Your Journey

This guide is for adults living in Turkey. It covers first contact, examination and diagnosis, options, a written plan, consent, treatment, healing and regular check-ups. Each section suggests questions you can ask at that stage.

Ask for the proposed steps, the reasons for them and your follow-up plan in writing. If anything is unclear, ask your dentist before deciding.

Briefly describe what is troubling you and what you want to find out. Prepare details of previous dental treatment, medicines and allergies to discuss. Mention any previous X-rays and treatment records you have.

Questions to prepare include:

• Which records should I bring to the examination?
• Who can I speak to about anxiety or communication needs?
• Who will carry out the treatment?

Under Turkey's patient rights regulation, on request, you can receive information about the identity, role and title of the dentists and other staff who will treat you¹.

A dentist examines you in person before your plan is final.

Dental radiography selection guidance recommends choosing X-rays on the basis of your individual history and clinical examination, rather than taking them routinely². A routine X-ray is one taken without clinical signs or symptoms, for example only because time has passed. If an X-ray or CBCT scan is proposed, ask what it is for. If an intraoral scan (a digital impression) is proposed, ask why it is needed too. If you are or may be pregnant, tell your dentist; the guidance recommends offering the option of delaying non-urgent X-rays².

Ask what the diagnosis is, which findings support it and whether anything still needs clarification. Share any previous images you have. The same guidance recommends seeking originals or copies of X-rays taken elsewhere when they are relevant².

The FDI World Dental Federation's ethics guidance calls for an explanation of the diagnosis and the benefits and risks of treatment or no treatment³. Ask what could happen without treatment, whether a less extensive option is available and what the proposed treatment aims to achieve.

If less treatment could meet your needs, we tell you.

Before deciding, ask for the plan in writing. You can ask it to specify:

• which procedures are proposed for which teeth, and why;
• who will carry them out;
• the treatment sequence and estimated duration;
• expected benefits, risks and other options;
• the materials to be used;
• aftercare and follow-up.

Turkey's patient rights regulation provides for information about who will perform an intervention and how, its estimated duration, other options, benefits, risks, possible complications and the consequences of refusal¹. Asking for a written plan helps you revisit this information. If a change is proposed, ask why and request the updated plan in writing.

Ask for an explanation of anything unclear before giving consent. FDI ethics guidance calls for dialogue and time for reflection, particularly for complex or elective procedures³.

In private oral and dental healthcare facilities in Turkey, a consent form is required for every intervention⁴. Read the form before signing and ask for a copy.

You can say no, or ask to stop, at any stage.¹ Turkey's patient rights regulation provides for this right except where treatment is legally compulsory; the consequences of refusal are explained and a written record is made¹. Discuss with your dentist what stopping would mean at that point.

Before each procedure, ask what will happen that day. Tell your dentist if you feel discomfort or anxiety. Discuss beforehand how to ask for a pause. If the proposed procedure differs from your written plan, ask for an explanation and your options.

For crowns and veneers, you see the planned shape before they are finished and can ask for changes.

For information about a particular treatment, read our fillings page. Ask at your examination which option is proposed for your tooth.

Ask for written aftercare instructions for your treatment. Ask your questions about cleaning your mouth, eating and drinking, daily activities and any prescribed medicines. Ask which symptoms may be expected, which need dental attention and when your follow-up should take place.

Ask for written details of who to contact for help and how. Ask about contact hours and what to do if you cannot get a reply. In a medical emergency, call 112⁵.

Under Turkey's patient rights regulation, you should receive information about lifestyle measures needed for your health after treatment and how to reach medical help when necessary¹.

The UK's NICE guidance on oral health reviews recommends setting the recall interval for each person, based on an assessment of disease levels and risks and discussed with that person⁶. It also recommends reassessing the interval at the next review⁶.

Discuss routine oral health reviews separately from follow-up appointments for ongoing treatment. Ask when your next check-up should be, why that interval was chosen and when you should seek care sooner. Ask for your recommended schedule in writing.

• What to expect: Questions to prepare before your discussion and examination.
• Treatment timeline: What to ask about your own treatment schedule.
• Aftercare: What to ask about care instructions and follow-up.