The journey of SmileGeorgia Pro’s first patient to Tbilisi: the decision, the preparations, the first treatment period and his experience of the practical arrangements. Jyrki tells the story in his own words; Seppo’s notes are in separate boxes.
Why did Jyrki consider dental treatment abroad?
I had asked for full-mouth dental treatment more than a year earlier. As far as I knew, I was on a waiting list, but no answer came. I did not know when the treatment could start.
I began looking into dental treatment abroad. First I looked at options in Turkey and Estonia and sent enquiries, but I did not get a quote from them either.
Next, I searched for alternatives with the help of AI. That is how I found Seppo’s SmileGeorgia website and sent him an email.
Seppo called me straight away. He told me he serves patients in Finnish on the spot in Tbilisi, and said that the local university’s dental clinic had the expertise for the treatment I needed.
Why did I choose Georgia and Tbilisi?
Seppo promised to arrange the travel, meet me at the airport and come with me as an interpreter for the dental treatment. Knowing I would have help in Finnish with the practical arrangements and at the appointments made it easy to decide on a treatment trip to Tbilisi.
The estimated price was also reasonable and fitted my budget. I no longer had to wait for quotes from Turkey or Estonia and could get on with planning the trip.
How the dental trip was prepared before departure
Seppo told me which dental X-rays were needed so that the university clinic could draw up an accurate treatment plan and quote for me. I had the X-rays taken in Kuopio. The dentist sent the images and a confidential link to the university clinic via Seppo.
The clinic sent me a treatment plan, a quote and a schedule for the treatment. Based on them, I decided the dates of my trip straight away.
I asked Seppo to work out the timetables and the tickets I needed from Kuopio to Tbilisi and back. That way the treatment and travel schedules could be matched.
The trip to Tbilisi – arriving in Georgia after a difficult start
My dental trip from Kuopio to Tbilisi took an unexpected turn at Helsinki Airport. I had arrived in good time, eaten a sandwich and had one beer. About two hours later I went to the gate.
At the gate I was asked about my insurance and my return tickets. When I explained, my speech sounded unclear because of my missing teeth. The gate agent took it as a sign that I was drunk.
The agent said that you could not have even a trace of alcohol in your blood to board. I asked to speak to the captain and to take a breathalyser test to show I was sober. I was given neither option. The agent said they had the authority to decide who could board.
I was so frustrated that I decided to go home. I took a taxi towards Kuopio and messaged Seppo about what had happened.
Seppo helped arrange a new trip
As we passed Lahti, Seppo called me in the taxi. He suggested that I stay the night in Lahti and continue the next day on new flights. The dental treatment in Tbilisi was already booked.
I could not find a hotel in Lahti, so I went back to Vantaa by taxi and stayed at an airport hotel. During the same night, Seppo arranged new flights to Tbilisi via Turkey. The next day I boarded and the trip continued.
The following night I finally arrived at Tbilisi airport. Seppo and Captain Nemo met me and took me to the Hotel Wine Palace to rest. After a difficult start, I was in Georgia and could prepare for the dental treatment.
Seppo and I also wrote a reasoned complaint to the first airline. We asked for compensation for the taxi journeys, the hotel night and the new flight ticket, either in money or as flight vouchers for future trips.
First visit to the dental clinic – treatment plan, schedule and budget
I was able to rest on my first day in Tbilisi and recover from the long journey. The next day at 3 pm I had my first appointment at the university dental clinic.
We met Nino, the clinic director, who went through the treatment plan and schedule with us. At the visit it was confirmed that the time I had booked would be enough for all the planned treatment. The extractions were scheduled for the next day, again at 3 pm.
We also went through the whole treatment budget. It was to be confirmed later on the basis of further X-rays. At this stage I knew how the treatment was planned to progress and the schedule, but the budget was still waiting for confirmation.
Treatment started with extractions
The plan included a total of 19 extractions. The treatment was carried out by a very experienced professor of dentistry, who extracted 13 teeth at the first extraction appointment.
The professor worked with steady hands, and the anaesthesia worked very well. Even though all the teeth in my upper jaw were removed, I felt no pain at all during the procedure.
The professor asked whether it would suit me to have the remaining six teeth removed the next day. I was given instructions for medicines to collect from the pharmacy, and we returned to the hotel via the pharmacy in the university’s own car.
The night went well, and treatment continued the next day
The painkillers worked well overnight, and I slept quite well. There was not even any blood on the pillow.
The next day six teeth were removed from my lower jaw. The last tooth was firmly in place and needed more force to remove. The anaesthesia held the whole time, though, and I felt no pain.
Once all my remaining teeth had been removed, I could not eat solid food. Luckily, the local 24-hour grocery shop had plenty of familiar Valio products from Finland. I found drinks there that kept hunger at bay.
Dental treatment in Georgia as an experience – how did the appointments feel?
I had had plenty of dental treatment before, so I was not very nervous about treatment in a new place either. When the professors treating me were introduced and their expertise was explained, the treatment started naturally without unnecessary fear.
After the first day of treatment, I already felt I had come to the right place.
After the extractions I asked when I would get my dentures and whether I would be able to eat solid food with them.
New dentures and the first meals
The weekend fell between appointments. On Monday, impressions were taken for making the dentures, and on Tuesday I tried my new teeth for the first time.
By Wednesday the dentures had been shaped to fit my mouth. After that I was able to rest at the hotel for another day.
The dentures fitted quite well, and my smile looked natural. I started eating carefully with soft Georgian cheese bread and familiar Valio drinks. Food started to taste good.
What did the dental treatment in Georgia cost?
The quoted budget for the full-mouth treatment was €7,500. When it was compared with equivalent prices in Finland, the estimate was €35,000–45,000. On that basis it was easy to decide where to have my full-mouth treatment done. The whole treatment will require 3–4 trips to Tbilisi, and of course I also take the travel costs into account. We are tracking the costs of each trip, and I will report what the complete treatment ends up costing.
The extractions were done on the first two days of treatment. The dentures were fitted at the start of the following week, and I had them in my mouth the day before my return trip.
For the dental treatment on my first trip I paid a total of about €1,100.
What was included in the price, and what did I pay for separately?
The treatment invoices included all the dental X-rays, anaesthesia and extractions. Making and fitting the dentures were also included in the total price.
I paid for the pharmacy medicines separately. I got them using a list the dentist wrote by hand. It also included blood pressure medication, and the pharmacy purchases came to a few dozen euros in total.
There were a great many pharmacies in Tbilisi, almost on every street corner.
Travel costs – flights, hotel and other expenses
When I added up the journey from Kuopio to Tbilisi and back and the accommodation, the costs were as follows:
| Cost | Price |
|---|---|
| Train journeys Kuopio–Vantaa–Kuopio | €82.60 |
| airBaltic return flights Helsinki-Vantaa–Tbilisi | €639.00 |
| Travel insurance required for the trip | €53.00 |
| Hotel in Tbilisi, 10 nights | €640.00 |
| Airport transfers | €60.00 |
| Travel and accommodation in total (excluding the extra costs under complaint) | €1,474.60 |
| Dental treatment, first trip (approx.) | €1,100.00 |
| Total cost of the first trip (approx.) | €2,575 |
The table does not include the extra costs caused by the missed first flight (taxis, a hotel night and a new flight ticket), for which a complaint has been made. The total is the sum of treatment and travel; pharmacy medicines are not included. We explain Georgia’s insurance requirement in our travel guide.
What would equivalent treatment cost in Finland?
In the published price lists of Finnish providers, full removable dentures for the upper and lower jaw cost about €1,300–2,000 in our comparison. Extractions come on top of this. Sources: Hammaslaboratorio Selin price list and Hammas-Sampo price list (in Finnish).
For Jyrki’s 19 extractions, we found no directly comparable overall quote from private care. Removing several teeth at one appointment can be treated as a single procedure, so multiplying the price of one extraction by 19 does not give a reliable comparison.
In Finland, public dental care also offers a different cost option. Laboratory costs for the dentures and other treatment fees are added to its patient fees.
Jyrki’s possible total saving can be calculated once the final invoices from Georgia are known and we can compare them with a Finnish quote for the same treatment. The overall comparison also includes travel and accommodation. We will do the calculation when all the costs of the full-mouth treatment have been incurred after three clinic visits. For a broader comparison, see dental prices and savings.
How did SmileGeorgia Pro help me on my dental trip?
The most important help from Seppo came right at the start of the trip, when I was not allowed onto the original flight. He arranged a new flight ticket in the middle of the night so that I could continue to Tbilisi.
Seppo came to the appointments as an interpreter and helped with shopping at both the pharmacy and the grocery shop. So help in Finnish was available not only at the appointments but also for practical everyday matters. You can read more about the service on our service page.
At the weekend we also had time to explore Georgia
We went on a city tour together, during which I learned to use the metro, buses and Bolt taxis.
On Sunday we went on a day trip to a winery. On the way I saw the Georgian countryside, mountains and new villages and towns.
After the first dental trip – aftercare and next steps
I was given written care instructions in Finnish for my mouth and dentures. They are easy to follow at home too.
Before my next dental trip, I will have a 3D scan of my jaws taken in Kuopio. Based on it, the university dental clinic will send me a refined treatment plan and quote for the next stage of treatment.
My next trip is planned for about two months from now, before Christmas.
Seppo also sent me recipes and advice on weight management. I believe they may help me with managing my blood pressure in future, too.
Was it worth it? Jyrki’s verdict on his first dental trip
I consider my first dental trip abroad quite a success. The professionalism of the university professors made a strong impression on me. I feel I am in reliable and capable hands there.
Travelling now feels more familiar, too. I have learned how the airports work in Helsinki, Istanbul, Tbilisi and Riga, so it is easier to set off on the next trip.
Based on my own experience, I am happy to recommend this destination and Seppo’s local services to anyone considering dental treatment in Georgia. The transport, hotel, dental treatment and leisure programme were well chosen.
It has been easy to call Seppo, and he has been available whenever I have needed him.
Frequently asked questions about Jyrki’s dental trip
How much did Jyrki’s dental treatment in Georgia cost?
The budget for the full-mouth treatment is €7,500, and it requires 3–4 trips to Tbilisi. The treatment on the first trip (dental X-rays, anaesthesia, 19 extractions and fitting and making the dentures) cost about €1,100, and travel and accommodation about €1,475. The figures are one patient’s costs, not a quote.
How did Jyrki get a treatment plan and quote before the trip?
Jyrki had dental X-rays taken in Kuopio. The images were sent via Seppo to the university dental clinic, which drew up a treatment plan, a quote and a schedule for the treatment. Jyrki received them by email, translated into Finnish.
What was done on the first dental trip?
Jyrki had a total of 19 teeth extracted over two treatment days. After that, dentures were made for him, then fitted and shaped to his mouth.
Was help in his own language available at the appointments?
Seppo went with Jyrki to the appointments as an interpreter. He also helped with the travel arrangements and at the pharmacy and the grocery shop.
What did the treatment invoices include?
Jyrki’s treatment invoices included dental X-rays, anaesthesia and extractions as well as fitting and making the dentures. Medicines from the pharmacy were paid for separately.
How does the treatment continue after the first trip?
Jyrki received written care instructions for his mouth and dentures. Before his planned next trip, he will have a 3D scan of his jaws taken in Kuopio, and the university clinic will use it to refine the treatment plan and quote.
Considering your own dental trip to Georgia?
Jyrki’s dental trip began with getting in touch and working out his own treatment needs.
This is one patient’s experience and actual costs, not a quote. Prices and treatment content vary with each patient’s situation; the final price is set after the dentist’s examination. SmileGeorgia.pro provides patient coordination and information; diagnosis and treatment decisions are made by qualified dentists. Written with Jyrki’s permission.
