Deposits and paying a clinic safely
Most problems with payments come from paying the wrong party, by the wrong method, without anything in writing. All three are easy to avoid.
Medically reviewed by Dt. Hüseyin Yavuz Özbek, implant surgeon · Updated October 2026Pay the clinic itself, not a person or an unrelated company, and check the payee name matches the clinic’s legal name on HealthTürkiye. Pay by card where possible, because UK card protections may help if something goes wrong. Get the deposit amount, what it secures and the refund and cancellation terms in writing before paying, and keep every receipt.
Clinics in Turkey often ask for a deposit before you travel, to hold surgery time and hotel rooms. That is reasonable. What matters is who you pay, how, and what you have in writing when you do.
Who to pay
- The clinic’s own company. The name on the invoice or bank account should match the legal name on its HealthTürkiye entry, or a company the clinic tells you about in writing.
- Not a person’s account, even if they say they are the clinic’s coordinator.
- Not an unrelated agency unless you have chosen to book through one and understand its terms. See agents or booking direct.
Many clinics list their bank details on their HealthTürkiye entry. If the account you are asked to pay differs, ask why.
How to pay
Paying by credit card may give you extra protection under UK consumer law if the service is not provided, depending on the amount and how the payment is made. Ask your card provider before you pay. Debit cards may offer a chargeback route. Bank transfers are harder to reverse.
Card payments abroad can carry fees. Ask the clinic whether it charges in pounds or euros, and check your card’s foreign transaction fee.
Get these in writing before you pay
- The deposit amount, and what it secures (dates, hotel, surgery time).
- Whether it is refundable, and when it stops being refundable.
- What happens if the clinic has to cancel or the dentist is unavailable.
- What happens if, after the scan, you decide not to go ahead.
- When and how the balance is paid.
Receipts to keep
- Every payment confirmation.
- A final invoice in the clinic’s legal name with each treatment itemised.
- Your signed treatment plan and guarantee.
Warning signs
- Pressure to pay a large deposit immediately to “lock” a discount.
- A request to pay in cryptocurrency or by money transfer services to an individual.
- No written terms, only messages.
Common questions
Is it normal to pay a deposit?
Yes, many clinics take one to hold appointments and hotel rooms. Ask what it covers and whether it is refundable.
Is bank transfer unsafe?
Not in itself, but it is harder to recover money if something goes wrong. If you must transfer, check the account name matches the clinic’s legal name.
Can I pay the balance in cash?
Many clinics accept cash. Always ask for a receipt in the clinic’s legal name with the treatment itemised.
Sources
Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.
Ask Precious Dental for a written plan
Send an X-ray or a few photos of your teeth. A dentist will reply with a written plan and an itemised price. No obligation, and you can compare it with any clinic in this register.