Philippine Dental Tourism
The Need For Dental Tourism
If your employer provides you with dental insurance benefits you are among the fortunate few. A lot of people do not have dental insurance. So when there is a need to visit the dentist, they find themselves digging deep into their pockets. This is what has given birth to dental tourism. To such people dental tourism offers a low cost high quality alternative.
Dental Tourism is not that new in the Philippines. It has actually been existing for the past several decades since Filipino Dentists both from the cosmopolitan avenues and the urban areas have been exposed to this in their practice. Our “Balikbayans” or Filipinos abroad come home for vacation for a much-needed rest, family occasions, school reunions,
or simply to once again feel the warmth of Filipino hospitality and step on the soil of the land of their birth . A great number of them take this opportunity to have their dental treatments as well.
World Class Dental Treatment
It is a common knowledge that dental treatment is very costly in foreign countries. For example, the common procedure of porcelain crown and bridge would regularly cost $800 to $1200 per unit. In the Philippines, the customary rate for this procedure is merely $100 to $200 and can be done in a shorter period of time because of the availability of local but world-class dental laboratories. Other dental procedures will cost them much less and can save them a substantial amount they can allot to pay for their airfare and vacation expenditures.
Foreign Patients
Smile Makeover Dental Clinic has clients coming from all around the world. Located at the center of the tourism business of Angeles City, it has gathered its clients and reached more through referrals by satisfied patients.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need assistance on how to get a dental treatment. You can also set an appointment in our contact us page.
Helpful Information About The Philippines
- Entry Regulations to the Philippines
A valid passport is required for entry to the Philippines.
Generally, foreign visitors from countries with diplomatic relations with the Philippines are allowed to enter the country without visas and may stay for 21 days provided their passports are valid for at least 6 months and they hold return tickets.When staying for more than 21 days, a Tourist Visa, which is valid for 59 days, is necessary. Permits and visas can be obtained from Philippine Embassies and Consulates.
The following are allowed to enter the country without a visa for a stay not exceeding seven (7) days: holders of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports, holders of British National Overseas (BNO) passports, holders of Portuguese passports issued in Macau and holders of Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) passports.
- Customs Regulations
To facilitate customs examination, visitors are advised to fill in the Baggage and Currency Declaration Form before disembarking. Visitors are allowed to bring in the following items duty-free: reasonable quantity of clothes and jewelry; two bottles of wine or liquor of not more than one liter each; and 400 sticks of cigarettes or two tins of tobacco.
- Foreign Exchange Regulations
Visitors carrying more than US$ 3,000 are requested to declare the amount at the Central Bank of the Philippines counter at the customs area. Foreign currency taken out upon departure must not exceed the amount brought in. Keep all exchange receipts for record purposes. Departing passengers may not bring out more than P 10,000 in local currency.
- Airports & Facilities
The NAIA is the main international gateway of the country. It is seven (7) kilometers south of Manila and southwest of Makati City’s Central Business District. It has three (3) terminals that serve Manila and its surrounding metropolitan area. Manila is also served by the Manila Domestic Airport which is one kilometer from the NAIA. Most Major International Airlines arrive at the Terminal 1 (NAIA 1). In which for some reason is not easy to navigate when going out of this terminal. After passing the Customs and out of the building, there is another passage that you’ll be going through in which is the final area for arriving passenger. It is either to the left or to the right in which there are letters indicated for the left or the right. Example if your last name is Bailey, then you need to be passing to the left side, for if there is someone to pick you up or is expecting you, most likely he or she will be waiting on the letter B side.DMIA, also called Clark International Airport, is the main airport serving the immediate vicinity of the Clark Special Economic Zone and the general area of Angeles City.
- Terminal Fee
Airport fees of P750 (about US$17) for the international flights and P100-200 for domestic flights (paid in Philippine pesos only) will be charged upon departure.
- Language
The two official languages are Filipino and English. Filipino, which is based on Tagalog, is the national language. English is widely used and is the medium of instruction in higher education. It is also the dominant language in business government, the legal system, medicine, the sciences and education. A large percentage of the media such as television, newspapers, and entertainment are also in English.
- Currency & Credit Cards
Unit of currency is the Philippine peso, divided into 100 centavos. Bills are in: 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, and 1000 pesos. Coins come in 5, 10, 25 centavo and 1, 5, 10 peso denominations. Next to the peso, the US, Australian, Singaporean & Hong Kong dollars, British Pound, Euro, Japanese Yen, enjoy wide acceptance. Most foreign currencies can be easily exchanged at banks, hotels and authorized foreign exchange dealers. Remember to transact only with banks and licensed foreign exchange dealers. Always keep receipts of transactions.
International credit cards such as Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard, American Express Card and JCB are accepted in major establishments. It is advisable to use credit cards for major expenses.
- Clothing
Light clothes, preferably cottons, are advisable. Jackets or sweaters are needed in upland areas like the city of Baguio. Casual wear is the rule although formal parties may require a suit or Barong Tagalog for men and a dressy frock for ladies.When visiting churches and mosques, it is well to remember that shorts or provocative dresses will be inappropriate.
Visitors are also advised to bring walking shoes, sunglasses, sun block cream, insect repellant and a wide brimmed hat.
- Business & Banking Hours
Private and government offices are open either from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm or from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays. Some private companies hold office on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. Most shopping malls, department stores and supermarkets are open from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm daily. There are 24-hour convenience stores and drugstores. Banks are open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, Mondays to Fridays, with automated teller machines (ATM) operating 24 hours.
- Communications Facilities The International access code for the Philippines is +63. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country code. Major towns, cities and popular tourist spots are covered by GSM 900 and 1800 mobile networks. There are also providers that offer international roaming. Phone units are rented in malls at a reasonable price. Internet connections are available in hotels, internet cafes and major resorts all over the country. Internet facilities are available in most hotels and resorts and in several internet or cyber cafes all over the country.
- Drinking Water Generally, tap water is not suitable for drinking in some areas. It is advisable to either buy mineral water or boil tap water prior to drinking.
- Driving License An international driving license is valid for up to three months.
- Electrical Current Electrical current is 220 volts, 60 Hz. Two-pin flat blade attachments and two-pin round plugs are used. A transformer is necessary for appliances with electrical current of 110 volts.
