Travellers’ blogs and glossy social-media ads make crossing the equator for dental work sound painless. A single click promises titanium roots, a tropical pool and a bill that undercuts typical Sydney clinic quotes by thousands. Thai and Vietnamese clinics publish attractive bundles online. A single implant with an abutment and crown is commonly advertised at between AUD 1,700 and AUD 5,300 in Thailand, depending on the brand – less than half the figure many Australians have in mind for local care.