NEW YORK - Pamela Salem O'Hagan, 63, has an old connection with India. Born in Mumbai before the country broke free of Britain, Ms. O'Hagan has made numerous nostalgic visits to her birthplace. But the last time she went to India, in November, was not to see the Taj Mahal.

A friend told the O'Hagans about inexpensive hip surgery in a town in south India, which made them think about Michael's teeth. With a bit of digging, they located a Mumbai dentist, Dr. Suchetan Pradhan, who gave a quote so low that, when added to travel costs, they spent one-third the amount they would have back home in Los Angeles.

Dr. Pradhan not only charged far less, he also inspired faith, personally answering all e-mail messages to clear up any concerns the O'Hagans had about procedures.

The couple combined the dental work with a side trip to the sublime beaches of Goa. They planned to return to India this spring for follow-up treatment.

Google the words "dental tourism in India" and 968,000 entries pop up in 0.15 second. The Internet has encouraged a new form of outsourcing to India, as increasing numbers of Americans fly there to get their teeth cleaned and capped. Some patients mix the procedures with sightseeing. Others simply go for the porcelain bridges and fly right back.

"Dentistry, the world over, is becoming more and more standardized, which also contributes to the cheaper costs involved," said Dr. Praful Sabadra, who has a dental clinic in Mumbai.

Dr. Pradhan estimates that he treats up to 20 patients from the U.S. and Europe every month. Apart from the occasional serious ailment, most of his American patients come for cosmetic work. Often, patients contact the clinic directly.

Dr. Kimberley Harms, a consumer adviser and spokeswoman with the American Dental Association, said, "We encourage people to do their research before deciding to go abroad and get treatment. Find out what laws exist in that country to protect them against any kind of medical negligence and whether the dental treatment available there conforms to international standards."

Dr. Harms said some patients complained to the association after returning from India. One woman said she had to get six tooth caps redone because the porcelain bridge covering them broke after she came home.

Such mishaps could have happened here as well, Dr. Harms said, but if the patient had undergone the procedure in the United States, she could have gone back to her dentist for a free remedy.

"Instead, she ended up paying money all over again for the same treatment," Dr. Harms said. "And the insurance company is not going to pay for the same treatment twice."

Ms. O'Hagan said Dr. Pradhan's clinic was as clean as any in Beverly Hills, Calif. The round trip within a short period of time was a hassle, however.

She could have enlisted a medical tourism company to organize the expedition. One such firm, Erco Travels of New Delhi (www.er cotravels.com/n1.htm), makes all the necessary arrangements.

"We make the arrangements, from fixing their appointments with doctors and clinics to their stay and tourist itinerary," director Ravi Gusain said.

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