Many Americans are traveling to Mexico these days for more than just sun, fun and beach.  Besides their regular vacations, they are going to see the dentists in Mexico. Dental care in Mexico is gaining popularity among the numerous off shore patients looking for low cost yet quality solutions to their dental ailments.

Dentistry in the United States is very expensive, and Americans often tend to ignore dental care because of high prices.  According to the National Center for Health Statistics in Atlanta, the morbidity percentage of American children in the age group 6-19 years with untreated tooth decay was 16 percent between 2005 and 2008.  The percentage of adults aged 20-64 years with untreated tooth decay was 23 percent in the same time period.

This is a serious price to pay for not being able to afford dental care.  Dentists in Mexico charge 50 -70 percent less than what it costs in the U.S. Even the cost for the best dentist in Mexico would be far less than the U.S. prices. Even the cost of dental implants in Mexico is lower than the costs in the US, Canada and the UK. Also, one can undergo dental care in internationally accredited hospitals and clinics in Mexico.

Qualifications of Dentists in Mexico

Many scary stories have appeared in the news about cheap dentists in Mexico.  They promise to offer cut-rate treatment for very short waiting time.  They appeal to people desperate with pain, who no longer have the desire to do the necessary research it takes to find quality treatment.

Every country has its share of charlatans. However, there are also highly qualified Mexican dentists who are educated and trained in excellent institutions.  Many of the best have also been trained in the United States, Canada or the United Kingdom.

A quick solution would be to research on the dentists in Mexico carefully.

How to research for a dentist’s qualifications:

• A thorough Internet search will reveal many dentists in Mexico who openly state their qualifications and accreditations, or who will provide them when asked.

• Then search the Internet for the agency that accredited that dentist, such as the American Dental Association (ADA), or the Canadian Dental Association (CDA), or World Dental Federation (FDI) and see if indeed that dentist is a member of that organization.  Each specialty has its own certifying body.

• If a dental clinic seems rundown, is in a sleazy part of town, or if its staff provides cagey answers, becomes defensive if you ask about qualifications, or tries too hard to convince you, leave immediately.

• It helps if the dental clinic has been certified by the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

• If the dentist is a specialist, his qualifications may also come from other agencies, such as:
  • Instituto Mexicano de Implantología Oral
  • Canadian Dental Implant Institute
  • National Council of Restorative Dentistry

Do not get your dental references from street hawkers in Mexico.  They tag tourists and sell everything from souvenirs, cheap jewelry, and designer knockoffs and are paid to refer shady dentists.

Specialties for dentists in Mexico

Dentists in Mexico, as in the U.S., practice general dentistry, and specialties such as:

• Endodontics: Treatment of root problems.
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Oral Surgeon): uses surgery to treat removal of wisdom teeth, removal of tumors and other surgery around the mouth and face that stems from problems with teeth.
• Orthodontics: Treatment of improper bites and crowding or spacing of teeth, overbites, under bites, etc.
• Periodontics: Treatment of the supporting structures of teeth, diseases, and conditions that affect them, such as gingivitis.
• Prosthodontics: The restoration and replacement of teeth, inserting implants and fitting dentures.
• Cosmetic dentistry: Reconstruction of the teeth to correct imperfections and make them look more beautiful.

Why travel to see dentists in Mexico?

• Quality of care is of similar standards as in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
• Mexico dental care can be 50-70 percent less expensive.
• Fast service and no waiting time.
• Quality follow-up and aftercare.
• Medical tourism agencies can facilitate packages that include hotel and resort stay. Many dentists in Mexico have clinics in popular places like Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, and many others.

With good research beforehand, quality dentists in Mexico can be found.  Considering the dental vacations in Mexico’s exotic resorts, the discomfort of being in a dentist’s chair is sure to pass from memory more quickly.

Mexico Health  facilitates affordable medical treatments at various hospitals in Mexico. For more information, submit the estimate–request form on the right.