SELF-conscious Londoners who lack confidence in their smile are being offered a safe and affordable EU alternative to dreaded “Turkey teeth” – just as cheap flights launch from Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London Luton Airport and London Stansted Airport.

A highly respected expert in Croatia is offering affordable dental makeovers for British patients, at a fraction of the cost of UK-based treatment, but with major protections offered by an EU country.

Dr Martina Karlo has already invested more than a million Euros in her state-of-the-art practice. She is now targeting patients in the UK who want the best possible treatment in a sunshine location, especially those living close to airports offering budget flights.

Her Dentelli Dental Clinic in the historic, seaside Croatian city of Split, already treats more than 100 Britons every year – many of them desperate for fixes to botched dental work.

Dr Karlo said: “Every year we see more patients from the UK. Most of them want the kind of treatments they simply can’t afford at home. We transform their smile, bite, and oral health and that literally changes their life for the better, bringing increased happiness and confidence.

“We are also seeing a steady rise in the number of patients who want their teeth fixed after their original treatments turned to catastrophe. Those patients are very emotional, and as a dental professional it is very hard to listen to their stories.

“They are often overwhelmed after our treatments with many moved to tears. It is a reflection on how important a smile is to someone’s emotional and mental wellbeing.

“Oral rehabilitation is not always easy, and it can be accompanied with some after pain, sensitivity and adjustment time. That is why patient care is at the forefront of our business and why we build trust with every patent that walks through our doors.”

Croatia already has a thriving dental tourism reputation, with the Istria region being a hotspot which attracts thousands of patients every year, predominantly from Italy. However, Dr Karlo prefers treating Britons because of the relationships she has built over the years with patients seeking an improvement on their smile.

She added: “Our clients in Split are incredibly style and fashion-conscious and demand the kind of treatments they see with celebrities. We pride ourselves on delivering the perfect Hollywood smile – healthy white teeth but with an emphasis on a smile that looks sleek, elegant and natural.”

The average British patient spends around €6,000 (£5,320) on treatments at the clinic, which is fitted with state-of-the-art technology including digital scanners and offers an extensive range of dental and aesthetic treatments.

Visiting Croatia is significantly cheaper than comparative treatment in the UK, and crowns, veneers and dental implants are the most popular procedures amongst Brits. Dr Karlo also says that her UK clients are reassured by the exacting medical standards and consumer protections offered within EU countries, which are among the most rigorous in the world.

For example, the clinic uses only the finest materials. Implants and the zirconium blocks which crowns are made from, are supplied by the premium dental implant brand Nobel Biocare. The difference in quality can be vast between the cheaper materials used in Turkish clinics.

She added: “Unlike some of the cheaper dental tourism hotspots, Croatia is bound by incredibly strict EU laws and regulations. Safety and standards are paramount, which gives patients peace of mind they simply cannot get in places like Turkey.”

While treatment is slightly more expensive than in Turkey Dr Karlo added: “The prices in Turkey might seem like a bargain, but there is always a balance. Patients who pay less are sacrificing on the quality of treatment, the quality of materials or the time an expert dentist spends on their teeth.”

Dentelli was founded in October 2019 and has an annual turnover of €2 million (£1.78m). The clinic carries out almost 17,000 procedures each year and most of its 28-strong team – from dentists and nurses to technicians and hygienists – speak fluent English.

In 2022, Split airport welcomed around 500,000 British passengers, more than 17% of its total visitor count which made the UK its second biggest market last year.

Direct flights to Split start from £105 at Heathrow Airport, £32 at Gatwick Airport, £22 at London Luton Airport and £76 at London Standsted Airport and depart daily throughout the summer with an average flight time of around two hours and 40 minutes via EasyJet, Croatia Airlines, British Airways. EasyJet, Jet2 and WizzAir. Most patients work with the clinic to carefully plan their treatment procedures, so that they can enjoy the tourist experience of Split and the surrounding area.

Aside from Split’s enchanting old town and vibrant food markets, tourists can relax and soak up the sun on nearby Bačvice beach as well as enjoying panoramic views atop of St. Duje’s Cathedral – a structure dating back to 3AD.

The wonderfully preserved Diocletian’s Palace – home to the Roman Emperor Diocletian – is also an archaeological tourist trap. Further information on the clinic can be found at https://dentelli.hr/en/