A 53-year-old Greek man living in Canada remains in critical condition after travelling to Turkey for a procedure to acquire dental implants, an incident that has renewed questions about the risks surrounding that country’s rapidly expanding medical-tourism sector.
According to widespread media attention in Greece over the past week, Alexandros, a permanent resident of Canada and a father of one, travelled to Turkey with his wife July 20, attracted by what the family said were favorable reviews of a specific dental clinic and treatment costs that were almost half what they would have paid elsewhere.
A month later, he remains in intensive care at the KAT Hospital in northern Athens, where he is fighting for his life.
Speaking to Mega TV‘s Live News program, his wife said the family had still not received a clear official explanation from the clinic in Turkey about what went wrong.
“I have not received a specific answer. Apparently, the problem was with the anesthesia and from the time he was supposed to wake up,” she said.
Her account has not been independently verified, and the precise medical cause of Alexandros’ condition remains unclear.
From dental treatment to intensive care
According to Maria, the couple had researched the clinic extensively before travelling. She said it had received favorable online reviews and appeared to have government certification allowing it to carry out the relevant procedures.
The original plan, she said, was for the dental work to be performed under sedation and local anesthesia. She alleges that the procedure was subsequently changed to general anesthesia after the chief dentist concluded that her husband could not cooperate under sedation.
The couple returned to the clinic the following afternoon after Alexandros had undergone required medical tests.
“He underwent the operation under general anesthesia and never woke up,” she said.
He was subsequently transferred to a Turkish hospital, where he was placed on a ventilator in intensive care.
Maria described the hours that followed as chaotic and frightening. She said she was initially told that doctors could not determine what had happened and that they expected to wake her husband. After about 48 hours, she said, she was told that he had developed blood clots and subsequently internal bleeding and was in a coma.
“I was told, ‘We will wake him up.’ Then, after two days, they told me there were blood clots. Then the bleeding started. Then they told me I could not trust anyone. I was alone,” she said.
Difficulties with repatriation
The family also faced difficulties bringing Alexandros to Greece.
According to the account given by the man’s wife, a Hellenic Air Force air ambulance had been prepared to retrieve him from Istanbul, but the transfer did not take place. He was eventually repatriated on a civilian aircraft following intervention by the Greek health minister and the Greek consul in Ankara.
Maria said the family had already taken legal action against the Turkish clinic.
“We are not losing hope,” she said, expressing her wish that her husband would eventually return to their home in Canada, where the couple have lived for the past 13 years.
A major destination for medical tourism
The case comes against the backdrop of a huge expansion in Turkey’s medical-tourism industry.
Clinics in Turkey have robustly promoted the country as a global destination for overseas patients, citing comparatively low prices, modern facilities, internationally oriented hospitals and the ability to combine treatment with travel.
According to Turkey’s trade ministry, the number of health tourists visiting the country reached about 1.5 million in 2024, while health-service exports generated approximately three billion US dollars. The government says the number of health tourists increased six-fold between 2012 and 2024.
Among others, the phenomenon has even acquired its own popular label in Britain: “Turkey teeth”, referring primarily to cosmetic veneers and extensive dental reconstruction.
But the economics that make the sector attractive can also create risks.
The UK government currently identifies dental procedures, cosmetic surgery and cardiac surgery among the most common treatments sought by medical tourists in Turkey. Its travel advice says the standard of medical facilities and treatment can vary and reports that seven British nationals died in Turkey in 2025 following medical procedures. It also says some British nationals have experienced complications requiring further treatment or surgery after returning home.
