Thread: Should Cruise Lines Have a Dentist Available?

But to most people, they would rather have the immediate gratification items than the insurance items.

Besides, I do think that a ship MD can handle the basics - if not directly than by a ship to shore consult that most of the larger ships have.

Lulu - your point is good and logical.
However, if I were the cruise line, I would look at this: How many people on each cruise would use a water park as opposed to the number who would use a dentest? Probaly not a huge profit center...

... unless they could figure a way to offer something like dental make-over cruises for a hefty price! "Cruise the Caribbean and come home with a brand new smile." They are already offering teeth whitening - via the sspa. Why not move that to the onboard dental clinic, along with full mouth implants? THEN they would have a real profit center that could also hanadle dental emergencies...

I voted NO, but I could see having a dentist on a very long cruise.

I have a question..........who takes care of the crew when they have dental problems?

I would guess the doctor knows enough to treat them until a port is reached.

Does anyone know?

Originally Posted by canarymoon

Lulu - your point is good and logical.
However, if I were the cruise line, I would look at this: How many people on each cruise would use a water park as opposed to the number who would use a dentest? Probaly not a huge profit center...

... unless they could figure a way to offer something like dental make-over cruises for a hefty price! "Cruise the Caribbean and come home with a brand new smile." They are already offering teeth whitening - via the sspa. Why not move that to the onboard dental clinic, along with full mouth implants? THEN they would have a real profit center that could also hanadle dental emergencies...

An interesting idea but I don't think it would work. Would you want to have all that delicious food set out before you and you too numb with mouth pain and Novocaine to enjoy it?

Yikes!

So, I guess the same would go for 'face lift cruises,' too, then?

I was wondering if people actually go for the whitening treatments onboard (I guess that's a topic for another poll). What would be the attraction for passengers to do so? Is it cheaper? Do many people live a distance from a dentist that would do this?

Hey, they have them now in malls. What is interesting is that many states are now requiring them to be done only by a dentist.

Had to visit the medic with my mother on our cruise on the NCL Jade and witnessed a passenger there having arrangements made for the next morning to visit a dentist in Las Palmas. They had emailed them and made an appointment I thiink. Think she'd lost a crown. I suppose its okay providing you're visiting places that you would be happy to have treatment in.

I went with "other". I don't think it's realistic to expect a dentist onboard. However, I think it would be nice if the cruiseline could provide you with the name of a dentist(s) that is available in the next port.

One of my big fears is having a dental problem while traveling.