Sarah Wilding, a 54-year-old NHS theatre operations worker from Leicestershire, flew to Croatia for a full set of dental implants after her request for treatment in the UK was refused. She had been diagnosed with advanced gum disease but was denied a specialist referral and quoted more than £40,000 for private treatment in Britain.
Wilding, who had kept up with regular dental checkups, noticed her gums receding and teeth loosening in her late 40s. “I was told I had gum disease and that the bone shrinks, but no treatment was offered,” she said. Financial constraints had limited her access to hygienist appointments for two years, but she added, “I was still attending checkups and nothing was flagged.”
Her condition worsened quickly, affecting both her eating and confidence. Missing teeth forced her to rely on dentures, which she found uncomfortable and embarrassing. “I couldn’t bite into apples and carried Fixodent in case teeth came loose. It knocked my confidence in social situations,” Wilding said.
Exploring private options, she was quoted between £9,000 and £15,000 for treatment, plus a £1,500 consultation fee. Her NHS referral request was rejected, with officials failing to explain why. “I even rang the hospital myself. It was a dead end,” she recalled.
Considering treatment abroad, Wilding dismissed clinics in Turkey due to aggressive sales tactics. She ultimately chose Dentum, a clinic in Zagreb, Croatia, which her cousin had used years earlier. After sending X-rays and scans from the UK, she was quoted £12,000. Her father covered the cost, allowing her to proceed without loans.
Despite an anaphylactic reaction weeks earlier during gallbladder surgery, Wilding underwent the procedure in spring 2024.
“I had every tooth removed under twilight sedation, with four implants at the top and six at the bottom,” she explained. “It took about five hours, but I didn’t feel a thing.”
The transformation has been profound. “I can eat freely, I’m not embarrassed, and I feel confident. People even ask if I’ve had whitening done,” she said. “It’s honestly the best thing I’ve ever done.”
Dr Andrej Bozic, lead oral surgeon at Dentum, said cases like Wilding’s are increasingly common. “Many British patients come to us after years of frustration with access, delays, or high costs. We now treat over 600 UK patients annually,” he said.