This is a time of recession, and everyone is looking for was to make their money stretch by looking for good deals. Often people put off dental treatments because they simply can't afford what the cost. The purpose of this article to tell folks about a high quality, low cost alternative to overpriced US dentists. Simply put, try a dentist in Mexico! Below, I tell about my experience, and give my recommendations.
Dentists scare me. It's not the drilling, nor the shots of Novocain, but the price they want to charge. While living in Denver, back in 1995, I had a molar break in half. I went in to see a dentist about it and was told that it would require a root canal, and a crown. I about fainted when I learned that the root canal alone was going to cost me $750 and the crown was $550. (Today the total would be about $2000 for everything). I had a friend living in Chihuahua, Mexico, and had already planned a trip. I decided to get my tooth fixed in Mexico during my vacation. The dental work on my tooth only cost $300 in Mexico. Since then, I have only had dental work done in Mexico.
BASIC TIPS on finding a dentist in Mexico.
1. Price list.
Look for a dental clinic online. Never just walk up to the first clinic you find, because you have nothing to compare to. Be careful what you pay for dental care. You can get ripped off by dentists who charge Americans a lot more than the going rate, or even add extra treatments that you don't need, (just like some US dentists). The quality of the dental work done in Mexico is very comparable to that in the USA, and the price is much cheaper. Although there are many dentists near the boarder who cater only to Americans, their prices are still affected by the cheaper dentists just a little further in. But don't get excited over the lower prices and just use any dentists. If they have a big fancy office, it will be reflected in the price you pay, but not necessarily get you any better quality. If you look around on their websites, you can find an equally competent dentist who will charge you less for the same work. I have found that often there are two prices. What they charge Americans can be much more than what a regular Mexican pays. That is why I fell in love with the dentist I go to. They actually post the prices for the work they do on their website, and I knew what to expect before I arrived.
2. Easy to find location.
You will want to find a dentist that is fairly close to the border crossing, but at least in the "el Centro" area, because you can easily take a taxi from the border to the clinic for $5. To go to the border, you can drive your car down the freeway to the last exit, park your car, or take the trolley to the border, and walk across. If you fly into San Diego, it is not necessary to rent a car. By asking at the info desk in the lobby at the baggage claim, they will direct you to where you can catch the 992 bus that takes you into down town. Tell the shuttle bus driver that you want to get off to take the Trolley, (light rail train). He'll drop you off in front of the American Plaza train platform. (From Airport to Trolley it takes 15 minutes). The trolley will take you clear to the border in about 45 minutes. When you get off, you'll see a pedestrian bridge that takes you over the freeway, and into Mexico. Once there, you'll find dozens of Taxi drivers who are clamoring for you attention. Just grab one. They'll have someone standing out front, who speaks English, who'll be asking you where you want to go. Just give them the address. Some clinics will even send someone to pick you up.
3. Lodging.
Although there are a lot of hotels on the US side, going through US Customs is a hassle. You are better off staying in Tijuana where the hotels are nice and cheaper. One place I found is over by the beach at Playas de Tijuana. It is away from downtown, and has a nice atmosphere. There is a cool walkway with stores and restaurants right on the beach. Many dentists offices will help you to find a hotel and take care of arrangements.
4. Length of stay.
I have made several trips to Mexico and had root canals and crowns done in just 5 days. I have had crowns, with no root canal required, in 2 days. It costs a little more to have the lab expedite the work, and it is tiring to sit for a long time in the chair having everything done at once, but it is possible and worth it. However, I have to say that in order to figure out how long it will take, the dentist has to check out what needs to be done. If you have a tooth that is infected, you have to get the infection cleared up before a root canal can be performed. Nevertheless, the dentist can get give you a good idea of how much time you need to budget when she talks to you on the phone. If you are flying in, you'll want to budget enough time to get it all done, and your dentist will tell you what time is needed, but it is good to allow one extra day.
5. Documents required.
To Enter Mexico: USA Visitors to the northern part of Baja California do not need US passports or tourist cards if staying in the country for a short time. If you plan to stay for an extended period, or if you plan to travel beyond Ensenada, You will need to obtain a tourist card. Proof of US citizenship would then be required.
To return back into the USA: To return back into the USA: As of June 1, 2009, US customs has started asking for a US passport. But in practice, at least for the rest of 2009, they have not changed. There are dozens US citizens re-entering the US every day with just a State drivers license and American birth certificate.
6. Traveling funds.
This is an important point that I don't want to forget. It is not necessary to travel with a lot of cash to Mexico. I only take a couple of hundred dollars in my wallet. Dollars are as accepted as Mexican pesos for the purposes of purchasing things. However, sometimes you'll get a better exchange rate changing some of your money at a "Cambio" store front. I simply bring my ATM card and get cash at any bank ATM machine. The exchange rate at the ATM is usually pretty good. You can use your Visa or Mastercard to pay for hotels, and most restaurants. I use cash just to pay for small things like taxis, or food at a taco stand or a hamburger joint. Your dentist however may not accept credit cards because of the Mexican banking practices that charge them high interest and give poor currency exchange rates. The best thing is to simply bring American Express travelers checks that your bank will issue to you for free.
Dentists scare me. It's not the drilling, nor the shots of Novocain, but the price they want to charge. While living in Denver, back in 1995, I had a molar break in half. I went in to see a dentist about it and was told that it would require a root canal, and a crown. I about fainted when I learned that the root canal alone was going to cost me $750 and the crown was $550. (Today the total would be about $2000 for everything). I had a friend living in Chihuahua, Mexico, and had already planned a trip. I decided to get my tooth fixed in Mexico during my vacation. The dental work on my tooth only cost $300 in Mexico. Since then, I have only had dental work done in Mexico.
BASIC TIPS on finding a dentist in Mexico.
1. Price list.
Look for a dental clinic online. Never just walk up to the first clinic you find, because you have nothing to compare to. Be careful what you pay for dental care. You can get ripped off by dentists who charge Americans a lot more than the going rate, or even add extra treatments that you don't need, (just like some US dentists). The quality of the dental work done in Mexico is very comparable to that in the USA, and the price is much cheaper. Although there are many dentists near the boarder who cater only to Americans, their prices are still affected by the cheaper dentists just a little further in. But don't get excited over the lower prices and just use any dentists. If they have a big fancy office, it will be reflected in the price you pay, but not necessarily get you any better quality. If you look around on their websites, you can find an equally competent dentist who will charge you less for the same work. I have found that often there are two prices. What they charge Americans can be much more than what a regular Mexican pays. That is why I fell in love with the dentist I go to. They actually post the prices for the work they do on their website, and I knew what to expect before I arrived.
2. Easy to find location.
You will want to find a dentist that is fairly close to the border crossing, but at least in the "el Centro" area, because you can easily take a taxi from the border to the clinic for $5. To go to the border, you can drive your car down the freeway to the last exit, park your car, or take the trolley to the border, and walk across. If you fly into San Diego, it is not necessary to rent a car. By asking at the info desk in the lobby at the baggage claim, they will direct you to where you can catch the 992 bus that takes you into down town. Tell the shuttle bus driver that you want to get off to take the Trolley, (light rail train). He'll drop you off in front of the American Plaza train platform. (From Airport to Trolley it takes 15 minutes). The trolley will take you clear to the border in about 45 minutes. When you get off, you'll see a pedestrian bridge that takes you over the freeway, and into Mexico. Once there, you'll find dozens of Taxi drivers who are clamoring for you attention. Just grab one. They'll have someone standing out front, who speaks English, who'll be asking you where you want to go. Just give them the address. Some clinics will even send someone to pick you up.
3. Lodging.
Although there are a lot of hotels on the US side, going through US Customs is a hassle. You are better off staying in Tijuana where the hotels are nice and cheaper. One place I found is over by the beach at Playas de Tijuana. It is away from downtown, and has a nice atmosphere. There is a cool walkway with stores and restaurants right on the beach. Many dentists offices will help you to find a hotel and take care of arrangements.
4. Length of stay.
I have made several trips to Mexico and had root canals and crowns done in just 5 days. I have had crowns, with no root canal required, in 2 days. It costs a little more to have the lab expedite the work, and it is tiring to sit for a long time in the chair having everything done at once, but it is possible and worth it. However, I have to say that in order to figure out how long it will take, the dentist has to check out what needs to be done. If you have a tooth that is infected, you have to get the infection cleared up before a root canal can be performed. Nevertheless, the dentist can get give you a good idea of how much time you need to budget when she talks to you on the phone. If you are flying in, you'll want to budget enough time to get it all done, and your dentist will tell you what time is needed, but it is good to allow one extra day.
5. Documents required.
To Enter Mexico: USA Visitors to the northern part of Baja California do not need US passports or tourist cards if staying in the country for a short time. If you plan to stay for an extended period, or if you plan to travel beyond Ensenada, You will need to obtain a tourist card. Proof of US citizenship would then be required.
To return back into the USA: To return back into the USA: As of June 1, 2009, US customs has started asking for a US passport. But in practice, at least for the rest of 2009, they have not changed. There are dozens US citizens re-entering the US every day with just a State drivers license and American birth certificate.
6. Traveling funds.
This is an important point that I don't want to forget. It is not necessary to travel with a lot of cash to Mexico. I only take a couple of hundred dollars in my wallet. Dollars are as accepted as Mexican pesos for the purposes of purchasing things. However, sometimes you'll get a better exchange rate changing some of your money at a "Cambio" store front. I simply bring my ATM card and get cash at any bank ATM machine. The exchange rate at the ATM is usually pretty good. You can use your Visa or Mastercard to pay for hotels, and most restaurants. I use cash just to pay for small things like taxis, or food at a taco stand or a hamburger joint. Your dentist however may not accept credit cards because of the Mexican banking practices that charge them high interest and give poor currency exchange rates. The best thing is to simply bring American Express travelers checks that your bank will issue to you for free.
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