My sister and I recently travelled from London to Istanbul to visit Smile Academy Istanbul for dental treatments with Dr. Yeşim Makzume and her team, and overall we had a really positive experience. I had a full hygiene clean, gingivoplasty, gingivectomy, osteoplasty, lip repositioning and lower gum depigmentation as part of my smile transformation, while my sister had a full hygiene clean, organic whitening and composite bonding to close her front gap. From the start, the communication and organisation were excellent. The team made it very easy to arrange our visit from abroad, providing clear information about pricing, treatment options and travel recommendations. One thing that really stood out compared to other clinics I researched was the opportunity to have a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation beforehand. This allowed us to ask questions, understand the process and feel reassured before committing to travel. My consultation started an hour later than scheduled due to an emergency at the clinic, but the team apologised sincerely and made every effort to make up for the delay. When I eventually spoke with Dr. Yeşim Makzume, she took extra time with the consultation to ensure all of my questions were answered and that I felt completely comfortable with the treatment plan. Because we were travelling from another country, the team also did their best to rearrange appointments and accommodate both my sister and me, which we really appreciated. One area that could be improved would be having a clearer day-by-day treatment plan once the initial in-person assessment had been completed. We understood that nothing could be finalised until the dentist examined our teeth in person on the first day. However, after that appointment it would have been helpful to receive a more structured outline of what procedures were likely to happen on each day. For example, knowing in advance which treatments would take place on Day 1, Day 2 or Day 3 would have helped us plan activities while visiting such a beautiful city. Because treatments often ran longer than expected or needed to be continued the following day, we often had to plan sightseeing and activities last minute and unfortunately missed out on a few things we had hoped to do. That said, it was clear that these schedule adjustments were largely due to the team being extremely thorough and committed to achieving the best possible results. Dr. Yeşim Makzume and her team went above and beyond to ensure everything was done properly rather than rushing through procedures. For example, my sister initially hadn’t planned to have a hygiene clean, but she later decided to add one to improve her overall results before her bonding treatment. This meant some appointments ran longer than expected, but it was absolutely worth it because her results looked fantastic. The team even stayed later to ensure my treatments could still be completed that day, which we really appreciated, especially during Ramadan. I was also very happy with the periodontal work carried out on my gums. The care and attention to detail were excellent, and throughout our visits the team regularly checked my healing, stitches and overall gum health to make sure everything was progressing well. It genuinely felt like they cared about the long-term results and my overall dental health, not just the immediate treatment. I was also reassured that if any small adjustments are needed during my check-up appointment in two months, they would be happy to help. The clinic was clean and organised, we were given shoe covers to keep the floors clean, and the team were always welcoming and hospitable, offering tea, coffee or water during our visits. Overall, we felt very well looked after and while Smile Academy Istanbul was more expensive than most of the other clinics we looked at, the quality of care, professionalism and attention to detail made it worth it. I would happily recommend Dr. Yeşim Makzume and her team.
