Izmir: university-trained dentists, fewer UK flights

Izmir rarely appears in UK adverts for dental treatment. Yet when we checked dentists for this guide, Izmir stood out for one thing: the number of dentists with academic training. Several hold PhDs, several are specialists, and two are professors of periodontology in private practice.

Why Izmir has so many academically trained dentists

Ege University in Izmir has one of Türkiye’s long-established dental faculties. Many of its graduates and staff practise in the city. Of the Izmir dentists in our guide, most list Ege University as their dental school, and some also did their doctorate or specialist training there. You can see each one on our Izmir dentists page.

What that means for patients

If your case is complex, for example advanced gum disease before implants, or a full-mouth rebuild that needs careful prosthetic planning, Izmir has specialists with long academic careers. For routine work, the advantage is smaller: experienced practising dentists elsewhere may be just as suitable. See a professor or a practising dentist.

The practical catch: flights

Fewer UK airports fly direct to Izmir than to Antalya or Istanbul, and many routes are seasonal. If your treatment needs two trips, check winter flights from your nearest airport before booking. Connecting through Istanbul is possible but makes the journey longer.

The city itself

Izmir is a large, working city on the Aegean, less touristy than the resorts. Districts such as Bornova, Karşıyaka and Bayraklı, where several clinics in this guide are based, are residential and business areas. Ask the clinic to recommend a hotel close by.

Izmir and Kuşadası

Many UK visitors to Kuşadası fly into Izmir. Some clinics have branches in both. If you are considering Kuşadası, see our article on dentists in the Aegean resorts.

What the Izmir dentists in this guide publish

A striking feature of the Izmir clinics we checked is how much they publish about their dentists. Several profiles give the dental school, graduation year, doctorate or specialist training with dates, and the thesis subject. Some HealthTürkiye records include an uploaded CV. That makes Izmir dentists easier than most to check, and it is why several score well on our five public checks.

Specialities well represented in Izmir

• Periodontology: including two professors and a specialist who lists implant work in complex cases.
• Prosthodontics: including dentists with PhDs in prosthodontics from Ege University.
• Orthodontics: specialists trained at İzmir Katip Çelebi University.

See them on our periodontists, prosthodontists and orthodontists pages.

Planning a trip to Izmir

• Check direct flights from your nearest UK airport for both trips, or allow for a connection in Istanbul.
• Ask the clinic which district it is in and which hotels are nearby; Izmir is spread out around its bay.
• Allow extra time in summer, when the city is hot and the airport busy.

Is Izmir right for you?

If you value academic training and are willing to plan travel carefully, Izmir is worth considering. If you want the simplest possible logistics for two trips, Antalya or Istanbul will usually be easier. Either way, choose the dentist first.

Four Izmir dentists whose records are unusually clear

To show what “easy to check” means in practice, here are four Izmir dentists from this guide and what their clinics publish. Every detail links to its source on their profile.

• Prof. Dr. Nejat Nizam, Nifa Dent: dental degree from Ege University (2003), PhD (2009), associate professor in 2013 and professor in 2022, with a CV on the HealthTürkiye register.
• Dr. Şükrü Mert Yüce, Dentaglobal: Ege University (2006), PhD in prosthodontics (2013), and a CV on the register.
• Uzm. Dt. Sibel Palacı, Dentasey: Marmara University (2012), orthodontics specialist training completed in 2018.
• Dt. Eda Çeşit, My Nova: Hacettepe University (2006), with an English CV linked from the clinic website.

That level of detail is not universal. It is the standard we would like every clinic to meet, including our own.

How to approach an Izmir clinic

1. Pick two or three dentists whose field matches your treatment, using our speciality pages.
2. Send each clinic the same X-ray and the same questions.
3. Ask which dentist would treat you, and whether they would see you on both trips.
4. Ask whether the clinic has treated UK patients before and how they handle aftercare at a distance.
5. Compare the answers side by side, not just the prices.

Travel insurance and health cover

GOV.UK’s Turkey health advice notes that the EHIC and GHIC are not valid in Türkiye, so you need travel insurance that covers medical problems on your trip. If you are travelling for planned treatment, check that your policy does not exclude it, and ask your insurer about complications.

Izmir compared with Antalya and Istanbul

For many patients the decision comes down to one question: is the extra academic depth worth the extra travel planning? For complex gum or prosthetic cases, it may be.

A sample plan for an Izmir implant trip

If you choose a dentist in Izmir for implants, a careful plan might look like this:

1. Before travel: send your X-ray and health summary; have a video call with the dentist; agree a written plan and dates for both trips.
2. Arrival: fly to Izmir Adnan Menderes, direct or via Istanbul; transfer to a hotel near the clinic.
3. Day one: examination and 3D scan; plan confirmed or adjusted.
4. Surgery: implants placed; rest days follow.
5. Before flying home: a check, written aftercare instructions and copies of your records.
6. Three to six months later: the second trip for the final teeth.

The difference from Antalya or Istanbul is mainly in step two: check the flight options for both trips before committing.

Gum health and the Izmir periodontists

If you have lost teeth to gum disease, Izmir’s concentration of periodontists is a real asset. Our periodontists page lists the specialists and professors we found there. A periodontal assessment before implants can change the plan, for example by saving teeth or by treating the gums first. See gum disease and implants.

Questions specific to Izmir clinics

• Which district is the clinic in, and which hotels do your UK patients use?
• Do you arrange transfers from the airport?
• Have you treated UK patients who needed two trips? How did they manage flights?
• If I cannot get a direct flight for my second trip, can the dates be flexible?

Your next steps

1. Browse our Izmir dentists and pick two whose field matches your treatment.
2. Check flights to Izmir for both trips.
3. Send each clinic your X-ray and questions.

If the travel works for you, Izmir offers some of the most clearly documented dentists in this guide, which makes the checking part of your decision unusually straightforward.

Our view

Precious Dental, which publishes this guide, is in Antalya, and our top pick works there. We include Izmir dentists because several of them publish exceptionally clear records of their training, and because for some patients they will be the right choice. Compare them with every other city in our city guide.

Common questions

Is Izmir good for dental implants?

There are experienced implant dentists and specialists in Izmir. Check flights for both trips before booking.

How far is Izmir airport from the city?

Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) is roughly 30 to 45 minutes from central districts by road.

Is Kuşadası close to Izmir?

Kuşadası is about an hour or so from Izmir airport by road, and many visitors fly into Izmir.

Do Izmir dentists treat many UK patients?

Fewer than in Antalya or Istanbul, but several clinics have English-speaking teams.

Sources

1. HealthTürkiye: health facility list (filter by city)
2. GOV.UK: Turkey travel advice, health
3. GOV.UK: foreign travel insurance

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