Dental Tourism-Molar City
Los Algodones, Mexico or Baja California is a small little town 9 miles South of Yuma, Arizona. Los Algodones has become so popular with dental tourism patients from the USA and Canada that it’s been named the Dental Capital of the World.
So what is Dental Tourism?
It is a very inexpensive trip to a small town that has over 300 dentists specializing in dental implants, crowns, root canals and dentures just to name a few of the services. There is also shopping and wonderful restaurants.
Along with dental services there are also optical and prescription services in Los Algodones. However the most popular procedures are dental implants and dentures.
So why go to Mexico 🇲🇽 for dental treatment ?
Well if you’ve ever been in position where your entire tooth and root is pulled then you’re going to need a dental implant. The average cost of one dental implant and crown is $5000 in the USA.
If you happen to need 5 dental implants and crowns then yes the cost could be $25,000 or more.😯 However in Los Algodones the same treatment will cost you $8000.
What about the Dentist’s Qualifications? 🤔
So before hopping on a plane to Baja California you’re gonna wanna know about safety, sterile techniques, the dentist’s qualifications, and cost of travel. I mean is it all worth it?
Here’s my story:
While deciding whether or not to head across the border for dental treatment, I spent a lot of time on the internet, doing tons of research and reading patient testimonials.
The testimonials were 85-90% positive from patients regarding their results, the skills of the dentists, the equipment, the sterile environment and the extra services provided. (One dental clinic will pay for your hotel stay, pick you up from the airport, and taxi you around the little town,
all complimentary 😊)
I also researched the education and training of the Los Algodones dentists and surprisingly found out that they are extremely qualified and skilled. The dentists there are very experienced in their specialties since they treat so many more patients than the average American dentist.
July 2017 ✈️
My first impression of Los Algodones after walking across the border was how friendly the townspeople were. They are also bilingual and speak excellent Spanish and English.
My driver from my dental clinic picked me up and brought me to my hotel. I had a very small but comfortable room where the air conditioner worked amazing, the bathroom was clean and there was even storage.
That week I saw several dentists from the same clinic and ended up receiving 5 dental implants. Before a crown can be attached to a dental implant there is a 4-6 month waiting period so the implant can integrate or attach to the bone. So I headed back home to the USA.
6 Months Later 🦷 Present Day
So here I am currently in flight on route back to the nice little quaint town of Los Algodones. I’m looking forward to getting 5 crowns and having plenty of time to work on WA training and writing content!
Buenos Dias!
Recent Comments
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CSavoi, A lot of research and personal experience has gone into this post! I am very familiar with the dental costs in the USA for implant work. I was a RN that gave sedation for these procedures and more for 12 years. I did not know of the work being done outside the USA and really appreciate all the information you took the time to investigate and share. There are many out there that put off dental work of all kinds because of the cost. This certainly is a great option.
Let us know how things go and wish you all the best. Great time to work on your WA projects!
Gracias,
Phyllis
Thank you so much Phyllis, I sure will. I put off this dental work for years... only to damage more teeth 🦷 😬
It’s legal but when it comes to prescriptions, you are not allowed to bring anything back through the US border unless it’s been written by a doctor, dentist, or vet from the US.
So you must toss your medication away before you leave. Luckily I had some clindamycin from my dentist back home to finish out my regimen.
No he was nice enough to give me a prescription before I went so I could use it there. I’m very much into infectious disease also.
The K-9’s were not there when I crossed into the US border in July (slow season). They are typically not trained to scent antibiotics... it’s the controlled medication that people try to sneak across that they are trained to scent out. I didn’t take any chances though. $9000 fine if caught. 😦
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Wow, not aware of this! Thank you for sharing, Colleen! :o)
One of my patients was saving up to do this, and shared an elaborate plan. It was interesting to read on here, reminded me of a dear client.