Dubai is consolidating its standing as a preferred medical tourism destination with Dubai Health Authority chalking out plans to increase the proportion of foreign medical visitors visiting the emirate by almost 12 per cent this year.

Dr Ihab William, director of Dr William Dental Center, says that demand for cosmetic dentistry in Dubai, especially for the so-called ‘Hollywood Smile’, is three times more than in Lebanon.

He attributed this to the advancement of the sector, convenience and proximity to other Gulf states that make up a huge chunk of the clientele.

By 2020, the emirate is targeting 500,000 medical tourists, bringing in a total revenue of Dh2.6 billion from medical tourism alone.

Dr William said cosmetic dentistry saw strong demand in Dubai compared to Lebanon, for example, although the cost of ‘Hollywood Smile’ works out to nearly $8,000 versus $4,000 in Lebanon. “Dubai has an ambitious vision regarding medical tourism and cosmetic dentistry, as the Emirate has proven over the years that it has what it takes to become the medical capital of the Arab region, thanks to advanced levels of both therapeutic and cosmetic services.”

“We have a significant client base from outside the UAE, who fly all the way over seeking outstanding dentistry services. We have witnessed footfall from various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan. Our experience has proved that happy patients refer new patients from everywhere. People now rely more on actual experience of others, they even go online to look for reviews or try to understand a certain concept through social media,” he said.

“Since dentistry is a sensitive issue, one cannot choose a doctor because he is close to where he lives. There are many other factors that should go into account when choosing a doctor, including experience of not less than five years, specialisation, and selecting a specialised centre rather than a general dentistry centre,” said Dr William.

“We were able to transfer the most advanced global technologies in this field to our Dubai clinics, and the demand in Dubai exceeded our expectations. We get visitors from all over the Gulf region to our Dubai branch. More visitors trust our services here, because of the presence of a highly competitive market,”  he added.

Dr William Dental Center offers advanced ‘Hollywood Smile’ service which is a cosmetic veneer that lasts for longer periods and is not subject to change in colour. This technology is divided into two types: Lumineers porcelain veneers and composite veneers. Unlike traditional veneers, they do not require the removal of healthy tooth structure. These veneers help cover gaps between teeth, repair chipped or crooked tooth, strengthen and lengthen teeth, treat or whiten stained teeth, and finally allow to design the right type of smile.

“The advanced cosmetic dentistry sector in Dubai is a proof that we keep abreast of latest global innovations, not only to meet the demand of local customers but also to contribute to the Emirate’s 2020 targets. The highly competitive market will help to meet this goal of 500,000 by 2020, and enable Dubai to maintain its leadership position in this field regionally,” Dr. William concluded. – TradeArabia News Service