Dental Work in Mexico or Central America ?

[imagine2frolic]

Has anybody had experience with getting major dental work done in Mexico, or Central America? I have advised a friend that another friend got great work done in Costa Rica very inexpensively. This could be worked into cruising plans, and save money........i2f

[GordMay]

Not Mexico or Central America; but I got great work, done dirt cheap, in Georgetown Bahamas.
Dentist extracted abscessed wisdom tooth, and provided antibiotics and Demerol for about $20US (1995?).

However, See also ➥ http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...amas-2579.html

Countries that actively promote medical tourism include:
Cuba, Costa Rica, Hungary, India, Israel, Jordan, Lithuania, Malaysia and Thailand. Belgium, Poland and Singapore are now entering the field.
See ➥ CBC News Indepth: HEALTH CARE

[Ram]

Thats a long time ago Gord!- I was in Mexico a few months ago and saved about 50% of what it costs in the states-good work also

[johnar]

Thank you very much for starting the post,

The mort I read and talk to people it seams health care is cheaper anyplace south of the boarder, Makes me think Toco Bell has somethinhg to do with it.


Dutch

[douc12]

Try Costa Rica. My wife had care done that we had a $8500 estimate for in the US. Total cost was less than $1800, she swears she never felt a thing and after 2 years still no issues. Many of the CR dentists are US trained, use the latest techniques and are very competent

[SuzanneSeattle]

My dentist is is Los Algodones, just across the border from Yuma, Arizona.

In four trips, I've had six implants/crowns, one root canal, one sinus boost, five extractions, and 18 crowns.

As a pricing example, I needed a root canal, post/buildup, and crown on my last trip. In Seattle, it would have cost $2,400. At Dental Bernal, it was $1,200 and that included round-trip airfare, car and hotel for a week.

If you'd like to read the 30-page journal from my first trip in October, 2006, email me at my Yahoo.com address (SuzanneFromSeattle@).

Suzanne From Seattle

[MichaelC]

Nice thread. Thanks. I am building a 32' sailboat and I am on Social Insecurity. It is a race between boatbuilding and deteriorating dentition. I would like to do it in Costa Rica, but I suspect it will be Mexico.

[annk]

We have had excellent experiences in both Guatemala and Panama. Guatemala cheapest, rebuild bridge, root canal, treatment for jaw abscess, total cost $30!!!

That included a specialist from the city coming down to perform the operation on the jaw.....

No the surgery wasn't very glitzy but the quality of work was excellent

[Boomp]

I know a realtor...very nice lady who lives in Cozumel, Mexico and she raves about the excellant dental care on the island.

[imagine2frolic]

This would include cruising plans, so where would be a good place to leave the boat too?............i2f

[fmastin]

Lived in Balboa, Panama for 20 years (on and off) and the dental work was excellent and about half the price of Stateside. Many doctors and dentists in Central America travel to the U.S. for their education.

[johnar]

The part that is hard to understand to me is and a bit sad.

The Doctors come to the USA for school training and return to another country's so in my eyes you get the same doctors, then why is it the cost of health care is over twice of other country's??? Don't say insuracne because health care insurance in the US is a joke, they tell you how long you can stay in a hospital for treatment they tell you what treatment you can and can not have something I always thought Docotrs did. Then they turn around and pay Doctors not the full bill but what they call "fair and reasonable" for whatever care.

So who is our care provider the Doctor or the Insurance company?

Dutch

[Jmolan]

We have a home and a boat in San Carlos Sonora Mexico. Half way up, or down the Sea of Cortez, on the mainland side. We are very happy with both the medical and dental care we receive there. We have experience with 4 dentists. My father had 18 crowns and bridges done. He came to have a check up and estimate done (for two days) They said they could start the next day, they worked on him 6 days a week for 5 weeks. cost was 1/3 the US estimate. Dentist had latest digital X-rays and live video feed. After 3 years he has no problems.
My doctor is Baylor University trained, the hospital is full of Doctors from there. It is affiliated with Baylor. He explained to me that he believes 90% of all procedures in the US are to prevent liability issues. He told me this after diagnosing my daughter with strep throat. He said" she has strep, here is a 5 pack of super antibiotics" I said "don't you run a test for that"? He says, I know what I am looking at, if you want to spend the money on a test we can do that, but I will give her this medication even if it is negative. I have heard similar in Costa Rica and Panama. I know a man who is buying a hhouse right now in Panama, it is booming there, he will have free medical care. Medical proceedure vacations are becoming more and more popular. Get your back surgury in India, spend your recovery time in an awesome setting and fly back for checkups, and still save half over the USA.
Liability worries and expense, in Mexico, does not exsist. Everything you do is cheaper because the liability issues are not there. You mechanic is not worried about you suing him, so.... his shop is a mess, and his employees cost him less, and you might slip if you don't watch out, but my rebuilt transmission just cost $500 Vs. $1500 in the US. Your construction company, building you a garage is half the cost because he does not have the liability issues and expense.
I mention San Carlos because it is a haven for boat storage, one yard alone has 800 boats stored in the summer months. and the other 9 month's a year it is a nice place to moore out.....

[neophytecruiser]

June 2009, prior to our departure from La Paz to bash back to California, my wife experienced the onset of tooth pain in one of her molars. After a same day appointment with a local dentist recommended by Club Cruceros in La Paz, examination and x-rays of the offending tooth demonstrate the need for a root canal intervention. An appointment the following day brought a root canal specialist to the same dental office and the requisite dental work was completed. A five day course of antibiotics, followed by a post procedure check up concluded the procedure.

The dentist who had the primary practice was fluent in English, the root canal specialist spoke some Engilsh and coupled with my wifes basic Spanish, communication was not a problem. The service was offered without a wait for an appointment, the facilities were clean, the staff friendly and the practice was relatively modern. The total cost of the procedure, including all office visits and antibiotics was ~#300 U.S. For comparison, a root canal in the U.S. runs in the neighborhood of $1000 to $1200. The work done in Mexico was subsequently inspected by our regular dentist in San Diego and pronounce as well done.

Hope this provides some perspective with regard to costs. The only recommendation we would offer is to be sure to check with the locals to get a reference to reputable dental and medical care. While the chance of encountering someone who is not well trained is low, it never hurts to rely on recommendations from the local community.