Essential Apps for Traveling in Turkey for Dental Treatment

Traveling to Turkey for dental treatment is one of the smartest decisions many visitors make — world-class clinics, affordable prices, and the bonus of exploring a beautiful country. But once you land, your experience becomes so much easier when you have the right apps on your phone. For a smooth trip, having essential travel apps and must have apps for Turkey is key—they help with everything from navigation to communication and make your stay much more efficient.

Turkey has its own ecosystem of delivery services, taxi apps, payment methods, and navigation tools. Travel apps and communication apps are especially important for staying connected, navigating daily life, and making the most of your time in Turkey. This guide walks you through the essential apps you should download before you fly, helping you travel confidently, order food, shop, get medicine, navigate cities, and communicate effortlessly with your clinic.

Let’s get you fully prepared.

1. Food Delivery Apps: Perfect for Your Recovery Days

After a dental procedure, there will be times when you want to stay in your hotel room and rest. Turkish food delivery apps are fast, reliable, and surprisingly affordable.

🍽️ GetirYemek / Getir

Getir is a lifesaver. It offers:

Huge selection of restaurants
Grocery delivery
Soft post-treatment foods
Online card payments

You can even find pharmacies or convenience items depending on your area.

🍽️ Yemeksepeti

The most established delivery platform in Turkey. Great coverage and tons of local restaurants, from famous chains to neighborhood family-run spots.

🍽️ Fuudy

More curated and often features boutique or higher-end restaurants. Ideal when you want restaurant-quality food delivered.

Tip: Always choose “pay by card” in the app if you want to avoid cash handling.

2. Transportation Apps: Safe Taxi Booking Without Hassle

Turkey doesn’t have ride-sharing like UberX or Lyft. Instead, these apps help you request regular taxis, making your rides safer and easier. Many transportation apps in Turkey also support cashless payments, allowing for more convenient and secure travel without the need for cash.

🚕 BiTaksi

The most widely used local taxi app. It supports:

Online card payments
English interface
Live driver tracking
Trip receipts

🚕 Uber (Turkey Version)

Uber works in Turkey, but only with licensed taxis. You’ll recognize the interface immediately, but the cars will be yellow taxis.

Why use transportation apps instead of street taxis?

You avoid price disputes, language barriers, and navigation confusion — especially important right after a procedure when you want a smooth journey.

Using Istanbulkart for Public Transportation

Navigating Istanbul’s vast public transportation network is much easier with the Istanbulkart, a rechargeable smart card used for buses, trams, metro, ferries, and the Marmaray rail system. Especially during rush hour, taking the metro or Marmaray is often the fastest way to get around, bypassing traffic jams that can slow down buses and taxis.

How to Get an Istanbulkart

You can purchase an Istanbulkart at:

Metro stations
Major bus stops
Ferry terminals
Kiosks and convenience stores throughout the city

The card requires a small initial fee and can be topped up with credit as needed.

3. Planning and Navigation Apps: Never Get Lost or Miss an Appointment

When you’re in a new country for dental treatment, knowing exactly where you’re going—and how to get there—can make all the difference. The right navigation and trip planning apps ensure you never miss an appointment, get lost in a maze of ancient streets, or waste time stuck in traffic. Here’s how to make planning and getting around Turkey completely stress-free.

🗺️ Best Navigation Apps for Turkey

Google Maps

Google Maps is your best friend for navigating Turkish cities, from the bustling heart of Istanbul to the quiet streets near ancient ruins. This essential travel app offers detailed maps, real-time traffic updates, and step-by-step directions for driving, walking, or using public transportation. One of its standout features is the ability to download offline maps—perfect for saving on data costs or when you’re in areas with spotty Wi-Fi. With Google Maps, you can also discover local restaurants, clinics, and shops, read reviews, and even check service alerts for public transport. Whether you’re heading to your dental clinic or exploring local markets, this app lets you travel like a local and makes sure you never feel lost.

Yandex Maps

Yandex Maps is another invaluable tool for getting around Turkish cities. It’s especially popular among locals and offers detailed maps, real-time traffic information, and comprehensive public transportation routes—including buses, metros, and trams. Like Google Maps, Yandex Maps lets you download offline maps, so you can navigate confidently even without an internet connection. If you’re looking for an alternative navigation app or are already familiar with the Yandex interface, this app is a reliable choice for stress-free travel across Turkey.

🗓️ Trip Planning and Itinerary Apps

TripIt

TripIt is the essential app for organizing every detail of your dental trip to Turkey. This versatile trip planner lets you create a master itinerary by simply forwarding your flight, hotel, and activity confirmations. TripIt keeps all your travel plans in one place, sends real-time updates on flight schedules, and even provides weather forecasts for your destination. You can access offline maps and public transportation info directly from the app, making it easy to get to your appointments or explore the city without worrying about Wi-Fi. TripIt also allows you to share your itinerary with family members, so everyone stays informed and reassured. Plus, you can compare prices, book activities, and make informed decisions about where to eat or what to see—ensuring your trip is as smooth and stress free as possible.

3. Payments in Turkey: What Visitors Need to Know

This is where many visitors get surprised.

Turkey does not use:

Venmo
Cash App
Apple Pay for person-to-person payments
PayPal

Locals transfer money through IBAN bank transfers, even for small things. Travelers often rely on banking apps to manage their finances and perform transactions securely.

If you use Wise or Revolut, you can easily send and receive money in Turkey. It's also recommended to use a currency converter app to compare prices and manage expenses in Turkey. Checking real time exchange rates is important when converting money or making purchases. Some banking and finance apps support multiple currencies, making it easier for international travelers.

When using cash, remember that the Turkish Lira is the primary currency. Apps like XE Currency can help you understand local prices and avoid overpaying.

What you should do instead

Use your credit or debit card whenever possible — widely accepted everywhere.
Use Wise or Revolut if you need to send money to an IBAN (Airbnb hosts, deposits, tours, etc.).
Keep a small amount of cash as backup, though it’s rarely required.

Clinics accepting international patients typically accept cards — but it’s always smart to check first.

4. Stay Connected: Get an eSIM the Moment You Arrive

Turkey requires passport registration for physical SIM cards, so a prepaid eSIM is the easiest, fastest, and cheapest option. Unlike a traditional sim card, which is a physical chip you insert into your phone, a digital eSIM is embedded in your device and can be activated online without visiting a store.

Some popular eSIM providers for Turkey include Airalo, Holafly, and Nomad. Travelers can also consider an international phone plan as an alternative for connectivity.

With an eSIM, you can avoid expensive roaming charges and keep your regular number active for calls and texts. These solutions are essential for staying connected with friends, family, and your clinic during your trip.

Best eSIM providers for Turkey

Airalo
Nomad
Holafly
GigSky

Once activated, you’ll have:

Reliable internet for maps and WhatsApp
Easy communication with your clinic
No surprise roaming fees

Honestly, an eSIM is one of the biggest time-savers of your entire trip.

Public Wi-Fi: Expect Login Forms Everywhere

Turkey offers free Wi-Fi in many restaurants, cafés, malls, and airports… but there’s a catch.

To connect, you’ll often need to:

Enter your email or phone number
Fill out a form
Sometimes receive an SMS code

It’s not difficult — just slower than what many travelers are used to.

Which is why having an eSIM ensures you never depend on public Wi-Fi for important things like clinic instructions or ride-hailing apps.

5. Shopping & Essentials Apps: From Toothbrushes to Electronics

🛒 Trendyol

Think “Turkey’s Amazon.”

You can order almost anything:

Toothbrushes
Chargers
Hygiene products
Clothing
Snacks
Bandages
Electronics

Delivery is fast — often in 24–48 hours.

🛒 Getir & Migros Sanal Market

For groceries and daily essentials delivered right to your accommodation.

Getting Medicine in Turkey: How to Find Pharmacies and On-Call Options

Turkey handles medicine differently than the US or UK.

💊 All medicine — even basic painkillers — is sold only in pharmacies.

You cannot buy:

Paracetamol
Ibuprofen
Cold/flu medicine
Antiseptic mouthwash
…at supermarkets or gas stations.

⏰ Pharmacy Hours

Open: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Closed: Sundays and public holidays
Only one pharmacy per district stays open overnight (called “nöbetçi eczane”).

🌙 How to Find On-Call (“Nöbetçi”) Pharmacies

If you need painkillers or mouthwash after hours:

1. Google Maps

Search:

“nöbetçi eczane”
“on-call pharmacy near me”

2. Municipality Websites

Cities like Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara list the active on-call pharmacy daily.

3. Local Apps

There are simple apps like “Nöbetçi Eczane” — often in Turkish but easy to navigate.

And most pharmacies display a sign showing the closest open one.

📦 Can You Order Medicine via Getir?

Yes — but only over-the-counter items and only during pharmacy hours.

You can sometimes find:

Paracetamol (often sold as Parol or Minoset)
Mouthwash
Saline solutions
Vitamins
Basic first-aid items

But:

No prescription medicine delivery
After 7 PM, availability drops because pharmacies close

So it’s best to get the essentials earlier in the day, especially after treatment.

6. Translation Apps: Essential for Everyday Communication

In tourist-heavy areas, you’ll get by with English easily. However, in rural areas, English is much less commonly spoken, making translation tools and language apps even more valuable for effective communication. But in local neighborhoods, smaller pharmacies, taxi rides, or markets, English can be limited.

📱 Recommended Translation Apps

Google Translate

The most powerful option.

Use it for:

Two-way voice translation
Menu translation (camera mode is magic)
Medication instructions
Offline mode

Tureng

A local favorite for dictionary-style translations, great for medical or technical terms.

DeepL

Ideal for longer messages, WhatsApp chats, or politely explaining something to a host or driver.

Where You’ll Appreciate Having Translation Apps

Taxis
Pharmacies
Smaller cafés and restaurants
Markets
Hotel receptions outside tourist zones
Any situation where you need to communicate post-procedure instructions

Quick tip: Download Turkish offline on Google Translate — it helps in buildings with a weak signal.

Final Thoughts

Traveling to Turkey for dental treatment is already an excellent choice. With the right mobile apps, you can make your trip even smoother—whether you’re resting in your hotel after an implant, ordering soft foods to your room, finding a late-night pharmacy, or navigating a new neighborhood. The apps mentioned throughout this article help you experience Turkey’s rich culture and stunning landscapes, making your journey more memorable and immersive. These apps are especially useful in major cities, where well-developed infrastructure ensures convenience and safety for travelers. Booking domestic flights within Turkey is also easy and efficient with airline apps like Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines, allowing you to explore more of the country. For navigation, offline use, and the ability to download maps are essential features, ensuring you can find your way even in areas with limited connectivity.

These apps help you: