Hungary is the most popular destination for Irish people going abroad for dental work, according to a survey of so-called ‘dental tourism’.

Some 36 per cent of Irish people who took such trips went to Hungary. The next most popular destinations were Poland, Turkey, Bulgaria and Thailand.

The survey by RevaHealth.com, a search engine for medical tourism, found that 84 per cent of people who travelled for dental treatment were satisfied with the work.

The average cost saving for those who went abroad was €4,800. Over 95 per cent of respondents to the survey said cost was the main reason they considered dental tourism.

However, when it came to choosing which clinic to visit, quality was the deciding factor. Patients reported wide variations in the amount of money they saved and in the abilities of clinics to communicate effectively.

There were also variations in satisfaction between countries, with patient satisfaction highest overall for clinics in Hungary, Poland and Thailand.

The worldwide survey showed that implants, crowns and veneers were the main treatments that consumers were interested in when making an inquiry to RevaHealth.com. According to the firm, crowns typically cost €715 in Ireland, compared to €300 in Hungary - a 58 per cent saving.

Implants cost €1,400 in Hungary, 57 per cent lower than the €3,290 charged in Ireland. Caelen King, founder and chief executive of RevaHealth.com, said about 10,500 Irish people - nearly 30 a day - travel abroad for dental work a year. The Irish Dental Association claims the figure is a lot lower.