In India, visiting a dentist is a common practice, and procedures such as root canal treatment, fillings, or tooth extraction often fit within the budget without the need for long waiting times. However, the situation in America is drastically different because medical care there is significantly more expensive than in India. This raises the question of how high these costs are to require hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Nitin Malhotra, an Indian expatriate living in the USA, shared his experience on social media. He regularly shares stories related to the life of NRIs. His video concerning dental treatment quickly went viral.
According to Nitin, after experiencing toothache, he consulted a dentist. Initially, the clinic requested information about insurance coverage. Then, an X-ray was taken, which cost approximately $180, equivalent to about 15,000 Indian rupees. After the examination, he was informed that the total cost of the treatment could reach $8,000.
Even after accounting for insurance adjustments, Nitin had to pay out of pocket about $2,500, which is approximately 2.37 lakh Indian rupees. Since the amount required to be paid for the removal of one tooth turned out to be very high, he began looking for alternative options.
Upon learning about such expenses, Nitin checked the cost of flights from India to the USA. He found that tickets to India cost around $1,000. He presented this comparison in his video, questioning: if the treatment costs about $2,500 out of pocket in the USA, wouldn't it be more economical to get treatment in India?
In the video description, he wrote: 'A tooth extraction in America costs $2,500? 15 years in America—now I'll tell you the truth.' After the video became popular, users on social media started sharing their experiences regarding the cost of dental services in the USA. Some users jokingly advised Nitin to come to India, while others also noted the high cost of dental care in America.
Prices for medical and dental services in the USA have long been a subject of discussion. At the same time, many dental and medical procedures in India can be performed at comparatively lower costs. This is why some Indians living abroad consider traveling to India for major operations.
The American healthcare system is among the most expensive in the world. Even with health insurance, patients may be required to pay deductibles, co-pays, and other expenses out of pocket. This is especially true for dentistry, emergency care, and many medical procedures, whose bills can be quite significant. Nevertheless, the actual cost of treatment can vary depending on the patient's insurance plan, the procedure itself, and the clinic.
Currently, Nitin's issue is actively being discussed on social media: is it worthwhile to travel to India for treatment if removing one tooth in the USA costs so much?