Introduction

Hungarian Dental Travel (HDT), which launched a tour of England and Scotland in an inflatable surgery last month to encourage patients to seek treatment in Hungary, has met with a 'very promising' response, according to managing director, Chris Hall.

Mr Hall said the inflatable consultation room, which is transported on a former NHS ambulance, had visited Lincoln, Stockport, Liverpool and London so far, offering half hour assessments from 9am to 7pm. 'And apart from three spaces in Liverpool and two in London it's been fully booked,' he said.

Eight people had been to Hungary for treatment since the start of the tour, and another ten were expected to go, he said. The main demand was for implants, crowns and bridgework, and cost was the key issue in deciding to seek treatment abroad.

One woman assessed in London had gone to Hungary the following week for £3,481 worth of treatment including crowns, fillings and implants, Mr Hall said. The next stops on the tour are Glasgow and Manchester, and HDT, which is based in Aubourn, near Lincoln, is considering getting another portable surgery to expand provision.

'At the moment we are still trialling the initiative, but the reaction so far has been really surprising. We were expecting some criticism but haven't got it,' said Mr Hall.