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Questions to ask your dentist before implants or veneers

Implants and veneers are permanent, and any repair will happen at home. Ask the dentist these questions, in writing, before you agree to a treatment plan or pay a deposit.

Last updated: October 22, 2026

The questions follow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the American Dental Association (ADA) and the UK dental regulator (General Dental Council). The regulator’s own advice is that you should always be assessed by a qualified dentist before being given a treatment plan and cost estimate (GDC).

The dentist

  • ☐ 1. What is the full name of the dentist who will treat me, and where can I check their licence? In Mexico, look up the cédula profesional (SEP registry); in Turkey, ask for the dentist’s dental-chamber registration (membership is required by Law No. 3224; the Turkish Dental Association’s online search was not showing live data on October 29, 2026); in Costa Rica, the dental college registry.
  • ☐ 2. If the dentist is a specialist (implants, prosthodontics, periodontics), where is that specialty registered?
  • ☐ 3. How many times have you done this treatment, and what are your rates of success and complications? This is the regulator’s own question (GDC).

Before veneers

Why it matters: The ADA says veneers are not reversible because enamel is removed, decay and gum disease must be treated first, and veneers may not suit people who grind their teeth (ADA). The BBC found clinics selling “veneers” that turned out to be crowns on healthy teeth (BBC, 2022).

  • ☐ 4. Which teeth will get veneers and which will get crowns? Please give me a tooth-by-tooth plan in writing.
  • ☐ 5. How much enamel will be removed from each tooth?
  • ☐ 6. Porcelain or composite, which material exactly, and which lab makes them?
  • ☐ 7. Do I have decay, gum disease or grinding that should be treated first?
  • ☐ 8. What shade and material code will you record, so a dentist at home can repair or match a veneer later?

Before implants

Why it matters: The FDA says healing around an implant “may take several months or longer”, lists risks such as nerve damage and sinus perforation, and tells patients to ask which brand and model of implant system is used and keep it for their records (FDA). Without it, a dentist at home may not be able to get parts.

  • ☐ 9. Which implant brand and model will you use, and will I get the labels from the box (size and lot number) after surgery?
  • ☐ 10. Is that brand registered in this country, and does it have parts and dentists in the U.S.?
  • ☐ 11. Do I have enough bone, or will I need a bone graft or sinus lift first?
  • ☐ 12. Will the implants heal for months before the final teeth (two trips), or are teeth placed the same day, and why that plan for me?
  • ☐ 13. Will I get my X-rays or CT scan before and after, in digital form?

Price, warranty and follow-up

  • ☐ 14. What exactly is included in the price: temporaries, abutments, crowns, X-rays, medicines?
  • ☐ 15. Is the work guaranteed, for how long, and “who pays for the extra flights, hotel and remedial work?” (the regulator’s question, GDC)
  • ☐ 16. Who do I contact after I am home, and do I have to fly back to use the warranty?

The ADA advises arranging follow-up with a dentist at home before you travel (ADA). Before you book, read Is It Safe to Get Dental Implants in Mexico?, Is It Safe to Get Veneers in Turkey? and compare what dental implants cost in the U.S..

xcuro can send these questions to clinics for you and pass on their written answers. We do not perform medical audits or inspections; see our methodology and medical disclaimer. For questions that apply to any clinic abroad (price, deposit, insurance), see 20 questions to ask a clinic abroad.

Sources

All sources accessed October 19–22, 2026.

  1. FDA – Dental implants: what you should know: www.fda.gov
  2. ADA (MouthHealthy) – Veneers: www.mouthhealthy.org
  3. ADA (MouthHealthy) – Implants: www.mouthhealthy.org
  4. ADA (MouthHealthy) – Dental care while traveling: www.mouthhealthy.org
  5. General Dental Council – Going abroad for dental treatment: www.gdc-uk.org
  6. BBC News – Turkey teeth (July 2022): www.bbc.co.uk
  7. SEP – Registro Nacional de Profesionistas: www.cedulaprofesional.sep.gob.mx
  8. Turkey – Law No. 3224 on the Turkish Dental Association (chamber membership): mevzuat.gov.tr
  9. Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas de Costa Rica – registry: www.colegiodentistas.org