What the Ministry register does not tell you

We built our register on HealthTürkiye because it is the only list of Turkish clinics that does not come from the clinics’ own marketing. Every clinic we list links back to its Ministry entry. But we also see patients put more weight on an entry than it can bear. This guide goes through each field and says what it really proves.

The authorisation

What it proves: the facility is approved by the Ministry of Health to treat international patients, under the legal name and address shown.

What it does not: anything about the quality of treatment. GOV.UK says plainly that the UK government does not endorse any provider on the list.

Year founded

What it proves: the year the register gives for the facility.

What it does not: how long the team has worked together. A clinic that changed its legal company, moved address or was bought may show a recent year even though its dentists have decades of experience. The opposite is also possible: an old entity with a new team. See new clinic or long-established.

Health professionals and staff

What it proves: the size the clinic declared. In our register these range from a few people to several hundred.

What it does not: how many of them are dentists, how many are specialists, or how many will be involved in your care. Large groups sometimes report staff for the whole group on each branch’s entry. A big number is not a guarantee of attention.

Equipment

What it proves: what the clinic says it has, for example a cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanner or a panoramic X-ray.

What it does not: whether the equipment is used for your case, and how well. A CBCT scanner matters for implant planning; whether it is used depends on the dentist. See equipment lists explained.

Treatments listed

What it proves: the treatments the clinic says it offers.

What it does not: how often it does them. A clinic listing zygomatic implants may do them every week, or once a year. Ask.

What is not there at all

• The names and qualifications of the dentists.
• Guarantee terms.
• Prices.
• Complaints, inspections or outcomes.
• Review scores.

That is why our register adds five checks to the licence: named dentists, guarantee periods, implant brands, published prices and a review record. Even those leave gaps. The Oral Health Foundation’s list of questions to ask a clinic abroad, about who treats you, their registration, follow-up care, insurance and the complaints process, is a good way to cover the rest.

A practical way to fill the gaps

1. Licence: check the entry yourself.
2. Person: ask for the treating dentist’s full name and check their registration.
3. Plan: get a written, itemised plan after a dentist has seen an X-ray.
4. Guarantee: get periods and conditions in writing.
5. Aftercare: ask what happens if something goes wrong at home, and who pays travel.
6. Second opinion: show the plan to a UK dentist, as the NHS suggests.

Each clinic’s entry in our register ends with a list of the things we could not verify for that clinic. Use it as your list of questions.

Common questions

Are the details on the register checked by the Ministry?

The authorisation itself is issued by the Ministry. Details such as staff numbers and equipment are declared by the facility; treat them as the clinic’s own description.

Does the register show complaints?

No. The public entries do not list complaints, inspections or outcomes.

Why does a clinic I know to be old show a recent founding year?

The year can reflect the current legal entity. A clinic that changed company or moved may show a later year.

Sources

1. HealthTürkiye: health facility list
2. GOV.UK: Turkey travel advice, health
3. Oral Health Foundation: going abroad for dental treatment

Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.