Switching clinics between trips

Most implant and full-arch treatment takes two trips. Sometimes, between them, a patient wants to change clinic: they were unhappy with the first, the clinic has changed, or they have simply found one they prefer. This is possible, but it is not like changing hairdressers. Here is what is involved.

Why it is more complicated than it sounds

• Parts must match. Implants come in systems. The abutment and crown must be compatible with the implant already in your jaw.
• Records are essential. The new clinic needs to know exactly what was placed, where, and how it was planned.
• Responsibility is split. If something goes wrong later, it may be unclear whose work caused it.
• Guarantees usually end. Most guarantees exclude work changed by another dentist.

Records to collect from the first clinic

• All X-rays and the 3D (CBCT) scan files.
• The implant brand, model, diameter, length and position for each implant.
• Batch or lot numbers, if recorded.
• Your treatment plan and a note of what has been done so far.
• Details of any bone graft or sinus lift, including materials.
• Your invoice and guarantee.

The NHS treatment abroad checklist advises getting copies of your records wherever you are treated. If you have them, switching becomes much easier.

Questions for the new clinic

• Can you work with this implant system and get the parts?
• Do you need to examine me and take your own scan first?
• What will you guarantee, and what will you not?
• Will the price for finishing the work be fixed before you start?
• What happens if you find a problem with the earlier work?

Questions for the first clinic

• Will you send my full records, including scan files?
• What happens to my guarantee if another clinic finishes the treatment?
• Have I paid for anything not yet done, and can it be refunded?

When switching makes sense

• You have lost confidence in the first clinic.
• The first clinic has closed or changed its dentists.
• A careful examination elsewhere has found a problem the first clinic will not address.

When staying is usually better

If you are broadly happy, staying with one clinic keeps one team responsible for the whole result and keeps your guarantee intact. A short conversation with the first clinic about your concerns is often worth having before you move.

Checking the new clinic

Treat the new clinic exactly as you would any first choice. Check it on HealthTürkiye, read what it publishes and get a written plan. Our clinic files and compare tool help.

A step-by-step plan if you decide to switch

1. Write to the first clinic asking for your complete records: every X-ray, the 3D scan files (not just screenshots), the implant details and notes of what was done. Ask for them in a format another clinic can open.
2. Check you have the implant details: brand, model, diameter, length and the tooth position of each implant. Without these, a new clinic may need to identify the system from X-rays, which is slower and less certain.
3. Send the records to the new clinic and ask whether it can work with that system. If it cannot get compatible parts, stop there.
4. Ask for a provisional written plan for finishing the treatment, with a price and timetable.
5. Plan an examination at the new clinic before any work is done. It will usually want its own scan.
6. Settle what you have paid for at the first clinic and not received, in writing.
7. Keep everything: records, both invoices, both sets of guarantee terms.

What usually changes when you switch

If the first clinic will not send records

Ask again in writing and keep a copy of your request. A clinic should be able to give you copies of your X-rays and scans. If you have a UK dentist, they can sometimes take new X-rays that show the implants, and identify the system, though this is not always possible. The NHS treatment abroad checklist suggests getting copies of records as a matter of course, which avoids this problem in the first place.

If you are unhappy rather than just changing your mind

Tell the first clinic clearly what is wrong, in writing, with photos where useful. Many problems are easier to fix with the team that knows your case. If you have lost confidence, a second opinion from a UK dentist can help you decide whether the work needs correcting or simply finishing. The Foreign Office notes that some British nationals have needed further treatment after procedures in Turkey; it is reasonable to want a careful, independent look before committing more money.

Choosing the second clinic

Treat it as a fresh choice. Check its Ministry authorisation on HealthTürkiye, read what it publishes about implants and guarantees, and ask the questions above. Our implant ranking and compare tool show how Antalya clinics compare on brands, guarantees and published prices, and each clinic file lists the implant brands it names, which tells you whether it is likely to work with your system.

Costs to expect

Switching rarely saves money on the treatment itself, and it can add costs:

• A new examination and scan at the second clinic, unless it accepts the first clinic's scan files.
• Different parts, if the second clinic uses a different abutment system that is compatible with your implant.
• Corrections, if the second clinic finds a problem with the earlier work. Ask for these to be priced separately so you can see them.
• Any amount already paid to the first clinic for work not yet done. Ask whether it will be refunded.

Put the second clinic's full price next to what the first clinic would have charged to finish. Our article on comparing two quotes explains how to line the two up fairly.

Full-arch treatment is harder to move

With All-on-4 or All-on-6, the final bridge is built on several implants placed at specific angles, often with specific connectors. A second clinic needs to be confident it can make a bridge that fits those exact positions. Some clinics use photogrammetry or digital scanning to record implant positions precisely; ask how the new clinic would do it. If you are mid-way through full-arch treatment, the case for staying with the first clinic, if at all possible, is stronger.

A short checklist to keep

• Records requested in writing, and received.
• Implant brand, model, size and positions confirmed.
• New clinic confirms it can work with the system.
• New written plan, price and timetable received.
• Guarantee position at both clinics understood.

If you are thinking of switching to us

If you are considering finishing treatment at Precious Dental, send us your records and the implant details first. We would need to examine you and take our own scan before confirming whether we can help and at what price, and we will tell you honestly if staying with your first clinic looks like the better choice.

Common questions

Can another clinic fit crowns on implants placed elsewhere?

Often yes, if it can identify the implant system and get compatible parts. It will need the brand, model and size.

Will I lose my guarantee if I switch?

Usually, for the work the first clinic did. Check its terms. The new clinic's guarantee will cover only its own work.

What records do I need?

X-rays and 3D scans, the implant brand, model, size and positions, your treatment plan and notes on what has been done.

Is it better to stay with the first clinic?

Usually, if you are happy with it, because one clinic is responsible for the whole result. Switching makes sense if you have lost confidence or the clinic has closed.

Sources

1. NHS: treatment abroad checklist
2. NHS: dental treatments (implants)
3. HealthTürkiye

Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.