Useful Turkish for dental patients

You do not need to speak Turkish to have dental treatment in Antalya. Clinics that look for UK patients employ English-speaking coordinators, and many dentists speak good English. But outside the clinic, in a taxi, a pharmacy or a small café, English is less certain. And on the day of treatment, when your lip is numb and you are tired, being able to say a few words can make life easier.

This short list covers the words most useful on a dental trip. Pronunciation is approximate, written the way an English speaker would read it.

A note on Turkish letters

Turkish is written in the Latin alphabet with a few extra letters. The most useful to know:

• ç sounds like “ch” in church.
• ş sounds like “sh” in ship.
• ğ is silent and lengthens the vowel before it.
• ı (dotless i) sounds like the “u” in “radium”, a short, neutral sound.
• c sounds like “j” in jam.
• ö and ü are like the German sounds.

Basics

At the clinic

At the pharmacy

Pharmacists in tourist areas often speak some English. Showing the box of a medicine you already use, or writing its generic name, is often easier than explaining. See pharmacies in Antalya.

Getting around

In an emergency

The emergency number for ambulance, police and fire in Turkey is 112. Our article on emergency numbers and hospitals in Antalya has more.

Describing pain to a dentist

Dentists everywhere ask the same questions about pain, because the answers point to the cause. Even if your dentist speaks English, it helps to think about them in advance, and if you are using a translator, short clear answers are easier to pass on accurately.

• Where is it? Point to the tooth. Upper or lower, left or right, front or back.
• When did it start? Today, a few days ago, weeks ago.
• What kind of pain? Sharp when you bite, a dull ache, throbbing, worse at night.
• What sets it off? Hot, cold, sweet, biting, lying down.
• How long does it last? A few seconds, minutes, all the time.
• Any swelling, bad taste or fever?
• What have you taken? Name, dose and time.

In Turkish, “sharp” is keskin, “throbbing” zonklayan, “when I bite” ısırınca, “cold” soğuk, “hot” sıcak, and “at night” geceleri. You will not need them all, but writing your answers in English and showing them on your phone works well too.

Talking about your health

Before any treatment, a dentist needs to know about your general health. These are the things to make sure are understood, with Turkish words that may help:

Do not rely on a phrase alone for anything this important. Give the clinic a written list of your conditions and medicines in English, and ask them to confirm they have read it.

Polite phrases that open doors

Turkish people are generally warm towards visitors who try a little of the language. A cheerful günaydın (good morning, “goon-eye-dun”), iyi akşamlar (good evening, “ee-yee ak-sham-lar”) and kolay gelsin (roughly “may it be easy for you”, said to someone working) will be appreciated by drivers, receptionists and nurses. When you leave a shop or the clinic, hoşça kalın (“hosh-cha ka-lun”) means goodbye.

Two more that are worth learning: yavaş lütfen (“ya-vash loot-fen”), please speak slowly, and tekrar lütfen (“tek-rar loot-fen”), please say that again. They work just as well with English speakers who talk too fast.

If you wear dentures or have had temporary teeth fitted, speaking may feel strange for a few days. Speak slowly and do not worry; people will understand.

Tips for communicating

• Write things down. Ask your hotel or clinic to write your addresses, allergies and medicines in Turkish on a card.
• Use a translation app for everyday things, and download the Turkish language pack so it works offline.
• For medical decisions, ask for English. Your plan, consent form and aftercare instructions should be in a language you understand fully. See your rights as a patient.
• Smile and try. Even a clumsy “teşekkür ederim” is appreciated.

At the hotel

A few phrases help when you are recovering in your room. Oda servisi is room service; buz is ice, useful for a cold compress; yumuşak yemek means soft food; and çorba is soup, which almost every Turkish kitchen can make. If you need an extra pillow to keep your head raised, ask for bir yastık daha, “one more pillow”. Reception staff in Antalya hotels usually speak English, but the night porter or room-service staff may not, and a written note in Turkish saves everyone time.

Numbers

Numbers come up with prices, room numbers and appointment times. One to ten in Turkish: bir, iki, üç, dört, beş, altı, yedi, sekiz, dokuz, on. Times are often given on the 24-hour clock, so an appointment at on dört is at 2pm. If in doubt, ask for the time to be written down.

Above all, do not worry about getting it wrong. Pointing, smiling and a translation app will get you through almost anything outside the clinic, and inside it, the staff are used to helping visitors who speak no Turkish at all.

A pocket phrasebook is still handy when your battery runs low.

The words on your paperwork

Some clinic documents may include Turkish terms. Your consent form may be called an onam formu; a treatment plan a tedavi planı; an invoice a fatura; a guarantee a garanti belgesi. If any document is only in Turkish, ask for an English version before you sign.

Common questions

Do dentists in Antalya speak English?

Clinics that market to UK patients have English-speaking coordinators, and many dentists speak English. Ask in advance whether your dentist does, or whether a translator will be in the room.

How do I say ‘it hurts’ in Turkish?

Ağrıyor (roughly ‘ah-ruh-yor’), meaning ‘it is aching’. Pointing and saying burası ağrıyor, ‘here it hurts’, works well.

What is the emergency number in Turkey?

112, for ambulance, police and fire.

Should I use a translation app?

Yes, for everyday things. For medical decisions, ask for explanations and documents in English rather than relying on an app.

Sources

1. GOV.UK: Turkey travel advice, getting help (112)
2. GOV.UK: Turkey travel advice, health

Checked October 2026. Where we give our own view as a clinic, we say so.