Ukrainian dentists dodging Vlad’s bombs to keep working – Our clinic has even treated 37 Brits… nothing can stop us
A BRIT says he will risk his life dodging bombs to get his teeth fixed in Kyiv after struggling to get a dentist in the UK.
Ian Russell, 33, will become one of the dozens of people in England who have sought affordable dental treatment in war-torn Ukraine.
He has suffered from "searing" tooth pain for months but has been unable to find any relief at home.
So instead, Ian has turned to Astra Dent - a dental clinic in Kyiv - who offered him treatment for one-third of the price of private care in the UK.
Astra Dent told The Sun they have already treated 37 Brits this year.
To get there Ian will have to fly to Poland before taking an arduous 15-hour journey by bus to the Ukraine capital.
READ MORE ON UKRAINE
The alternative is to drive all the way from England - with five days on the road.
But the Lincolnshire man needs to have his toothache fixed and two dental implants before the damage becomes irreversible.
"It is damn near impossible to get help in the UK," he told The Sun.
"I was registered to an NHS dental clinic about five years ago but I have since moved and that is quite far away from where I now reside.
Most read in The Sun
"They provided me with a list of dental clinics closer to Lincolnshire and I called about 15 of them and none were accepting new patients.
"My original clinic said if I was in an emergency situation, I could most likely get booked in the next day but only if I paid private fees.";
Ian's dental clinic reportedly quoted him an eye-watering £15,000 for the implant treatment.
He said: "It's astronomical - the average person just cannot afford that."
Astra Dent's package - which includes travel to Kyiv, treatment for the sore tooth and two new implants - costs roughly £6,000.
That's just over one-third of the price in the UK.
"It really just shows that the system here is broken," Ian said.
According to the British Dental Association, England is facing the worst dental access crisis in the nation's history.
The unmet need for dentistry is at a record high - sitting at one in four of the adult population.
Alarming figures also showed more than 50 per cent of Brit dentists reduced their NHS commitments since the start of the pandemic.
But after assessing the dangers involved, Ian said he was willing to risk everything to fix the debilitating issues that had taken over his life.
He said: "Throughout this process, I have realised dentistry is integral to daily life, whether it is well-being or functionality.
"My mental health has suffered as a result of the UK's flawed system.
"My main question to Astra Dent was what would happen in the event of an explosion or an air raid siren during my delicate treatment.
"They said it was up to me if I wanted to continue during that scenario, as they were prepared to work through the war to ensure high-quality treatment."
Foreign Office officials currently advise against all travel to Ukraine.
But having previously visited the war zone as an aid worker, Ian knows the present dangers and said he would make the trip this October.
He added: "I've been in pain for so long and this surgery would be life-changing."
The most common route for foreigners to get to Astra Dent was to fly to Poland and then catch a train or bus to Kyiv.
The clinic has operated throughout the war and has treated 257 international patients in 2023 alone.
What's more, Astra Dent has managed to keep its doors open despite air raids, blackouts and even with running water being cut off.
Kateryna Shchepelina from the clinic told The Sun: "Dental tourism can be compared to Ukraine since Russia's invasion... it has changed but it has failed to be destroyed.
"It doesn't matter if there is a war raging - people still suffer toothaches.
"Nothing can stop us and we will continue to provide treatment."
Dental tourism has existed since ancient times and revolved around people travelling to developing countries to get low-cost treatment.
Turkey and Thailand are the usual hotspots - but Ukraine has also joined the list.
Astra Dent, which run 11 clinics in Kyiv and one in Lviv, received 828 tourism patients in 2019.
Coronavirus and travel restrictions caused an initial hiccup - but numbers rebounded to 1,288 the following year.
Then Putin launched his wrongful invasion and numbers dropped to 287.
Death is still a possibility - with the potential for a Russian onslaught being unpredictable.
But as President Volodomyr Zelensky and his fearless warriors hold their ground, international patients have returned.
Thankfully, Astra Dent's clinics are located next to metro stations - the safest form of shelter.
Kateryna admitted most international patients were people who had reasons to be in Ukraine - such as policy, aid or security workers.
But for the average visitor, she warned it was crucial the company was honest about the situations and risks expected in Ukraine.
She said: "We cannot guarantee safety during the whole period of staying here as the threat from explosions is still very real."
But Astra Dent is reportedly much more prepared from the terrifying early days of February 2022.
During the first weeks of war, the dentistry operated with a skeleton crew for emergency care only.
They also provided the treatment free of charge.
But now with generators on hand, Kateryna believed the clinics were prepared for the worst.
She said: "Immediately after the invasion, people were terrified and it was extremely difficult to operate.
"Our priorities were to save our own lives. It has taken some time but we have been given hope.
"I cannot express my gratitude for the risk and support from our international patients.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"There are lots of dangerous situations they can face but they choose Ukraine and we are so grateful. We will always strive to do our best."
With business picking up, Astra Dent recently started a clinic in Lviv and will also open a facility in Warsaw so international patients would be able to fly in without any additional kinds of transport.
