Dental treatment in Skopje for international patients

If you live abroad or are visiting for only a few days and need a dentist, this guide to dental treatment in Skopje covers the practical side: how to book, how many visits each treatment takes, how to get here and how your care continues once you are home.

The approach is the same for every patient: first an examination, then a written plan setting out your options and the cost. The decision is yours. The practice’s motto is ‘Save the tooth’: where possible, we try first to keep your natural tooth, and not everything has to be done at once. You can read more in our article Save the tooth.

The timings on this page are general ranges from professional sources. How many visits you personally will need can only be judged after an examination.

How it works, step by step

1. Contact us before you travel. Call +389 78 218 457 or +389 77 851 086, or email dr.milanovski@gmail.com. Tell us when you arrive, how long you are staying and, briefly, what is troubling you.
2. Booking your appointments. We are open Monday to Friday, 11:00–19:00, by appointment. Book the examination early in your stay to leave time for further visits.
3. Examination and written plan. At the first visit, we examine your teeth and gums. If an X-ray is needed, we will explain why. Before any treatment starts, you will receive a written plan with your options, the number of visits and the cost.
4. Urgent problems first. More extensive treatment can be split into stages, even over two trips, rather than rushed into a few days.
5. A review before you leave. If you can, leave at least one clear day between your last appointment and your journey home, for a review or a small adjustment to your bite.

If you have previous X-rays or a report from your regular dentist, bring them to your examination. It is also a good idea to speak to them before you travel. To find out what to expect at your first appointment, see Your first visit.

Dental treatment on holiday: one trip or two?

Many treatments can be completed in a single stay in North Macedonia. Others need work by a dental laboratory or time to heal, so you will need a longer stay or two trips. The table below shows typical ranges.

Why do crowns, bridges and porcelain veneers take longer? A dental laboratory usually needs two to three weeks for a crown, sometimes longer, and two to four weeks for a bridge. In the meantime, a temporary crown or veneer protects the tooth.

After root canal treatment, the tooth needs a permanent filling or crown as soon as possible. If there is no time for a crown during the same stay, agree in advance where and when it will be done.

Implants are included in the table for general information. The bone usually needs several months to fuse with the implant, so it most often means two trips.

How much time to leave before your flight

• After an extraction or wisdom tooth removal, stay a few more days. Dry socket (a painful socket left when the blood clot is lost) usually develops within the first two to three days; if you have no problems by the fifth day, it is unlikely.
• After any surgical procedure, ask the dentist when it is safe to fly.
• After a crown, bridge or veneers, allow time for a review. Getting the bite right sometimes takes several visits and small adjustments.
• Do not book your last appointment for the day of your flight.

Getting to Skopje

The practice is at Bul. Jane Sandanski 96 in the Aerodrom district, near the Biser shopping centre and opposite the Mining Institute. Despite the name, the Aerodrom district is part of Skopje, not the airport: Skopje International Airport lies outside the city, in Petrovec municipality. In the summer season, some airlines also fly to Ohrid airport.

Direct flights to Skopje (summer 2026)

• United Kingdom: Wizz Air from London Luton.
• Germany: Lufthansa from Frankfurt; Wizz Air from Berlin, Dortmund, Cologne/Bonn, Hamburg, Memmingen, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and other cities.
• Switzerland: Edelweiss and Chair Airlines from Zurich, easyJet from Geneva, Wizz Air from Basel.
• Austria: Austrian Airlines from Vienna.
• Italy: Wizz Air from Rome, Milan (Bergamo), Bologna, Venice (Treviso), Bari and Naples.
• Turkey: Turkish Airlines, Pegasus, AJet and SunExpress from Istanbul, Ankara, Izmir, Antalya and other cities.
• Other countries: Air Serbia from Belgrade, Aegean from Athens, Croatia Airlines from Zagreb; Wizz Air also flies from Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Spain and Scandinavia.

The summer timetable runs until 24 October 2026, and winter routes may differ. Before you book, check the airport timetable or with your airline.

By road from neighbouring countries

These times are Rome2rio journey-planner estimates and do not include waiting at the border. Air Serbia also flies daily between Belgrade and Skopje; the flight takes about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Entering North Macedonia: visas, documents and money

If you or anyone travelling with you does not have a North Macedonian passport, here is what applies as of October 2026.

• EU and Schengen countries, including Switzerland: no visa is needed. EU and Schengen citizens can also enter with a valid national identity card.
• UK, US, Turkey, Kosovo, Albania and Serbia: no visa is needed for short stays, usually up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
• British passport holders: your passport must be valid for at least 90 days from the date you arrive.
• Other countries, such as Australia and Canada: check the visa tool (link below).
• Registering your stay: hotels and other registered accommodation register their guests themselves. If a foreign national stays with relatives or friends, the stay must be registered at a police station within 48 hours.

Rules change, so check them before you travel: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade’s entry requirements and visa tool, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs page on registering foreign nationals.

Money, cards and insurance

The currency is the Macedonian denar (MKD; ден. in Macedonian). On 16 October 2026, the National Bank’s middle exchange rate was about 61.7 denars to the euro (National Bank exchange rate list).

Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants and supermarkets, and there are plenty of cash machines in the cities. If you are carrying a large amount of cash, check the rules on declaring it at the border before you set off.

If you have health insurance where you live, check in advance whether it covers any part of planned treatment abroad. Do not count on it without written confirmation: the UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), for example, does not cover planned treatment. If you have travel insurance, tell your insurer that you are planning treatment.

Where to stay

If you are not staying with family, Skopje has plenty of accommodation, much of it within walking distance of the centre. Travel guides single out these areas:

• Centar: the modern heart of the city, with Macedonia Square and most of the museums.
• Old Bazaar (Stara Čaršija): the Ottoman-era old town, from the Stone Bridge to the Bit Pazar market.
• Karpoš: right next to the centre, near Mount Vodno and Skopje Zoo.
• Aerodrom: if you would like to be closer to the practice on Bul. Jane Sandanski 96.

You can get around the city by bus or taxi.

Check-ups and aftercare once you are back home

The result of treatment also depends on what happens next: care at home and regular check-ups. Complications sometimes appear only weeks or months later, so it helps if your regular dentist knows in advance what has been done.

What to ask for before you leave

• A short written summary of what was done, tooth by tooth.
• Copies of any X-rays taken.
• The name of the material used. For white fillings and composite veneers, the practice uses 3M ESPE Filtek Z550, a nano-hybrid composite.
• Aftercare instructions and advice on when to have your next check-up.
• Our contact details: +389 78 218 457 and dr.milanovski@gmail.com.

Looking after your dental work

• Crown or bridge: brush twice a day for two minutes with a fluoride toothpaste, clean between your teeth every day and avoid biting on hard things such as ice. If you grind your teeth, ask about a night guard.
• Veneers: avoid biting your nails or hard objects, wear a mouthguard for sport, and cut down on coffee, tea and red wine. Decay can still develop around a veneer.
• Root canal treatment: mild pain or sensitivity for a few days is common. If you are able to take them, paracetamol or ibuprofen may help. The tooth still needs a permanent filling or crown.
• Implant: clean around it every day, for example with interdental brushes, and keep up regular check-ups.

When to get in touch

Call us, or your own dentist, if:

• the pain is getting worse rather than easing, or lasts longer than about a week
• you notice swelling
• a temporary filling or crown has come out
• an implant feels loose, the gum around it bleeds or is swollen, or you have a fever or notice pus

If swelling spreads towards your eye or neck, or you find it hard to breathe or swallow, get emergency medical help straight away, wherever you are.

Dental treatment abroad: questions worth asking any clinic

Whether you are considering dental tourism in North Macedonia or elsewhere, the UK’s dental regulator, the General Dental Council, advises asking questions like these. You are welcome to ask us too. Dr Kiril Milanovski, a dentist, works at the practice.

1. Who will treat me, and what qualifications do they have?
2. What language will we communicate in?
3. Is the dentist registered with a professional body?
4. How many visits will I need, and how long will I need to stay?
5. What aftercare do you provide, and who should I contact once I am back home?
6. What happens if I am not happy, or something needs putting right? Who pays for any extra trips?
7. If there are complications, is further treatment included in the original price?
8. Does the practice have insurance that covers the treatment, and a complaints procedure?

The NHS treatment abroad checklist lists warning signs such as pressure to decide quickly, too little information, and no mention of complications or aftercare. You do not have to decide on the day.

Dentist in Skopje for patients from abroad: FAQs

Once you know your travel dates, send an appointment request or give us a call. Our address and opening hours are on the Contact page.