Newry has become a hotspot for dental tourism as prices in the Republic of Ireland continue to drive patients north of the border. Representatives from Newry and Mourne Council attended a Holiday World Show at the RDS in Dublin at the end of January and tourism officer Cathy Lambert said she and her colleagues encountered swathes of dental tourists flocking to Newry from the Republic of Ireland. “We spoke to many people who regularly visit Newry for their dental treatment,” said Ms Lambert. “One gentleman advised me he was quoted 4,000 Euro in Dublin to have braces fitted to his 15 year old daughter’s teeth. He researched a dentist in Newry and had the same work carried out for £1,200. When the Reporter contacted Noelle Collins Dental Clinic in Newry Street last Friday Practice Manager Emma Feagan confirmed that numerous patients were travelling from the Republic of Ireland to the clinic for treatment that day. “Obviously the number of patients varies from week to week travelling up from the Republic of Ireland for their treatment. We’ve had people travel from as far away as Wexford and Limerick for their treatment. We’re continually told by patients that the value for money on offer when compared to down south is the reason they’re coming. We find those patients seeking more extensive consider the distance less than an inconvenience compared to the savings they can make. The price differential can be quite significant for many types of treatment. Patients coming to our practice our interested in a wide variety of treatments. These range from routine procedures such as fillings and root canal treatment to more extensive crown, bridge and veneer work as well as various types of orthodontic treatment.” Ms Feagan believes that the city’s prime location means that even more patients from south of the border can be enticed to the city. “Newry has great potential – close proximity to the border and fantastic transport links makes it very accessible to those wishing to travel for dental treatment,” she said.
Newry Reporter
15th May 2013
“