Woman saves $1,800 flying from US to Turkey for a root canal

An Irish woman living in the United States travelled to Turkey for a root canal after she was told the procedure would cost $3,000 in the states.

In a viral video, TikTok user Delia O’Malley (@asdeliadoes) was shocked when she learned that the cost for a root canal would be $3,099.16 – even after her insurance.

Instead of spending more than $3,000 on the procedure, O’Malley – who lives in Georgia – booked a root canal with a Turkish dentist, a round trip flight, and a stay at an all-inclusive hotel for less than half the cost she was quoted in America: $1,167 in total.

The root canal was priced at $160, while her hotel stay cost $200. The round trip flight from Atlanta, Georgia to Izmir, Turkey was the highest expense at $807.

The TikTok, which was posted on 20 May, has since received more than three million views. O’Malley captioned the video: “My dentist wanted $3,099 for a root canal so I booked a week in Turkey to get it done here! Came to less than $1,200. So I get a root canal and a holiday now”.

The viral video prompted many TikTok users to share their own experiences with travelling abroad in order to have less expensive dental or cosmetic surgeries.

“I’m from Brazil and I go home whenever I need to see a doctor,” commented one person. “Other than being cheaper the doctor’s are way more attentive.”

Another user shared: “My family drove my sister and I from Los Angeles to Tijuana, MX for braces because it was the only way we could afford it!”

Others took the opportunity to call out the American healthcare system, which has no universal healthcare coverage.

“Tell me you are from US without telling me you are from US,” commented one person.

“America is so profit driven it’s sad that people go bankrupt trying not to die,” said someone else.

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However, some eagle-eyed TikTokers noticed that the $3,000 quote was for more than just a root canal, but also a crown and two fillings. The itemised bill showed that the root canal was priced at $1,282. But that didn’t stop users from calling out the astronomical price.

“Read it people…It’s for a root canal, crown and two fillings!!!!!” said one person.

“I love how some people are like ‘that’s for more than just a root canal’ as if that makes the bill less insane,” replied another.