Dental tourists have their teeth “mutilated” in clinics in Turkey.

On TikTok, twenty-somethings share videos recommending clinics abroad that offer all-inclusive vacation deals that include a trip to Turkey and cosmetic surgery in the price. It’s not all smiles, however. The grim reality of this trend is that thousands of people are returning to the UK with botched treatments that could lead to lifelong health problems. Last year, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) found that the number of Brits being treated abroad for serious complications after cosmetic surgery has risen by 44 per cent, and the likelihood is even greater: on social media is teeming with clinics promoting their package deals marketing supported by influencers. Some of the most sought after treatments include “turkey teeth”, Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBL) – a surgical treatment that makes the buttocks firmer and rounder – tummy tucks and hair transplants.

Molly arrived in Turkey last year after making an appointment to get what she thought were veneers. The 25-year-old paid around £3,000 for a package deal that included a consultation via WhatsApp, luxury hotel accommodation for three days, airport transfers, breakfast and brand new teeth. Molly felt this was a fair price as a similar procedure in Manchester, where she lives, would cost more than double. In addition, the experience had been recommended by some of her friends.

Molly left Turkey three days later with teeth she said were “too big” for her mouth. She then began to have trouble with her speech. Disappointed with how “blocky” and “unnatural” they looked, Molly says her gums also felt tender. She later learned that her previously healthy teeth were completely destroyed and she had not received veneers but 20 chunky, shiny crowns – a treatment that is irreversible.

dr Sam Jethwa, vice-president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry and lead cosmetic dentist at Bespoke Smile in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, believes patients’ teeth are being completely “mutilated” at clinics in Turkey. He worries people will be lured in by the all-encompassing appeal of these deals without considering the bottom line. So far he has seen patients with nerve problems, dead teeth, abscesses and infections that require root canals.

“Dentistry cannot be sold digitally or in vacation packages,” Dr. Jethwa. “A medical procedure involves an assessment, diagnosis, and then finding the best option for that situation. If you go to Turkey, on the other hand, it’s not tailored to the patient.” He points out that some clinics are marketing the deal as a “crown slash veneer,” but they’re two completely different treatments. While a veneer is minimally invasive and keeps the patient’s existing tooth enamel intact; Crowns require up to 70 percent of the original tooth to be filed down before 360-degree helms are placed over each peg.

At Bespoke Smile, where Dr. Jethwa is the leading clinician, the process of creating ultra-thin veneers takes up to three weeks compared to Molly’s three days. In contrast, the consultation process of Dr. Jethwa making a test set of teeth that the patient can look at. Then each handmade veneer takes about a day to make. dr Jethwa questions the “quality” of the materials used by some Turkish clinics and the severity of the work done. “No one needs more than 20 teeth unless they have a mouth that really needs reconstructing,” he tells me, noting that patients who want to have their “turkey teeth” removed and reconstructed are billed at up could be faced with £60,000.

Molly admits she felt betrayed by the clinic she attended in Turkey. “All I wanted to fix was the roundness of my teeth and a square look,” she tells me, explaining that she already had healthy, relatively straight, white teeth – no overhaul needed. “I didn’t know about the danger of drilling out your teeth. You just trust the dentists and it all goes so fast,” she sighs, saying she was denied the opportunity to preview her new teeth before she was done with them. “It’s like a machine process [at the clinic] this is not personal to you at all. Now at [age] 25, I’ve got these big blocky teeth that’s gonna cost a fortune to fix.

dr Jethwa recently saw a 21-year-old man who had undergone dental treatment in Turkey and used chewing gum to secure his two front crowns because they kept coming off. “He showed us what it looked like under the crowns, and there must have been about two to three millimeters of tooth left,” says Dr. Jethwa. “They were just destroyed.” The patient’s teeth had to be removed and replaced with implants. This would involve rebuilding his gums (if the gum tissue is lost and needs transplanting), which would take up to 18 months to look “normal” again, the dentist explains.

Plastic surgery procedures like liposuction are similarly marketed by Turkish clinics as glamorous vacation experiences with a seemingly budget-friendly price tag. Marc Pacifico, BAAPS President, has seen Britons return from Turkey with burns from over-aggressive liposuction, gallons of fluid pooling around their abdomens after the same treatment, and dead skin from tummy tucks. These popular surgical treatments are much cheaper in Turkey as well as dental treatments. Pacifico explains that the cost of complying with strict safety regulations in the UK makes treatments more expensive compared to abroad. “The reality is that even in the best of hands, surgery can cause complications,” he warns. “But if you go somewhere that doesn’t have the same legal framework and safety standards, there’s a much higher risk.”

In the UK, cosmetic practices are regulated by the Care Quality Commission, a public body of the Department for Health and Social Care which oversees medical services ranging from cosmetic surgery clinics to psychiatric services. Both Dr. Both Jethwa and Pacifico reiterate to me that there are some excellent dentists and plastic surgeons practicing in Turkey, but it is often a matter of finding the right clinic that prioritizes quality of care over speed of treatment.

When I spoke to 27-year-old Kristian, who visited Turkey four months ago to have liposuction and BBL, he told me that research is key in choosing the right clinic. Like Molly, he visited Turkey at a cheaper price and had had the experience recommended by some friends. Kristian describes his experience as “painless” and says he’s happy with the outcome. When I mention “turkey teeth” and the gruesome videos circulating on social media, he assures me that there are excellent clinics, while some are just trying to make a quick buck. “I know I’m going back [to the same clinic] because they were so good,” he tells me, saying he’s considering a facelift next time.

dr Jethwa and Pacifico agree that the exuberant influencer marketing behind operations deals abroad dangerously normalizes the idea of ​​”quick fixes.” The word “trend” makes Pacifico uncomfortable when it comes to surgeries. “I get very nervous when something seems to be in vogue and achievable through surgery,” he says, before pointing out a popular trend called buccal fat removal — a cheekbone hollowing and sculpting procedure — that’s hugely popular among the celebs in recent months. “Making a decision about surgery is a lifelong decision,” he reiterates. “By glamorizing the procedure and making it sound like a vacation, it takes away the reality of the risks and issues.”

As Molly seeks professional advice from UK dentists on the best option for improving her smile, she has financial worries and regrets. She’s hoping to find a payment plan that will help her cover the costs. “Do your research in the UK and think before you go,” she says, warning people considering flying abroad for cosmetic work. “I wouldn’t have gotten the job done had I known the long term implications and now I have to pay to try to rectify that.”