RV dental tourism in Mexico - Part II

RVers have been taking advantage of Mexican dentistry for years. The work is excellent, fast and about a third the cost of U.S. and Canadian dentistry. The responses to the first installment of this series raised some questions I will address in this article.

Jody Brandvold from Brooklyn Center, Minnesota has been RVing to Mesa, Arizona for 11 years and has been receiving dental care in Mexico for over five years. She says she is not nervous at all about the experience saying her doctor is competent, does great work and is gentle. Jody said, “I went to my dentist back home in Minnesota and was quoted over $5,000 and I was able to get the same work done here for about $500.”Blaine an Luella Anderson from Wellsville, Utah are staying at a local RV park in their travel trailer. Luella said she had a complete dental makeover done in Los Algodones three years ago and remains very pleased with the work. Blane tells me he had seven crowns, a new partial and bonding on six of his front teeth, “I figure I saved six thousand dollars compared to back home.”There is a common misconception that Mexican dentists attend dental school in the U.S. but in fact the majority attend dental college at a Mexican university. After graduation and residency some will attend U.S. universities like UCLA or Loma Linda Dental Colleges for post graduate studies.Dentists in Los Algodones accept cash, checks and many take credit cards. Be sure to ask about payment options before you get in the chair.

One of the great advantages to receiving dental care in Mexico is the speed at which they get things done. They use their time wisely and get you in and out quickly while maintaining high standards of professional service. If you are planning on having implant work, keep in mind that after the surgery you must return in three months to have a crown attached to the post.

Tony & Kay Coletta from Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin have a park model in Phoenix and have been coming to the dentist in Los Algodones for the past three years. Tony was recommended by his cousin who experienced bad work from a U.S. dentist and came to Mexico to have it fixed. He was very pleased with the work and brought the old crown back to the U.S. dentist and received a full refund.

Peggy Arthur from Phoenix, Arizona says of the Mexican dentists, “They don’t hurt you! It’s the best experience I’ve ever had in a dental chair.” She’s been coming here for two years and is a satisfied customer. “And it’s fun,” says Peggy who has friends who come here from as far away as Alaska to get their dental work done at a fraction of the cost.

You may drive across the boarder, but be sure you have Mexican insurance. If you are transporting someone with a handicap this is the best option to use.It costs $2.00 for parking in town and there is about a one hour wait to exit back across to the U.S. side of the border. You can also pay to park in the Indian reservation parking lot and walk across. The town is wheel chair accessible. There are also clean and comfortable hotels located in town within easy walking distance of your dental appointments.

Los Algodones is a safe town with ample security and tourist police. The dental association and other businessmen want to keep Los Algodones clean, safe and a respected haven of dental, audiology and optometry care for both U.S. and Canadian patients. They are not tolerant of any illegal activity by the locals that might in any way soil the reputation of their town. So in that sense, this is not a typical Mexican border town.

There are also many cost saving pharmacies located in Los Algodones.And while you're in town pick up a couple souvenirs from the local vendors.
Blaine & Luelia Anderson are from Redvers a small town located in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. I met Luelia when she wandered into my dentist’s office while I was waiting for my appointment. She looked bewildered and when I asked her how she was doing, she told me her story. After she recovered from a mild stroke her dentures no longer fit properly. She told me she went to a couple of dentists in Canada and had four different sets of dentures made but none of them fit properly. She was about to give up on the idea of having a decent set of dentures. I introduced her to my dentist, Dr. Janira Rodarte who immediately took her in for an examination. About 10 minutes later I see Dr. Janira taking Luelia by the arm and leading her out of the office and down the street. When Dr. Janira returned she told me she had taken her to a specialist in geriatric dentistry.

Two weeks later I ran into Blaine & Luelia at the audiologist office where Blaine was being fitted for a hearing aid (I’ll say more about optometry and audiology services in Part V of this series). I was delighted to see Lueila smiling and happy and she was equally happy to see me. She said, “Thank you so much for insisting I see your dentist. After she examined me she took me to Dr. Sam Galaviz. He took me in right away and began working. I came back after lunch for some additional measurements and by 4:00 O’clock I had a new pair of dentures that fit perfectly. I’ll never go back to a Canadian dentist again!” What are the chances you’d get this kind of personal service in the U.S. or Canada?

If you have trouble with your dental work, for whatever reason, the dentists of Los Algodones will work with you to make it right. They want you to be satisfied with your dental work and pride themselves on doing their best for you.

Setting the standard for international RV journalism - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing