Ten per cent of Cypriots go to the north for dental work

One in ten Greek Cypriots travel to Turkey or to the north to receive dental care, the House health committee heard on Thursday.

Antonis Antoniou, head of the dentists’ association, presented data showing that ten per cent of the population opt to go elsewhere for dental care, with the only criterion being cheaper treatments.

According to Antoniou, what ends up happening is that because of lower-cost materials used by those dentists, many patients are forced to later visit dentists in government-controlled areas to solve issues that often arise.

“All dental practices in government-controlled areas operate under licence, following European protocols,” he said, adding that professionals undergo constant training to be up to speed.

“It’s a shame to not be trusted by our fellow citizens,” he added.

Greek Cypriots who resort to dental procedures or examinations or operations in the north are faced with low quality materials, which unfortunately at some point in the future could cause issues for the patient, committee chair Efthymios Diplaros said.

Meanwhile Diko deputy Chrysanthos Savvides expressed concern about this phenomenon, calling on the public to be particularly careful.