The language question in dental tourism is not whether the surgeon speaks English; it is whether the four things that matter are communicated properly: your medical history, the treatment plan, your consent, and the aftercare instructions. Everything else (ordering dinner, buying a SIM) is solved by a phone. This guide explains how those four are handled in Tbilisi, and what to insist on from any clinic in any country.
The four things that must not be lost in translation
- Your medical history. Medication, allergies, bisphosphonates, anticoagulants, diabetes, smoking. Given in writing, in your language, before you fly, and confirmed at the first appointment by someone who speaks it.
- The treatment plan. What is being done to which tooth, with which system, in how many visits, for what price. In writing, in a language you read, before any payment.
- Consent. You sign a treatment agreement. It must be in a language you read, or a translated copy provided alongside the original, and you must be able to ask questions before signing.
- Aftercare. Instructions given verbally after sedation are forgotten; they must be written, in your language, and repeated to you before you fly home.
How it works in Tbilisi
Our coordinators work in English, Russian and Hebrew and attend every appointment with you: consultation, surgery day, checks and the final handover. They translate the surgeon’s questions and your answers, read the plan and the agreement through with you, and write the aftercare notes in your language. The surgeons and clinic staff speak English and Russian to varying degrees; the coordinator is there so that “varying” never affects your care. Written documents (plan, agreement, invoice, guarantee, aftercare) are produced in English, and in Russian or Hebrew where you ask.
Outside the clinic, Tbilisi is easy. Younger Georgians speak English, older ones Russian, hotel and restaurant staff usually both, and menus have pictures. Google Translate handles the rest.
What to insist on from any clinic, anywhere
- A named person who speaks your language and will be at your appointments, not “our staff speak English”.
- The plan and the agreement in a language you read, sent before you travel.
- Time to ask questions before you sign, and answers in writing if you want them.
- Aftercare instructions written down and given to you before departure.
- A WhatsApp contact who replies in your language once you are home.
Where translation apps help, and where they do not
Apps are fine for shops, taxis and pharmacies. They are not fine for consent, medical history or a surgeon’s explanation of why the plan changed after the scan; nuance is exactly what they lose. If a clinic proposes running your consultation through a phone app, treat that as an answer to the question in point one above.
The words worth knowing
Three Georgian words carry a long way: gamarjoba (hello), madloba (thank you), ara (no). Everything clinical goes through the coordinator; you do not need dental vocabulary in Georgian, and neither does anyone else who visits.
Frequently asked questions
Do dentists in Georgia speak English?
Most in international-facing clinics speak English and Russian to a working level. Our coordinators attend every appointment so that the level never matters to your treatment.
Can I get documents in Hebrew or Russian?
Yes. The plan, the agreement, the aftercare notes and the guarantee are provided in English and, on request, in Russian or Hebrew.
What if I have a question after I get home?
Message the coordinator on WhatsApp in your own language; a surgeon’s answer comes back translated, usually within hours.
The short version
- History, plan, consent, aftercare: written, in your language, with a person who speaks it present.
- Coordinators in English, Russian and Hebrew at every appointment in Tbilisi.
- Apps for the city; never for consent.
Message us in English, Russian or Hebrew on WhatsApp and you will be answered in the same language, with a written plan and a fixed price. Free, no deposit.
