The treatment beginns. It makes the first filling
The "burec" is a bakery product Croatian, made of puff pastry and ricotta. Bit into it to taste the warm midday sun on a Saturday in October. And the word I use, bite, not accidental. I am on the outskirts of Rovinj, Croatia, and have just been to the dentist. How did I get here? A van with eight seats, the party at four in the morning from Riva del Garda. I uploaded the motorway at Rovereto Sud twenty minutes later. Five hours and here I am in front of the dental practice of dr. Goran Vukotic, along with eight other people, all but one of Trentino Venetian climb in Verona. But it never came up in Croatia to get treatment the teeth?We start from farther away. A year and a half ago. I go to the dentist. Italian. Trentino. Mori, where I live. Response: three molars decayed. Prescription: two fillings and a crown on a tooth already clogged years earlier. Total: 1,400 €. I thought of having to make only a cleansing, and instead here it is, the bill that endangers my holidays. My fault, I say, you can not pass four years since the last time you have been to see you and hope that you will go smooth. And then, floss ... Mica were spending every day, as you were told to do ...
Esco resigned to having to deal with this unexpected expense. I talk about with friends and family. Go in Croatia, tells me the father of Clare, my partner. He has already done so, a year earlier. It was by dr. Vukotic. Implantology, big stuff. A quote from Italian 25 thousand euro. Become 6 thousand in Croatia. A job done well, he says.
Up in Croatia for two fillings and a crown? Seems excessive to me. I spend time doing nothing. Until I read the advertisement of a study of dentists associated Rovereto. Why go abroad, if you can spare a few minutes from home? - Ask rhetorical on their flyer. Let me tell you. And in fact, the savings there. The crown that would cost me 800 euro, here cost me 550. The rest costs less. The estimate is lowered to 950 Euros.
Beginning the first filling. When passing to the second, the dentist tells me that in the meantime the other tooth that was blocked only has decayed too, and should be crowned as well. The estimate rises to 1,500 euro. I went back to the starting point.
I am reminded of Croatia. I go on the website of the study of dr. Vukotic and I learn something interesting. There is a mini-bus that stops every Saturday in Rovereto and takes you in Rovinj. Free. That'S Interesting. I send an email, attaching the prior Italian. I respond the next day. In Italy, I still work for 1,300 euro. The same quote, in Croatia, would become of 650. Exactly half.
The decision is not easy. The journey is long, and in Italy turn strange voices on behalf of dentists Croats. Indeed, the East generally. They do not have the same expertise, it says. They save on materials, make them do in China, it is rumored. Send a new e-mail and wonder why a ceramic crown in Italy cost me 550 euro and their only 320. I respond that the crown them they do in Germany, with regular CE marking. The truth is that in Croatia, as in Eastern Europe, life is half that in Italy. The rest is done by the taxation, less heavy and especially the culture: dentists who work in the study of dr. Vukotic not get rich, take 700 euro per month. It is not exploitation, in just those. While in Italy the big run in the tooth and Porsche have villas Hollywood.
I convince myself to try, and I'm finally in front of the studio by dr. Vukotic. Located on the ground floor of a dilapidated building on the outskirts of Rovinj. Inside, however, the atmosphere is cozy and very technological.
Upon arrival, if you're new, you do make a first dental panoramic. And is looking at what the dr. Vukotic, half an hour later, while I sit in the chair waiting for the response, he says candidly, but here there is nothing to do, his teeth are fine. No need crowns, fillings that they did in Italy are sufficient.
Eyes wide. But how? In Italy, dentists have told me that the crowns served! The dr. Vukotic smiles. A reassuring smile. For him, he says, the crowns are the last resort. A crowned tooth is no longer a real tooth. He avoids to the last to prescribe to their patients to crown their teeth. As long as you can, better get on with the fillings. Cleaning them well and passing daily flossing.
Come back in six months, and again calculate. The dr. Vukotic spoke against his interest, giving up a gain on a job that I was already convinced of having to do. Despite this, as I dismisses continues to smile.
My van again to the 15. In two hours I will be back in Italy. So close geographically, culturally so far. How much longer will it last?