Poliklinik, merkez or hospital? Turkish dental clinic types
Turkish clinic names are long and full of official words. Once you know what they mean, they tell you something useful about the place.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026Most private dental clinics on Turkey’s register are an “Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı Polikliniği”, an oral and dental health clinic. A smaller number are an “Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı Merkezi”, an oral and dental health centre, which is a larger category of facility. Some patients are treated in hospital dental departments, and a few dentists practise from a “muayenehane”, a doctor’s office. All can hold the international health tourism authorisation.
Look up almost any Turkish dental clinic on the Ministry register and you will find a name like “Özel Dentatur Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı Polikliniği”. It is a mouthful, but it is also a label, and each word means something.
Reading the name
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Özel | Private (as opposed to a state facility) |
| Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı | Oral and dental health |
| Polikliniği | Clinic (a polyclinic) |
| Merkezi | Centre |
| Hastanesi | Hospital |
| Muayenehanesi | A doctor’s or dentist’s own practice (surgery) |
| Şubesi | Branch |
The types you will see
Oral and dental health clinic (poliklinik)
By far the most common type. When we downloaded the HealthTürkiye list in October 2026, 1,117 facilities were listed as private oral and dental health clinics. Most clinics that market to UK patients are this type, including our own and nearly every clinic in our register. A poliklinik has several dentists and treatment rooms.
Oral and dental health centre (merkez)
A larger category, with more requirements on size and facilities. Only a handful of dental facilities on the international list are centres. You may see the word in a group’s name for one of its main sites.
Hospital dental departments
Private and university hospitals also have dental departments. These can suit patients with complex medical histories, or those who need treatment under general anaesthetic with an anaesthetist and hospital back-up.
A dentist’s own practice (muayenehane)
A small number of individual dentists’ surgeries are on the international list. These are usually one-dentist practices.
Does the type matter to you?
Less than you might think. The type tells you about the facility’s category and size, not about the skill of the person treating you. A small poliklinik with an experienced implant surgeon can be a better choice than a large centre where you meet a different dentist every day.
The type matters more when:
- You have a serious medical condition, such as heart disease or poorly controlled diabetes. Ask whether the clinic can handle a medical emergency and where the nearest hospital is.
- You want treatment under sedation or general anaesthetic. Ask who gives it, and whether an anaesthetist is present.
- You are comparing two branches of a group. They may be different types with different equipment.
Branch names
“Şubesi” means branch, and many group names end with a district or a number, such as “-3” or “Antalya Şubesi”. Each branch is a separate entry on the register. If your plan says one branch and your transfer goes to another, ask why.
Where the name helps you
Knowing the legal name makes the licence check much easier, because the register lists legal names, not brands. If a clinic’s invoice or website footer gives a name ending in “Ağız ve Diş Sağlığı Polikliniği”, that is what to search on HealthTürkiye. Our guide how to check a clinic’s licence shows the steps.
Common questions
Is a merkez better than a poliklinik?
Not necessarily. The categories differ in size and set-up requirements, not in the quality of the dentistry. Many excellent clinics are polikliniks.
What does “Özel” mean?
Private. Almost every clinic in our register is a private facility.
Is it better to have treatment in a hospital?
For most dental treatment, no. A hospital may suit patients with complex medical conditions or treatment under general anaesthetic. Ask your UK doctor if you are unsure.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
Ask Precious Dental for a written plan
Send an X-ray or a few photos of your teeth. A dentist will reply with a written plan and an itemised price. No obligation, and you can compare it with any clinic in this register.