Greece has maintained a dominant presence in the tourism industry for years. Doctors, however, are not what most people think about when considering the major contributors to the country’s economy. In recent years, medical tourism, especially dental tourism, has been on the rise in Greece. Many predict that it will soon prove to be an important source of income for Greece’s economy.
In 2015, an assorted selection of specialized dental professionals inaugurated the first organized cluster to provide for the increase in demand.
The Dental Tourism Cluster took root from an initiative started in the city of Athens to forefront the city’s economy by encouraging tourism. This initiative comprises of 15 registered dental practitioners, operating in 54 clinics distributed over 15 locations in the city. The services are open for foreigners or diaspora Greeks.
The practitioners enrolled in the program are highly qualified individuals which contributes to the overall competitiveness of this service. A sizable percentage of these individuals have acquired formal training from US universities and offer services 25 to 35% of the equivalent cost of treatment in developed countries.
Excluding the certification and cost of treatment, Greek doctors possess a certain attribute that attracts foreigners as well as members of the diaspora. Patients describe it to be a “warm, friendly approach”, which is incomparable to the service offered elsewhere in countries.