Millions in U.S. travel abroad for cheaper dental care

• A root canal that could cost up to $1,500 out-of-pocket in the U.S. is under $350 in Mexico, according to one estimate.

By the numbers: About 4% of adults in a nationally representative survey of 9,450 people conducted last year said they'd traveled outside of the country for dental work.

• That translates to more than 9 million people.
• 58% of those respondents said they traveled to get lower-cost care. CareQuest's survey didn't find any significant differences among education status, employment status or income level.
• More than a quarter of those surveyed said they did not have dental insurance.

Zoom out: The global market for dental tourism is exploding, and is expected to be a more than $65 billion industry in 2033.

• Popular dental care destinations include Mexico, Thailand and Hungary.

Yes, but: Traveling for any health procedure can make it difficult to get follow-up care if complications come up, and quality of care can vary, CareQuest's report notes.

Go deeper: Medicaid cuts put adult dental care on the chopping block