranty says otherwise, so check with us before paying for repairs so we can raise it with the clinic first.

Is a complaint to the Turkish Ministry of Health worth it?

It can start an investigation into the clinic, but it doesn't pay compensation. It's most useful as an extra record alongside dealing with the clinic directly, or if a clinic stops responding.

If Turkey Teeth Go Wrong: Aftercare and Your Rights

First: urgent symptoms

Don't wait on anyone for these

Severe pain, swelling of the face or neck, a fever, or bleeding that won’t stop need seeing to straight away. Contact a UK dentist or call NHS 111, then tell us. We’ll deal with the clinic while you get treated.

What we arrange before you fly home

Most aftercare problems become harder because of missing information. So before you leave the clinic, we check you have:

X-rays or CT scans from before and after treatment
Your treatment notes and final treatment plan, in English
Implant brand, system, size and lot numbers for every implant
Signed consent forms
The clinic's written warranty and a written aftercare plan

We keep a digital copy of everything and send it to you on WhatsApp, so it’s never lost. Any UK dentist can work from it. Read more in will UK dentists treat Turkey teeth?

How we deal with the clinic for you

Getting the clinic to put things right is almost always the fastest route, much faster than any formal complaint. That’s where we do most of our work.

1
You tell us · Day 0
Message us on WhatsApp or email with photos and a short description. You don't need to contact the clinic yourself.
2
We take it to the clinic · Within 1 working day
We send your photos and notes to the treating dentist, in Turkish, and ask for a clinical opinion and a clear plan.
3
You get a plan, in writing · Usually within a week
Whether it's advice, a check by a UK dentist, or a return visit, you get it in writing, along with who pays for what under your warranty.
4
We stay on it · Until it's resolved
We book any return trip, chase the clinic if things stall, and keep a record of everything in case you need it later.

Who pays for what: the remedial terms

“Lifetime guarantee” means very little on its own. Before you book, the quote we send you sets out the clinic’s terms in writing:

What the warranty covers (for example implant failure, a crown or veneer breaking or coming loose), and for how long
What it doesn't cover, such as damage from an accident or not following the aftercare plan
Who pays for corrective treatment at the clinic
Whether flights, hotel and transfers for a return visit are covered, and up to what amount
What happens if you'd rather have the problem fixed by a dentist in the UK
How quickly the clinic commits to respond

If it isn't written down, assume it isn't covered

We only work with clinics that put their warranty in writing, and we’ll point out anything unclear before you commit. The clinic, not us, is responsible for your clinical care and for honouring its warranty. Our job is to make sure it does.

Your formal rights in Turkey

Turkey’s patient rights rules apply to every patient, whatever their nationality: the right to information, to your records, to complain and to claim. In practice there are three formal routes:

Ministry of Health complaint

Call 184, or the International Patient Support Unit on +90 444 47 28 (English, 24/7). Can start an investigation, but doesn't pay compensation.

Consumer arbitration

For claims under 186,000 TL (2026). Paper-based and low cost. Suits veneer- and crown-sized problems.

Mediation, then court

For larger claims. Can be run remotely through a Turkish lawyer, but usually takes one to two years.

Implants, crowns and veneers are generally treated under Turkish law as a contract for a result, so a dentist can’t avoid responsibility simply by saying they did their best. Dentists in Turkey must also hold compulsory malpractice insurance. Formal routes are slow, though, and you may need to pay for urgent repairs first and claim the cost back, which is why the records you bring home matter so much.

We help you use these routes if it comes to that, including making calls in Turkish.

Insurance for treatment abroad

Standard travel insurance usually excludes planned treatment and its complications. A few UK insurers sell cover designed for medical travel, including Medical Travel Shield and Pulse. Depending on the policy, they can cover complications during your trip and the cost of travelling back to the clinic.

Policies differ and none of them cover simply not liking the result, so read the wording before you buy. We don’t sell insurance or earn anything from these insurers.

If it ever needs a lawyer

Very few problems get this far. If one does, our patient-rights lawyer in Turkey takes the case on while we coordinate every step with you, from gathering your records to keeping you updated in English.

We don’t give legal advice ourselves, and we don’t take any fee for legal referrals.

Questions people ask

Sources

This page is general information, not legal or clinical advice. Thresholds and procedures can change; we last checked them on the date above.

Will UK dentists treat Turkey teeth?What they'll do, and the records that make it easy.How we choose clinicsThe checks a clinic has to pass before we send you a quote.How we're paidWho pays us, and why it doesn't cost you more.Turkey teeth explainedWhat the term means, what it costs, and how to get it right.