'Tirana teeth': Albania hopes to be the new Turkey for dental work
The Balkan nation is aiming to become a new centre for medical tourism.
Anthony Hook, a 58-year-old window cleaner from Greater Manchester, has undergone dental work in Tirana, Albania, and now boasts a "Tirana teeth" smile. Tirana, the capital city of Albania, has become a hub for dental tourism, with nearly 400 clinics concentrated in the city center. The city's dental clinics offer treatments at a comparable price to Turkey, which has long been the primary destination for Western Europeans seeking affordable dental work.
Hook's decision to travel to Tirana was influenced by the visible signage of dental clinics and his desire to avoid potential issues seen in Turkey, where the UK Foreign Office has reported seven British nationals dying from medical procedures in 2025. Elite Dental, one of the largest clinics in Tirana, is fully licensed and employs 15 dentists.
The city's government aims to regulate the medical tourism industry, with Prime Minister Edi Rama expressing confidence in the country's potential to become a leading destination for dental work.
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