How We Calculate Savings
A complete explanation of our methodology for comparing dental treatment costs across countries — so you can trust every number we publish.
Our Commitment to Transparency
Every savings figure published on this website — whether on a treatment page, in the Cost Calculator, or in a blog article — is derived from a documented, reproducible methodology. We do not inflate comparison prices to make our numbers look better. We do not cherry-pick exchange rates. We do not include hidden assumptions that would be invisible to a patient trying to verify our claims.
This page explains exactly how we arrive at our savings estimates: where the comparison prices come from, how we handle currency conversion, what costs are included and excluded, and what limitations you should be aware of when interpreting our figures.
If you find an error in our methodology or believe a comparison price is inaccurate, please contact us at [email protected]. We take these reports seriously and update our data accordingly.
Step 1 — Hub Dental Prices (BRL)
Our prices are set in Brazilian Reais (BRL) and maintained in a centralized pricing database that is updated by our clinical and operations team. These are the actual prices charged to patients — not promotional prices, not estimates, and not averages across clinics.
The BRL price is the foundation of every calculation on this website. When you use the Cost Calculator, the BRL figure is always the starting point. All other currencies are derived from it using real-time exchange rates (see Step 3).
Important note on package prices
Package prices (which include accommodation, transfers, and concierge services) are calculated by combining the individual component prices from our pricing database. The Cost Calculator uses the same database, so the prices you see in the calculator match what you would be quoted in a consultation.
Step 2 — Comparison Prices (US & Europe)
The comparison prices we publish for the United States and Europe are derived from a combination of publicly available sources. We do not manufacture these figures. Our primary sources are:
1United States — Fair Health Consumer
Fair Health Consumer is a nonprofit organization that maintains the largest database of privately billed healthcare claims in the US. Their dental cost estimates are based on actual insurance claims data and represent the 80th percentile of charges in a given geographic area. We use national median figures rather than high-cost metropolitan areas to avoid overstating the comparison.
2United States — American Dental Association (ADA) Survey
The ADA's Survey of Dental Fees is published periodically and provides national median fee data by procedure code (CDT codes). Where Fair Health and ADA figures diverge, we use the lower of the two to avoid overstating US prices.
3Europe — Dental Cost Surveys and Clinic Surveys
European dental prices vary significantly by country. Our "Europe" comparison figures represent a weighted average of prices in Western Europe (UK, Germany, France, Spain, and the Netherlands), sourced from published surveys by national dental associations and from direct clinic price lists available online. We update these figures annually.
4Cross-validation with Patient-Reported Data
We cross-validate our comparison figures against prices reported by our own patients. When a patient tells us what they were quoted for the same procedure in their home country, we record that data. If our published comparison price is consistently lower than what patients report, we revise it upward. This process has generally confirmed that our comparison prices are conservative.
What comparison prices do NOT include
Our comparison prices represent the clinical fee for the procedure only. They do not include travel costs to reach Hub Dental. We believe patients should factor in travel costs when evaluating the total cost of dental tourism — and we provide a travel cost estimator in our Cost Calculator for this purpose.
Step 3 — Currency Conversion
Our BRL prices are converted to USD, EUR, and GBP using live exchange rates fetched from the ExchangeRate-API service. Rates are cached for up to 24 hours and refreshed automatically every day.
The rates used are mid-market rates — the midpoint between the buy and sell rates in the foreign exchange market. These are the rates you see on Google or XE.com. They are not the rates you would receive at a currency exchange counter or through a bank transfer, which typically include a spread of 1–3%.
Practical implication for patients
Because the BRL/USD exchange rate fluctuates, the USD equivalent of our BRL prices changes daily. A treatment priced at R$10,000 might be displayed as $1,960 today and $1,940 tomorrow if the Real strengthens slightly. The BRL price is always fixed; only the foreign currency equivalent changes. We recommend budgeting in BRL if possible, or using our Cost Calculator on the day you are finalizing your budget.
Step 4 — The Savings Formula
The savings percentage displayed on treatment pages and in the Cost Calculator is calculated as follows:
Savings Formula
Savings % = ( Comparison Price − Hub Dental Price ) ÷ Comparison Price × 100
Example: All-on-4 implants
US price: $25,000 | Hub Dental: $10,000
Savings = ( $25,000 − $10,000 ) ÷ $25,000 × 100 = 60%
When we say "save up to 70%", we are referring to the highest savings percentage across our treatment catalog when comparing to US prices. Not every treatment achieves 70% savings — some are closer to 55–60%. The range across our most popular treatments is 55–72% compared to US prices, and 40–60% compared to European prices.
| Treatment | Hub Dental (USD equiv.) | US Average | Savings vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single Dental Implant | $1,800 | $4,500 | 60% |
| All-on-4 (per arch) | $10,000 | $25,000 | 60% |
| Porcelain Veneers (per tooth) | $450 | $1,200 | 63% |
| Full Mouth Reconstruction | $20,000 | $65,000 | 69% |
| Root Canal + Crown | $1,200 | $3,500 | 66% |
| Professional Teeth Whitening | $280 | $650 | 57% |
| Invisalign (full treatment) | $3,200 | $7,500 | 57% |
* Hub Dental prices shown as USD equivalent using approximate exchange rate. Actual prices are set in BRL. US prices sourced from Fair Health Consumer and ADA Survey of Dental Fees (2024). Last updated: March 2026.
What Our Savings Figures Do Not Include
In the interest of full transparency, here are the costs that are not factored into our savings calculations:
International flights
A round-trip flight from the US to Rio de Janeiro typically costs $600–$1,200 depending on origin city and booking timing. This is a real cost that partially offsets the dental savings. For treatments costing $5,000 or more, flights typically represent less than 15% of the total savings.
Accommodation (if not using our packages)
If you book accommodation independently, this is an additional cost. Our all-inclusive packages include accommodation, so the package price comparison already accounts for this. For treatment-only bookings, accommodation in Rio ranges from $60/night (budget) to $250/night (4-star beachfront).
Time off work
Dental tourism requires travel time that may involve taking time off work. We do not attempt to quantify this cost, as it varies enormously by individual. Most treatments require 7–14 days in Rio.
Follow-up care at home
Some treatments may require follow-up appointments with a dentist in your home country (e.g., implant check-ups, retainer adjustments). We provide detailed post-treatment documentation to facilitate this, but the cost of follow-up care is not included in our savings figures.
Travel insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance that includes medical coverage for your trip. This typically costs $50–$150 for a 2-week trip and is not included in our savings calculations.
Net savings are still substantial
Even after accounting for flights ($900), accommodation ($700 for 10 nights at a mid-range hotel), and travel insurance ($100), a patient receiving All-on-4 implants saves approximately $13,300 compared to US prices. For full mouth reconstruction, the net saving exceeds $40,000. The economics of dental tourism remain compelling for most major procedures.
How Often We Update Our Data
Hub Dental prices (BRL)
Prices in our database are updated immediately when our pricing team makes a change. The website reflects the current price within minutes.
Exchange rates (BRL → USD/EUR/GBP)
Exchange rates are fetched from ExchangeRate-API daily and cached. The timestamp of the last update is available in the Cost Calculator.
US comparison prices
We review US comparison prices each year when the ADA Survey of Dental Fees is published, typically in Q2. We also update mid-year if Fair Health Consumer data shows significant changes.
European comparison prices
European prices are reviewed annually using published dental association surveys and a sample of clinic price lists from major European cities.
Questions or Corrections
If you believe any price comparison on this website is inaccurate, we want to know. Please send us the following information:
- The treatment in question
- The price you were quoted or found in your home country
- The source of that price (clinic name, website, or insurance explanation of benefits)
- Your country and city
We will review the information and, if it warrants a correction, update our published figures and acknowledge the contribution. Our goal is not to have the most impressive-looking savings numbers — it is to have the most accurate ones.