My Experience with a Medical Holiday: Getting my wisdom tooth out in bali, indonesia

The Problem BEFORE the SOLUTION

I first heard of the term ‘medical holiday’ after I got home from a dental appointment for a standard wisdom tooth extraction.

Uninsured, I was quoted an estimated $4,000 for the three teeth I had (one molar was never there to begin with). 

What’s worse, is this quote was given at a dentistry school. They’re supposed to cost significantly less than certified dentists since they’re still in training.

I had recently come back to the United States from six months abroad to stay with my parents for the summer months. My goal was to pay off a co-signed loan we’d taken out when I had my eyes set on a very fabulous (and very expensive) study abroad program while in university. 

I was not about to let a wisdom tooth removal get in the way of achieving my goals.

That’s when I got to thinking. I had a trip to Bali planned in September and maybe I could get them pulled there..

During my research, I found a few horror stories of people trying to save a few bucks and in the long run spending thousands more to fix the damage done by unauthorized dentists in developing countries. 

But I had also come across a few really confirming articles that made me think this really could be a legitimate solution.

More Research and Planning

Sure, it wasn’t my first choice to have them extracted outside of my home country and without the help of my mom to make me hearty soups and to prop my head up. And naturally, my parents weren’t thrilled with my thrifty idea; but in my eyes, I really only had this option. 

To find reputable dentists, I scoured the expat Facebook groups for Bali. I typed ‘wisdom teeth’ into the group search bar and went from there. I saw a few people who had recommended ARC Dental which helped narrow down my options.

The Consultation 

When I arrived to my consultation, I immediately felt at ease. The facility was clean and modern, the staff spoke proficient English, and there were many other people in the lobby waiting which built my trust. If they could do it, so could I.

The receptionist led me to a sterile room to have an X-ray. 

I first noticed that the machinery seemed much more advanced than any I had ever seen in the States. 

Next, I was taken to a different room to meet my dentist, Dr. Dira. had trained under German dentists (a personal comfort having lived in Germany for four years), and was excellent at making me feel I was in good hands. 

Though I had two top impacted (under the gum) wisdom teeth and had originally planned on getting all three molars out, Dr. Dira was honest enough to share that the top teeth were growing in straight and would likely never bother me. We decided that the best option was to just take the bottom tooth out that had popped up through the gums.

We scheduled the extraction for the following week.

The tooth Extraction

The day to get my wisdom tooth out arrived.

I had gone to the local markets beforehand to gather some supplies I would need to survive this halfway-across-the-world procedure without my mom. I bought mangos, avocados, extra water, and soup.

I drove myself on my motorbike to the dentistry, an over 45-minute journey. We had discussed at my consultation that I would have a local anesthesia before the short procedure and would even be fit to drive myself home afterward. Worst case scenario, I could hail a cab to take me home if I wasn’t feeling well after.

I checked in and paid the fee for one tooth extraction. Altogether, it cost $200 USD for the consultation, X-ray, procedure, and medicine. Not bad compared to my $4,000 quote in the States!

Two young women were in the room prepping the tools and getting my chair to its proper height. When it was time for me to sit down and put my bib on, there were three people in the room with me: Dr. Dira, his apprentice, and an assistant who helped rinse my mouth, vacuum the blood out, and hold my hand.

First was sterilizing and numbing my mouth. It felt really weird having everything just go limp and I felt so goofy trying to talk.

Dr. Dira took a drill and separated the tooth into two parts. He then took dental pliers and pulled the sections out. It felt incredibly strange but wasn’t painful whatsoever. I felt the pressure of the tooth being yanked from its socket and made sure to squeeze the assistant’s hand extra tight. It was really so quick and easy.

Next, I was sewn up. Again, this did not hurt but it was a bit chilling to see the curved needle and thread weaving in and out of my face through the mirror above me. Dr. Dira finished up by putting a piece of cotton on top of the extraction to protect the stitches and catch any blood and then lowered my chair.

And that was it, it was done. So simple and it maybe took 15 minutes. He even bagged up my tooth which I got to take home as a souvenir (per request).

I was led back to the front desk to pick up my medicines. I was given high-pain pill dosages and instructed to let the disinfectant wash sit in my mouth each time after eating.

It was all so anti-climactic, really.

No videos of me high on gas or anything like that! I felt 100% okay to drive home. My mouth felt great, I even felt hungry. On my way home, I noticed all the smells from the food booths and wished I could make a stop.

Recovery Reality

About three hours after I got home, my mouth started to throb as the numbing rubbed off. I popped a pain pill and went on with my evening. Occasionally, my mouth would pool with blood and I would gently need to spit it out. I made sure to prop myself up on two pillows that night and during the entire recovery so that I wouldn’t experience dry sockets or unnecessary bleeding. 

I was surprised that I had minimal swelling throughout the healing process. And even more surprised that I didn’t have to take the pain pills beyond the first night and could comfortably sleep on my side by the third.

I stuck to a diet of smoothies (without any fruits containing seeds!) and non-spicy soups until my follow-up appointment where I got my stitches out five days later.

Dr. Dira told me that my mouth looked great and that it seemed to be healing faster than what he sees normally.

I got the go-ahead to eat less liquidy foods. I slowwwwly introduced them back into my diet. I could still see the hole in the back of my mouth and I was nervous to take anything too fast. I didn’t want to jinx his words on my healing process.

Can I recommend it?

10 days following the surgery, I was back to my normal self. Any time I spent worrying turned out to be wasted time.

I was in such good hands from start to finish and would recommend Dr. Dira to anyone I know who needs their wisdom teeth out.

So yes, I can confidently recommend a medical holiday. Hey, you may even save enough money to live in Bali for three months afterward like I did. 😉