Mexico Traveler asked:


Many people decide to go to Tijuana, Mexico for medical or dental treatments, and therefore need to get from the San Diego airport to the border. This step by step guide is designed to help facilitate these patients so that they can take advantage of the low cost public transportation system. 

At the Airport. So you are on your way to Tijuana? Follow the steps given below, and you’ll get there in one hour! When you get off your plane, just follow everyone down to the baggage claim area.  In the San Diego airport there are 3 terminals, and at each terminal, just outside the baggage claim area is a sidewalk where the taxis, shuttles, and buses are picking up people. You need to go outside, and look for where the city bus stop is.  There will be a sign that says MTS, (that is short for Metro Transit System). If you have trouble seeing it, just ask at the information desk in the lobby. There is only one MTS bus that comes by, it is the 992. You will recognize the bus as it is white trimmed in red, and has the number 992 in the windshield. Just wait at the stop, and you’ll find that a bus comes by every 15 minutes.   Get on the 992 Bus. Get a $5 bill ready, and when the bus comes by, put the money in the machine by the driver, and he’ll give you an all day pass, good for the whole MTS system.  With that ticket you are all paid up clear to the border. Tell the driver that you want to get off at the “American Plaza” so you can ride the Trolley. The American Plaza is the train station for the light rail system called the San Diego Trolley.  The bus will get there in just 15 minutes, and will drop you off across the street in front of the train platform.  American Plaza train station.  When you get off the bus, just cross the street to the American Plaza. You will see two platforms, one on each side of the tracks.  Make sure you keep to the side that is on your right as you are walking toward it. The train you will be taking will be headed the same way as you are walking as you are crossing the street. Take the “Blue Line”. There are two train lines.  The “Blue Line” and the “Orange Line”.  Do not be confused, but the trains are all the same orange color! The names “Orange Line” or “Blue Line” refer to the different routes they take. The two lines go to very different places. The Blue Line runs between Old Town and San Ysidro/Tijuana.  So, get on the train that says “Blue Line”, “San Ysidro/Tijuana” on the sign on the wind shield. You will take this train all the way to the end of the line, which the Mexican Border.  The ride will take about 45 minutes.   5. Cross the border. When you step off the trolley, facing the direction that the train had been going, towards the South, you will see a large building a little further on, to your right.  That is the US Customs building. There is a bridge for pedestrians that goes up over the top of part of the roof of Customs, and you will take that bridge to cross over to the other side of the freeway that goes into Mexico. The entryway to the bridge is an opening that you will see people going into. It is located to the left side of the glass doors where people are exiting from Customs. Go on up over the bridge, and when you come down on the other side, turn toward your right, and go on toward Mexico.  Their job to make Mexican national declare purchases made in the USA so they can collect the tax. After you pass the officials, continue forward through another turnstile.  Out front you will see hundreds of yellow taxis, all eager to take you to your destination.  The charge to take you downtown is only $5 or $6 US dollars.  

*Many people who are going to a dental clinic in Tijuana will have made arrangements to be picked up by someone from the clinic.  The common landmark that they all use is a McDonald’s hamburger stand.  You can see the big yellow “M” sticking up above the wall to your right, just after you pass the customs officials and before you go out through the turnstile.  If you have plans to go to a certain dental clinic, be careful that the yellow taxi takes you to the right place. Some of them get paid to take you to the wrong clinic.  A clinic that would pay to steal a patient, will have no scruples about taking advantage of that same patient.  It is best to have made arrangements with the clinic ahead of time to have them pick you up.   

The dentist that I recommend is Sam Dental in Tijuana, Mexico, located just South of San Diego, CA.  They are extremely honest, very capable, have very low prices, and they guarantee their work. 

Dental Price list at Sam Dental Tijuana: www.GoodSamDental.org 

About Sam Dental Tijuana: www.goodsamdental.org/Dentistry-in-Mexico.html 

Help to facilitate your trip, transportation needs, and hotel reservations:www.goodsamdental.org/Dental-in-Tijuana-Lodging.html

Mexico Traveler asked:


In a previous article it was mentioned that there are many reasons why a person should consider Mexico, not just as an alternative source, but as the prime source for dental care. The first reason was elaborated, but the others were just listed. Here we will further expound on the reasons you should consider going to Mexico for dental work.

The cost factor. This was the reason that was previously discussed, but it is simply that the costs of dental work in the USA are prohibitive, and in Mexico they are very reasonable. One can expect to save at least 75% on most procedures. When you have been neglecting your teeth for years because you couldn’t afford to fix them, the next thing you know, it can add up to a small fortune in order to save your teeth. Many people have been shocked when their local dentist tells them that the total cost to restore their mouth is over $10,000. Mexico sounds pretty appealing when you find out that the same procedure there can be done for under $2,500. Try Sam Dental in Tijuana and look at their price list. 

The quality of dental care in Mexico is superior. Most people have the misconception that everything in Mexico, or any other foreign country is backward and low tech. The truth is, especially in Mexico, the dentists have just as good an education in dentistry as an American dentist. The equipment is often state of the art, or at least modern and of good quality. But one factor that most people fail to realize is that practice makes perfect, and because of the extremely high volume of work done, the Mexican dentists along the border, especially in Tijuana, are very good at what they do. Most patients come from out of state, and you don’t go all the way from Huston, or Chicago to Tijuana to just have a few fillings. Most jobs are major dental work, like multiple bridges and crowns. A dentist in Tijuana will often prepare more teeth for crowns than a USA in a week dentist will do in a month. The more you do something, the better you get, and the Mexican dentists have gotten really good. There is ease of access to Mexico, especially Tijuana. Because Tijuana is located just on the other side of the border from San Diego, California, it is very easy to get there. This is true not just because it is so close to the 37 million people of CA, but also to everywhere else in the USA. For some reason, t it is cheap to get a flight to San Diego Airport. For example, from Orlando, Florida it only costs $240 round trip. But what ever one pays for airfare, it is worth it because of the incredible savings on dental work in Mexico. From the airport, public transportation to the border is very easy and inexpensive. One can simply take the city shuttle bus to downtown and then hop the light rail train, the “San Diego Trolley”, which will take you to the Mexican border, all for only $5. Also, many dental clinics are willing to make arrangements to shuttle you straight from the airport all the way to the clinic in Tijuana. A safe environment can be provided. Tijuana has gotten a lot of bad press because of the conflicts between drug cartels. Although this has been a problem, the truth is that the violence is way down, and the new President of Mexico has really cracked down on the drug trafficking. Also, when there were problems, the press failed to point out that there has been a lot of drug related violence in all the major cities in the USA, as well as lots of gang violence, and that Tijuana hasn’t been all that much worse. People who get into trouble in Tijuana are the same ones who get into trouble in L.A. or any other major US city, they are the ones who are going out night clubbing, and buying drugs, looking for hookers, and hanging out with the bad elements. The regular person who comes for dental treatments is not anywhere near the trouble zones of the city. Most people who go to the dental clinics remark about how laid back everything is. Also, most hotels have night watchmen patrolling outside at night, and security is good. There is no reason to feel unsafe in Tijuana. Lodging is inexpensive, the food is great, there are fun things to do, and it makes a great place to just have a little vacation while you are having treatments. Have you ever noticed that in the USA when you see the advertised price of a motel, that you always end up paying a lot more? This is because of all the taxes and surcharges they and on. For example, they may tell you that the room is $69 a night, but when you pay for it, with taxes etc., you are charged more like $84. In Mexico, the government does take all those fees or taxes on a room. When they tell you a room costs $45, that is all it costs. There are several 4 star hotels in down town Tijuana that cost under $60 a night. There are some nice moderate hotels for around $40. Also, the food is very good. There is everything from seafood places, to traditional Mexican food, to Italian, to America. They even have all the junk food places like McDonalds or Wendy’s. In Tijuana, the beach is not too far, and many people like to get a nice, yet inexpensive, room near the beach. There are a lot of shops and it is very relaxing. There are several shuttle buses that will take you down to Rosarita beach or Ensenada to go and hang out while you are waiting for your lab work to get done. All in all, Tijuana is a nice place to take a dental vacation.  

The dentist that I recommend is Sam Dental in Tijuana, Mexico, located just South of San Diego, CA. For more information go to: http://www.GoodSamDental.org They are extremely honest, very capable, have very low prices, and they guarantee their work. The will also help facilitate your trip by helping with transportation needs, and hotel reservations.

About the author: Jim C. has lived in South America for many years, and traveled extensively in Mexico. He speaks Spanish fluently, and is and expert in cross-cultural communications. In other words, he knows his way around!

Mexico Traveler asked:


a very positive experience finding low cost dental care in Mexico.

In these very tough economic times, one has to be very careful with their money, and try to look for good deals.  If you need to get some dental work done, you may be putting it off longer than you should simply because you can’t afford what it is going to cost. I am writing this article to tell you about a high quality, low cost alternative.  Simply, go to a dentist in Mexico! Below, I tell you about my experience, and give you my recommendations. 

Dentists scare me. It’s not the drilling, nor the shots of Novocain, but its 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, in 2009, the root canal would cost me about $1100 and the crown would be around $850). I had a friend who was living in Chihuahua, Mexico, and as I had already planned to go and see him, I decided to see if I could get my tooth fixed in Mexico. During my vacation time that year, I had the dental work done on my tooth at a great savings. The root canal cost me $140 and the crown cost $125 for a total of $265. Compare $265 to the price in Denver of $1,300 and you find that I saved over $1000. The savings more than paid for my vacation!! That was 13 years ago, and my crown is still holding up great with no problems.

Through the years I have had a lot of dental work done in Mexico. I have also had some work done in the USA. The truth is, I have had fewer problems with the Mexican work than I have with the American work. The American dentists have commented very favorably to the many Mexican dentists crowns they have seen in my mouth. I have decided to share a few of my experiences with my fellow Americans who might read this to help them to take advantage of the great savings and high quality dental work available just across the line.

Personally, when I am looking for information on the internet, I **** to have to read on and on to find the vital information that I am looking for, so right now let me say that I think I have found the perfect place to get dental work done in Mexico. It is in Tijuana, just South of San Diego, CA. Airfares to San Diego are cheap, (I just booked a flight from Orlando, Florida to San Diego for $120 one way, including tax), and transportation to the border is very easy via the Old Town Trolley, (light rail). My Tijuana dentist, SAM Dental, actually has a website that you can access to find out about prices, contact information, and how to find the clinic. It’s found at http://www.goodsamdental.org  The website is very informative and is worth checking it out.

6 BASIC TIPS on dental care in Mexico.

1. Price.

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. The quality of the dental work done in Mexico is very comparable to that in the USA, and the price is much cheaper. The reason for this is because the price of University training is subsidized by the government, and the costs of education are not so bloated, compared to the USA. A dentist in Mexico will come out of school and will not be head over heals in debt, like an American. Also, the costs of doing business, and the cost of living is a fraction of that in the USA. The result is, there are a lot of great dentists who simply don’t have to charge so much in order to make a good living. Besides that, the local Mexican people are very limited in their income and ability to pay for services. 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’s because they are catering only to Americans and are charging a lot more than the competition. If you look around, 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 a American can be much more than what a regular Mexican pays. That is why I fell in love with Sam Dental. They actually post the prices for the work they do on their website. I recently checked out the cost of having a porcelain over metal crown at a couple of other dentists. They wanted to charge $350 for a root canal, $325 for the crown, and $ 75 for a post, for a total of $800. Sam Dental charged me $525 for everything.

2. Location.

You will want to find a dentist that is fairly close to the border crossing. What I recommend is to take the Trolley to the border. 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). There you’ll buy a ticket at the machine for $2.50 to go on the blue line to San Ysidro, Mexican Border. You just go to the end of the line. When you get off, you’ll see a pedestrian bridge that you walk over until you enter 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. My dentist is just 5 minutes away. The website can give you the exact address to copy down to hand over to the taxi driver. When you call ahead of time to set up your appointment, they’ll walk you through it. The first time I went, they actually sent someone to pick me up.

3. Transportation & Lodging.

If you want to stay in San Diego, and rent a car, I still recommend that you park in the parking lot for the trolley and take it down to Tijuana. I don’t recommend driving a car into Tijuana. All the traffic can make you nervous. If you want to stay in San Diego, there are a lot of inexpensive hotels in Chula Vista off of E Street, which also has access to where you can catch the trolley. If you are a little more adventurous, you might want to simply stay in Tijuana. There are a lot of nice hotels, that are a lot less expensive than in San Diego. In fact, there is a descent hotel, clean but not too many frills, right across the street from my dentist. However, I kind of like to stay about 15 minutes away, over in Playas de Tijuana, by the beach. There is a cool walkway with stores and restaurants right on the beach, and I found a coffee shop that I like to sit at and read a book while drinking a frapechino and listening to the breakers. In any case, my dentists office helped me to find a hotel and took care of booking arrangements. I just had to tell them what I wanted.

4. Time frame required.

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, done 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 live in the San Diego or L.A. area, it is a lot easier to go across the border for multiple visits. But if you are flying in, you’ll want to budget enough time to get it all done. There are many US citizens who are going on medical vacations to Mexico today. Last time I was in Tijuana, we had a couple of days to spare and so we went down to Ensenada. I’d like to go down and do some fishing in the ocean off a boat next time.

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 will  begin asking for a passport.  While the truth is, if you have your drivers lisc. and birth certificate, they will definitely allow you back into the country. Nevertheless it is best to go ahead and get your passport to avoid being hasseled by customs.  you If you have any doubts, by all means go to the government website to check it out. Click here to link to the Department of Homeland Security. If you have time, it is good to get a U.S. passport, but don’t be overly concerned. If you live in San Diego or L.A., you’re good to go, with your California Drivers license and your birth certificate, for at least 2 or three years.

6. Funds.

This is an important point that I don’t want to forget. It is no 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. But what I do is simply bring my ATM card and get cash at any banks 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. Some dentists will even accept your credit card for payment. I know mine does. I have found that the amount charged to my card has been at a good exchange rate in dollars.

Again, click here for the website of Sam Dental in Tijuana

 

Mexico Traveler asked:


Everyone is going through tough times economically right now.  We are all looking for ways to cut back. When it comes to dental care, we often put things off, but in reality, eventually things need to be taken care of. A lot of people have lost their dental insurance, or never had any. If you need dental work done, and have gone to get a check up anywhere in the USA, you probably were shocked at the prices they quoted.  That is the main reason people go to a dentist in Mexico for dental care, they are hunting for a bargain. 

Right now is an exceptional time to go to a dentist in Tijuana, Mexico for dental care. Since the economy has slowed here, there are fewer people actually going to a dentist in Mexico, just as there are fewer going here. There is even more competition between dentists in Mexico for the fewer amount of patients crossing the border.  Most dental clinics will have their prices posted on their website; however, as with everything in Mexico, there is always room for negotiation.  You can always ask for their best price or a discount.  If it is for minor things, they may not budge too much, but if it is for major work, they will most likely come up with a better price. So, for that tooth you need to have crowned, and the US dentist told you would cost $1000, you can probably get it done, with everything, for under $250 in Mexico. The Mexican dentists are hurting too, and they would rather make less profit, and at least keep busy make something.

 Just keep in mind one thing, and that is, don’t jump at the lowest price and go to any Tijuana dentist.  Keep in mind that some dentists in Tijuana might not be as honest as they should, and tell you that you need things that you don’t. Both integrity and skill level are important. It is always a good idea to ask for references, and then check them out.  One clue to consider is, you can often tell by the quality of their website, what kind of pride they take in their work. 

 The Tijuana dentist clinic I have found, and that has met all my expectations is Sam Dental in Tijuana. These Mexico dentists are very professional and do a very good job.  Also, I have found that not only did they have good prices, but that they were willing to work with me and give a discount on the work they did. 

Mexico Traveler asked:


For years Mark has had bad teeth, and for years he had been thinking about how he might look with new teeth. They were progressively getting worse and worse each year.  They we full of cavities that had been filled with those ugly silver fillings.  They were also ground down through the years, and were not much more than stubs. All were stained yellow and some were badly misshapen.  Mark had the teeth of a homeless person, and yet he was a very successful businessman.  

Mark finally grew tired of what he saw in the mirror each morning, and so he decided that he was going to take action and do something about it. He asked around and got some referrals to a reputable dentist there in his home city of Tulsa, OK.  However, his dream of getting a new smile seemed out of reach when the local dentist told him what it would cost.  To have all of  the mercury/silver fillings taken out, 3 root canals, 4 wisdom teeth extractions, 21 standard porcelain crowns, and six all porcelain crowns for the front teeth, the total dental bill was going to run over $40,000.  

Mark couldn’t afford to spend that kind of money, but he was not deterred. He had heard that dental work was relatively inexpensive in foreign countries, and so he got on the internet and began to do research.  He found that the most common destination for Americans, who go abroad for dental work, is in Tijuana, Mexico.  The reason for this is because the dental charges are just a fraction of what they are in the US. Malcolm got a price to do the same work he wanted done for under $7,000. That was a big difference.  Also, he found that Tijuana is easily accessible from the US. One can fly into San Diego, CA rather inexpensively, and transportation to the border is easy. One can either take the Metro system and ride the trolley to the border, or have some one from the dental clinic pick them up. Also, hotels and restaurants in Tijuana abound, and at very reasonable rates.

 So Mark decided to step out and do it. Everything went smooth.  He spent hours in the dental chair, and got everything done in 8 days. He found that Tijuana was a nice place, and he felt very safe and secure. Finally the day came when his mouth was put back together and he could smile once again. The results speak for themselves. Malcolm looks fantastic and his wife now parades him around as her “movie star” husband. The costs of flying to Mexico were insignificant compared to the savings, and to fix up his smile, it was all money well spent.  

Many thousands of people each year seek medical and dental care abroad. They are motivated by the tremendous savings available on high quality treatment.  They are tired of paying out their hard earned money, or going in debt so that some Dr. or dentist can live in a big house and drive a fancy car.  Mark found that getting dental care outside the US was certainly the answer for his needs, and he tells everyone he meets that they can reap the same benefit.

 Mark recommends Sam Dental in Tijuana. They have a website where you can get more info: www.goodsamdental.org  You can also call directly at: 619-272-3479  

Mexico Traveler asked:


Getting Dental Implants in Mexico has become very common.

 Going to Mexico for dental implants has become very common. The reason is because the dentists in Mexico are very well trained, and can do the same procedures for less than 1/3 the cost. A Tijuana dentist can save you up to $3000 on the cost of a dental implant, abutment and crown, compared to USA prices.

 As we get older, the inevitable happens…we start to loose teeth.  I have tried to hold on to mine as long as I can, but there are a couple of my teeth that I know won’t last for long.  Dental implants can be the answer for many people.  A bridge requires the dentist to basically ruin the teeth on either side of the missng tooth, grinding them down so that they can also be crowned to serve as anchor teeth for the bridge that fills in gap of the missing tooth.  They work well, but they are not going to last forever, and now instead of one tooth missing, you have the possibility of eventually loosing the other two as well.  The problem with a partial is that you have a piece of plastic and metal in your mouth all the time that you can constantly feel.  A dental implant looks and feels like the original tooth, and it is there permanently.

Let me explain a little bit about the procedure. It is not something that can de done in a day, because it takes months for the implant to heal and for the surrounding bone to grow and attach itself.  I recently had a friend that went to Mexico to have this procedure done at Sam Dental in Tijuana, so I will elaborate on his experience.

1. The doctor has to do an oral examination, complete with ex-rays to make sure you are a good candidate. You have to have good bone density and the jaw bone has to be in good shape.  Some people will have to start with a bone graft in order to build up the surrounding bone.  If you are needing to first have an extraction, especially if it is a molar tooth, you will probably have to have a bone graft, in which they surgecly implant an artificial calcium material that the bone adheres to and grows around. The procedure takes about 1 hours per tooth, and will take about 45 days for the healing process to be done, and to be ready for an implant.  If you have lost the tooth a long time ago, and the jaw bone is in good shape, you won’t need to have this step done.  In Mexico, a bone graft costs $350 per tooth, still much less than the $1200 it costs in San Diego.

2.  After pre-drilling a hole into the jawbone, the implant, made of  titanium, is screwed in. It is coated with hydroxylapatite, which is the main mineral of which dental enamel is comprised. This helps the bone to grow around and bond to the dental implant more thoroughly. The dentist opens up the gum, and using a special machine, he removes the bone in the jaw to prepare it to receive the implant.  After insertion of the implant, the gum is sutured closed with dissoluble sutures. The procedure only takes about 1 hour, but you will then have wait for 3 to 4 months for the bone to heal and grow to the implant.  Some people have heard about mini-implants that the dentist will attach a crown to the same day, but this procedure in not highly recommended. The fact is, if you are using the implant before the bone can heal and adhere to the implant, it will work loose.  Mini implants do not have a very long life expectancy, and may need to be replaced in a couple of years.  It is best to do the slower procedure, and  have an implant that will last for the rest of your life. 

3&4. When you come in to attach the abutment and crown, it will take 2 visits to the clinic, but they can be back to back. First, the dentist will drill into the titanium implant to attach the abutment.  He will then make an impression of this post and the surrounding teeth, and send the impressions out to the lab. It normally takes a couple of days for the finished crown to be ready, but if arrangements are made with the lab, the crown can be ready to put on the very next day, and in some cases the same day.

The costs of a dental implant with the abutment and crown in Mexico runs from $1500 to $1850.  The same thing in San Diego or Los Angeles runs from $3800 to $4,600.  As you can see, the savings is significant.

Is it safe to have this done in Mexico? Although this is not a procedure that can be done by just any dentist, and requires a lot of specialty training in the techniques and procedures, there are many  Mexican dentists that have been very well trained to do dental implants.  They get a lot of practice at it because this has become a procedure that has become common in Mexico because of the many thousands of Americans who have go over to have it done.

My friend went to Sam Dental in Tijuana. They have a specialist that comes in to do implants. He has 12 years of experience with several specializations in implants, root canals, and oral surgery.  He is reputed to be one of the best in his field.  I know my freind was very happy with the result.  If you are interested in a good dentist in Tijuana, I can strongly recommend Sam Dental.  Here is a link to their website so you can check them out.  www.GoodSamDental.org

Mexico Traveler asked:


I was having a tooth ache in one tooth, had two teeth that had a big piece broken off, and several cavities. Like a lot of people, I knew I had  a lot of dental problems, but had hesitated to get my teeth fixed because I was afraid of what it might cost.  Finally, with the throbbing pain in my right jaw, I had to do something, So, I went to a local dentist, with a very nicely decorated office. He was very nice, and very professional, and certainly seemed to know his business.  However, after the evaluation, and he told me what it would cost to fix me up, I just about gagged! I was going to need 2 root canals with crowns, a third crown by itself, and 11 cavities filled. The total? $7,350.  That was more money than I had paid for my car!

I have worked for years in telecommunications as a cable guy.  In other words, I bust my buns as a blue collar worker.  I make pretty good money, but I appreciate the value of it. My dental insurance was a joke.  There was a maximum yearly benefit of only $1,500, and that wasn’t enough to pay to fix even one tooth. I thought, there has to be a better way.  Out of curiosity, I decided to check out what a dentist in Mexico might charge.  I didn’t even know if I could find any websites for one, but I did find several.  Some didn’t bother to list any prices, so I skipped over those.  Some of them didn’t have a US phone number, and I was afraid of what a long distance call to Mexico might cost. Some had some young girl of a receptionist who spoke broken English.  But I finally found someone who answered me in perfect English, and who was able to answer all of my questions. 

The guy from Mexico listened to what I had to say, and then told me some good news. To do all the work that my dentist in Denver wanted to charge me nearly $7,500 for, in Mexico the dentist would only charge me $1800.  I was elated! To be sure of the quality of their work, I asked for some referrals, which they were glad to give.  I called them all and everyone had only good things to say about their experience.  Evidently, these dentists do so much work, they have gotten really good at it.  It seems there are thousands and thousands of Americans each year who go to Mexico.  The place I found is in Tijuana, and that seems to be some kind of dental capitol because of the easy access from San Diego and Los Angeles, CA. 

When I planned my trip, the guy from the dentist office in Tijuana helped me figure out where to stay, and how to get to the border from the Airport.  Hotels were only $40 per night, with tax, and getting around with a taxi only cost 4 or 5 bucks. My expenses were not amounting to too much, and since the dental work itself was so cheap, I decided to do something extra, that I would have never had the money to do back in Denver.  My front teeth have always been so ugly, I decided to have crowns placed on the 4 front teeth on the top and on the bottom.  The truth is, I could have gotten by without it, but I was feeling pretty good about the price.  I don’t mind spending money if I get good value. I The 8 extra crowns cost me only $1800.  In the Denver, I would have paid $900 each. So, I paid a total of $3600, ½ of what my dentist in Denver was originally going to charge me, but instead of only 3 crowns, I got 11.  I am still excited about this! Just think about it, I got almost $15,000 worth of dental work done in Mexico for only $3600. 

Many people have asked me about the dangers of going into Mexico. I admit, I was a little nervous about going to Tijuana because you here a lot of things on the news, but the idea of saving so much money gave me the motivation. However, once I got there, it was a piece of cake.  I loved it there! I found this to be quite calm, and didn’t feel at all intimidated.  As a cable dude, I have had to work in East Denver in the “bad part of town”, doing disconnects and repossessing people’s cable boxes when they didn’t pay their bill.   There have been a few times I had to call the police in order to do my job because people were threatening me.  I have been inside ***** houses, and filthy apartment complexes, and seen *********** openly soliciting people, and drug dealers and punks carrying guns.  Believe me when I say Tijuana, at least in the business area where the dental clinics are, is harmless by comparison. And I know that Denver is nothing compared to parts of L.A. or Chicago, or NYC.  I honestly have not seen any of the so called violence in Tijuana.  I am sure stuff happens, but stuff happens everywhere else too. I think if you go out looking for trouble you will find it, but if you behave yourself and go where respectable people go you’ll be fine. 

To sum this up, I wanted to get this out there to help others to know that there is a real and viable alternative available for dental work. It may not make sense for minor things, but if all you need is one root canal and crown, you will save $1500, and that is a whole lot more than my entire trip cost me. No wonder dental tourism has become such a growing craze! 

The dentist that I recommend is Sam Dental in Tijuana, Mexico, located just South of San Diego, CA. For more information go to: http://www.GoodSamDental.org They are extremely honest, very capable, have very low prices, and they guarantee their work. The will also help facilitate your trip by helping with transportation needs, and hotel reservations.

About the author: Jim C. has lived in South America for many years, and traveled extensively in Mexico. He speaks Spanish fluently, and is and expert in cross-cultural communications. In other words, he knows his way around!