How to Choose a Dental Clinic in Baku: 10 Questions to Compare

When choosing a dental clinic in Baku, compare verifiable facts rather than advertising or price alone: the clinic's licence, the specialty of the dentist who will treat you, a written plan and what the price includes, the materials used, the language of communication and follow-up after treatment. Ask every clinic you consider the 10 questions below; under each question you will also find the answer of Smile by Dr. Bakhtiyar (Baku, Babek Avenue 1131) — for comparison.

1. Does the clinic have a licence, and can you see it?

The licence number and its annexes should be shown openly. Smile: licence EL-113/2019 (Ministry of Economy); its annexes and the dentists' diplomas and certificates are on the Documents page.

2. Who exactly will treat you?

"The clinic has an implantologist" is not enough — ask for the name and specialty of the dentist who will do your treatment. Smile: implants are placed by implantologist Dr. Bakhtiyar Aliyev, root canal treatment is done by endodontist Dr. Saig Gahramanov, braces and aligners by orthodontist Dr. Maharram Mammadov, and children are treated by Dr. Aygul Janiyeva; see the list of dentists.

3. Do you get a written treatment plan?

The plan should show the stages, the duration and the price of each stage. Smile: initial visit, consultation and personal plan — 60 AZN (first visit only).

4. What does the price include?

With an implant, the implant itself, the abutment, the crown, diagnostics and any additional procedures are separate parts. If you are quoted a "package price", ask for its breakdown in writing. Smile: prices are published on the website; for example, an implant costs 500 / 800 / 1700 AZN (NeoBiotech / MegaGen AnyRidge / Straumann BLT), and a zirconia crown on an implant 600 AZN.

5. Which materials and systems are used?

You should know the name and origin of the implant system and the crown material (zirconia, E-max). Smile: the implant system and the crown material are written into the plan.

6. How is diagnosis done?

In complex treatment a 2D X-ray may not be enough. Smile: panoramic X-rays are taken in the clinic (30 AZN); when a 3D CBCT is needed, it is done at a partner imaging centre very close to us.

7. Which languages are spoken?

Smile: most dentists also speak Russian or English; the front desk speaks Azerbaijani and Russian, and the WhatsApp assistant writes in 5 languages.

8. Opening hours and emergencies

Smile: Monday–Friday 09:00–19:00, Saturday 09:00–15:00; closed on Sunday, but urgent cases can be seen if there is a clinical indication (call +994 55 501 01 07 first).

9. How does payment work?

Ask whether a large plan can be paid in stages. Smile: yes; some services can be bought online with a 10% discount.

10. What happens after treatment?

Follow-up visits, hygiene and whom to contact if a problem appears should be clear in advance. Smile: the timing of follow-up visits is agreed with the dentist; if you have a question, you can write on WhatsApp.

How to decide

Get a written plan from two or three clinics and compare the same questions. A price difference is often a difference in what the plan includes. If you have already started treatment elsewhere, a second opinion is also an option.