Chandigarh, the city beautiful was named as one of the most perfect cities in the world by the BBC. India is one of the most sought after dental tourism destination, due to affordable solutions and world-class dental care.

Video credit: ONLY in India

Chandigarh is a home to a large number of hospitals. It houses tertiary care hospital Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI). It caters to patients from all over Punjab, J&K, Himachal Pradesh, and Haryana. PGI is ranked 2nd among medical colleges in India in 2019 by the National Institutional Ranking Framework medical ranking for 2019.

The top dentists who retire from PGI practice in dental clinics and hospitals in and around Chandigarh. Thus, making this area a healthcare hub, with world-class dental clinics.

Why Choose Chandigarh

Many patients who come to New Delhi do not go to Chandigarh to get dental work done because they think it saves time. However, Chandigarh has much more benefits compared to New Delhi.

Cost of Dental Work

Dental work is comparatively cheaper than U.S.A by _____%.

*Prices are subject to change

So we recommend getting your dental work done from Chandigarh. Besides, it takes maximum of 1 hour to reach Chandigarh by flight, or it is a 3-hour drive.

Is Dental Work Safe in Chandigarh?

We suggest you should do thorough research about the clinic and the treating dentist.

• Find out the qualifications of the dentist. The dentist could be Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) and may have done specialization in any field; Masters in Dental Surgery (MDS) or a Fellowship program.
• They should be accredited with Indian Dental Association  (similar to ADA membership in the US) and licensed by the State Dental Council.
• As English is an official language in India, language barrier does not exist.
• Check if the clinic has an in-house dental lab. In-house labs quicken the prosthesis turnover and maintain higher quality standards. The dentist can give inputs immediately.
• Sterilization is of extreme importance. The dental clinic must meet the set international standards.
• A long experience of dealing with foreign patients and dental work is recommended.

Dental Training in India

Training in dentistry in India is through a 5-year BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) course, which consists of :

• Four years of study
• One year internship. This includes hands-on training on patients under the supervision of professors.

Postgraduate degree/ Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) which is a 3-year course. In this, there is practical teaching of one specialization.

Fellowship Programs: Doctors often do Fellowships in various fields, to have refined knowledge.

Dental Clinic

Dentavacation partner dental clinic consists of 8 fully equipped treatment rooms, a comfortable waiting area for patients and their travel companions. There is an on-site dental laboratory, 3D advanced dental imaging room, and a dental sterilization area.

Accreditation of Dental Clinic

Dentavacation partner dental clinic in Chandigarh is accreditated by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals & Healthcare Providers (NABH). The NABH has certain “Standards for Hospitals” which are approved by International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). The NABH accreditation is similar to Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation in the USA.

How to reach Chandigarh

Chandigarh’s airport (IXC) does not offer international flights from the U.S.A, Canada, U.K and Australia.

The easiest option is to travel to New Delhi, and from there to Chandigarh.

Non-stop flight duration between Northern USA and New Delhi, India is around 17- 19 hours. However, some airlines could take as long as 41 hours based on the stopover destination and waiting duration. The costs are around $800-$2000.

Flight duration between the UK and New Delhi, India, is around 9 hours. The costs are around 300 to 600 pounds.

Flight duration between New Zealand, Australia to New Delhi, India is around 14-16 hours. The cost is around $500-$700

Visa Requirements for India

Medical Visa: If a support person is going to accompany you, a medical attendant visa will be issued. Its duration varies depending on the treatment plan.

Tourist visa: You can visit India as a tourist for a maximum of 180 days. Passport holders of some countries can stay up to only 90 days. Note the count of days visa is valid for starts at the issue date, not your entry into the country. (E-visas start at the date of entry, though.)

Make sure your passport should be valid for 180 days or 6 months. Make sure there are at least two blank pages in the passport book. It will take around three days to approve your visa or longer, depending on the circumstances. Each visa is approved individually.

If you are going to travel with your family, then the individual visas might not be approved on the same day. You can apply for a visa by visiting indianvisaonline.gov.in/visa. Click on “Regular Visa Application” to apply for your visa.

Foreigner Registration in Chandigarh

The Foreigner’s Registration Office Chandigarh is located at 1st floor (Room No.110) Police Headquarters, (Additional Deluxe Building) Sector-9/D Chandigarh. This office is functioning under the supervision of SSP/UT Chandigarh. It is voluntary.

Emergency numbers

Things to do in Chandigarh

While planning your dental trip to Chandigarh, you can holiday in the neighboring states of Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Haryana in between your treatment or free time.

Chandigarh

Also known as ‘City Beautiful’ and is famous for its beautiful roundabouts, gardens, and interesting buildings

Zakir Hussain Rose Garden

It is recognized as Asia’s largest gardens. It has around 50,000 rose bushes with 1,600 different species. It even has medicinal plants such as bhael, bahera, gulmohar, etc.

Rock Garden

It was created by Nek Chand Saini. It consists of man-made waterfalls and sculptures made up of scrap, industrial or household wastes. It is an innovative and creative way to reuse waste materials.

Sukhna Lake

It is an artificial lake created by damming a seasonal river Sukhna Choe. It is a sanctuary for many exotic birds during winter. The highlight is a 150 years old banyan tree. You can also do boating, go for a jog, get your painting done.

You can also visit other places such as Government Museum & Art Gallery, Terraced Garden, Fun City and much more.

Himachal Pradesh

Himachal Pradesh is a large state with countless hill stations. It’s a very beautiful place. A vacation in the lush greenery with friendly people is must-do when getting dental work in Chandigarh.

Popular hill stations of Himachal

Kullu-Manali

A beautiful idyllic hill station, famous for Hindu temples such as Hidimba Devi Temple, and Manu Temple. You can visit the Manali Bird Sanctuary, and indulge in some sports activities in Solang Valley.

Shimla

The summer capital of British India. Must visit places are Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Summerhill or the Viceregal Estate passed into the hands of the President of India after Independence in 1947. The spectacular building was renamed ‘Rashtrapati Nivas’ (Presidential Residence). It is walking through India’s modern history.

Mall road is the main shopping hub. We highly recommend a trek to Jakhu temple while enjoying the beauty of Shimla.

UNESCO added the Kalka–Shimla railway to the mountain railways of India World Heritage Site.

Spiti, Tabo and Caza

Key Monastery is the oldest Buddhist temple in Spiti and is located at a very peaceful place. You can also go and pay your respects in Triloknath Temple which has a very important significance amongst both Hindus and Tibetan Buddhist Monks. Chandratal Lake is a beautiful water body shaped just like the crescent moon.

Travel packages to Himachal

The travel packages to Himachal can vary from 3-4 days from Kullu- Manali to 7-8 days for Spiti.

Haryana

This land is so ancient that you will definitely be fascinated by its rich history and religious importance. One of the most famous epics ‘Mahabharata’ was written here and took place here.

This city was in existence during the pre-Harrapan times.

This place is also known as ‘The Abode of God’ as according to Hinduism, Lord Krishna recited the famous ‘Bhagvad Gita’ here and preached the concept of Karma.

Kurushetra

Panorama and Science Center is a great place for understanding the Mahabharata. It also displays scientific evidence justifying every episode in the war.

Shri Krishna Museum: displays ancient artifacts such as pottery, coins, bronze castings and even leaf etchings.

Morni Hills

You can visit Tikkar Taal and enjoy its scenery. There are also 2 artificial lakes and lush greenery all around. Morni Fort is a great place for history lovers.

Gurugram

Cyber Hub is known for its night life and a great place for party lovers. Appu Ghar is the first amusement park opened in India. So, get excited for their thrilling rides and large waterslides.

Travel packages to Haryana

You can take a day trip to Morni hills or Kurukshetra. Gurugram has become a leading financial and industrial hub.

Punjab

It is a culturally vast state with a lot of historical importance, and is a well-known tourist destination.

Amritsar

The sacred Golden temple is a religious place for Sikhs. It is plated with gold and hence the name. Here, you can enjoy the local food and see traditional Punjab.

You can watch the Wagah border crossing ceremony that is held every evening 2 hours before sunset. It is the tallest flagpole of South Asia. The parade here is a must-watch.

Kila Raipur

Every February a rural Olympics is hosted in which the villagers perform bizarre feats such as:

People lifting bicycles with their teeth, daredevil stunts, riding a bicycle ringed with burning tires and much more. It’s as if the place is filled with competitors in America’s Got Talent!

Harike Wetlands

It is the largest wetland in India. November to February is the best time to go. It is a great place for nature lovers. 200 species of birds visit the wetland during the winter season of which some of the well-known species are the cotton pygmy goose, tufted duck, yellow-crowned woodpecker.

Travel packages to Punjab

Amritsar is 3-4 days trip. In this trip, you can also visit Kila Raipur and Harike Wetlands.

Video credit: ONLY in India

Tips to Remember

1. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it’s a must for travellers to get routine vaccines and vaccines for measles, hepatitis A, and typhoid.

2. Cover yourself and dress conservatively. You will draw a lot of unwanted attention if you don’t dress conservatively. It is also disrespectful to go to temples if you are wearing too much-revealing clothes.

3. It can be difficult to get a local SIM card in India. You can get an international SIM card. You can click on this link https://travelsim.com/country/india/ to get a SIM card.  TravelSim offers cheap data plans and the opportunity to top-up your sim card during your trip.

4. Generally, vendors quote a high price for their products and expect you to haggle and buy it at a lower price. However, if you are not careful, you can end up paying more money than the reasonable price.

5. Whenever you are in a public area, watch out for any pickpockets. Do not carry too much cash in public. Here is a case in which a foreigner’s belongings were pickpocketed and explained what you should do in such cases: https://blog.karlrock.com/pickpockets-in-india-and-what-to-do-if-it-happens-to-you/

6. Carry a hand sanitizer and toilet paper. It may not be available in public bathrooms.

7. You will notice that the sidewalks in India are badly maintained or are not there. Cars do not stop at zebra crossings. So be careful while walking on the road.

8. Do not get upset about people invading your personal space. You might get squished in public transport or lifts. People might ask personal questions, which are merely indicative of the locals’ polite interest in you.

9. There will be bustling of streets all day so you can carry your earphones if you are not used to so much noise.

10. Here are a few words in Hindi, which can help you during your trip.

• namaste (hello/goodbye)
• shukriya or dhanyawad(thank you)
• theek hai (alright or OK)
• haan/haanji (yes)
• nahi (no)
• garam paani (hot water shower)
• madat (help)

• kripya (help/please)
• aaj (today)
• kal(tomorrow)
• chai (Tea)
• khaana (food)
• chalo (let’s go)
• wahan (there)

11. Drivers rarely expect a tip. The general gist of tipping in restaurants in India is 10% for a huge tip, 5% for an average tip, or leave the change unless there is a service charge on the bill, in which case you do not need to leave more tip.

• If there is no service charge at a decent restaurant, you could leave 10%, which would make them happy.
• You’ll want to tip if you get your hair done or have a massage or other spa treatment as well.
• Do not tip beggars who ask for one for no reason, police.

12. Traffic and Car driving rules are different compared to the USA and Australia, so it is suggested to use public transport (metros, public buses), autos and cycle rikshas. You can also use ridesharing apps such as Uber and Ola. Ola is comparatively cheaper than Uber.

However, Taxi drivers and Auto drivers are not fluent in English. But, people around are very helpful.

13. In India and Australia, driving is left side, while in the USA and Canada, driving is on right side.

14. In India, do not expect cars to stop on zebra crossings. Traffic sense is poor in India. Chandigarh being a planned city has good sidewalks.

15. Traditional Shopping in Chandigarh

Punjab Emporium, Phulkari: Traditional punjabi attire and handicrafts are available.

Kashmir Government Arts Emporium: Government certified “Pashmina” and goods are available at nominal pices.

Gujarat Emporium, Gujari: Traditional gujarati crafts can be brought here.

For more information on dental tourism in chandigarh, Contact us!