DENTAL DIPLOMACY. (Diplomazia dentistica)

Despite the glacial political relations between Athens and Skopje, residents of northern Greece are flocking across the border to find less expensive dental care, as well as other goods and services.

The two Balkan neighbours remain at loggerheads over the name "Macedonia", but that has not stopped ordinary citizens from practicing their brand of economic diplomacy.

According to Greek dental associations, private practices have seen as much as a 50% drop in business due to "dental excursions" to Bitola, Gevgelija or Strumica.

The influence of the ongoing economic crisis is hard to gauge, though it is a growing factor. Nor is inexpensive dentistry the only draw. Many also come in search of cheaper petrol, or for recreation and entertainment.

A customs officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told SETimes that an average of 1,000 Greek citizens pass through the Evzoni border crossing on any given weekday, with the number doubling at the weekend.

"It is the casino in Gevgelija," he said, referring to one of the many gambling establishments north of the border. He added that 500 Greek citizens, per day on average, cross the Niki border post, further west.

Georgios Xanthopoulos, president of Florina's dentist association, has practiced dentistry for 27 years. He says the phenomenon of local residents making the 24km drive to Bitola for dental care began after 2000.

"With the economic crisis in Greece, and especially with the situation in state-run dentistry here, people often sacrifice convenience for lower prices," Xanthopoulos told SETimes.

He said many residents of the prefecture of Florina are insured by the civil servant's health fund, including the Public Power Corporation's large workforce. But the fund has frozen dental care reimbursements at 1994 prices.

Although it costs around 50 euros to fill a tooth cavity, the state-run fund only pays beneficiaries 7 euros, Xanthopoulos said.

In Bitola, he noted, the same procedure costs around 15 euros.

Similarly, a fitted denture costs between 1,000 to 1,200 euros in Florina and Kilkis, but runs as low as 300 euros in Bitola. A routine root canal procedure is only reimbursed to the tune of 20 euros by the public sector health fund, whereas a Greek dentist charges a minimum of 150 euros.

Among Florina residents who are not insured by the fund, there are "few to zero" instances of medical tourism, Xanthopoulos said. Foreign physicians can't prescribe medications, treatments or further diagnostic/clinical tests that local funds will approve or reimburse.

The president of the Kilkis prefecture's dentist association, Charalambos Iakovidis, echoes his colleague's assessment. Iakovidis said he has already given three television interviews on the subject, and agrees business is definitely down because of lower prices available elsewhere.

"People are heading across the border even on foot, as well as in organised coach tours. The impact on our prefecture is 50% or more," he told SETimes.

Both dental association presidents insisted, however, that facilities are better in Greece and that Greek practitioners are more experienced.

"CE certification exists here for equipment, something that is not required in the neighbouring country because dentists are not obliged to follow EU regulations and bylaws," Xanthopoulos said.

He acknowledged, though, that the cost of living in general is dramatically lower in Bitola compared to Florina. "That's one reason that you'll even see wedding parties now being organised over there, as there are a lot of people here with relatives in the Bitola region, he said.
(SETimes.com)