5 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT DENTAL TOURISM
1. MERIDA WILL MAKE YOU SMILE
If you have chosen Yucatan as your destination for a holiday slash dental treatment, Merida is the perfect place. It is the state capital and also the biggest city in southeast Mexico. It is close to many sites and has an amazing cultural heritage and a vibrant lifestyle. It is also a great place to find a dentist, as most dental schools in the region are located here and there are many dentists that are trained abroad. Since it’s not a 100% touristic city (compared to Cancun or Playa del Carmen) dental treatment here is way more personalized. In fact, a lot of foreign patients are permanent or temporary residents, and many patients that visit our dental office on vacation end up coming back for checkups once a year as they fall in love with the city and make it a regular destination becoming regular patients.
2. FINDING THE RIGHT CLINIC
Most people when at home find a dentist by referral from family and friends, when looking for a dentist in another country whether you have an emergency during your holiday or you plan to get some treatment done while on vacation you might feel a little lost, it is important to find a clinic that will make you feel comfortable, safe and provide the best treatment, think of the lower cost of doing it abroad as a bonus.
Dental tourism websites or directories
Finding a clinic online can be overwhelming, using a third-party website might facilitate your search. A lot of our patients find us through medical tourism sites or medical directories (Dental Departures or Top Doctors) where they can compare prices, find patient’s reviews, pictures and ratings or they can find our website by doing a google search.
Personal website
We pay a lot of attention to our website as it is many times the first impression patients get from our clinics. Everything counts from the design to the information that is provided. Some important things to look for are:
• Patients reviews and testimonies, this is the closest to a referral from a friend, pay attention to personalized writing and before and after pictures that don’t look like online stock photos or Photoshop altered ones.
•Photos of the facilities that show comfortable, clean and new equipment. If a website has cheap photos taken with a cheap camera or phone it is usually not a good sign.
• FAQ’s you might find the answer to some of your questions here or give you a good idea on the kind of care that a clinic provides.
The right dentist for your treatment
A lot of people have a fear of the dentist and choosing one online can be a little scary too. To make you feel more at ease find the right dentist for your specific needs, one that makes you feel comfortable and can establish a good connection with you. This is why it’s so important to find a fully bilingual dentist, not just one that can “speak English well”.
It is important to find the right specialist for your particular needs, if you only want a check-up, a general dentist might suffice; but if you are looking for comprehensive treatment, implant therapy or you have any pain, a prosthodontist is your best option. As prosthodontists we provide restorative care but also coordinate treatment with other specialists. The key is to have good communication, sometimes a phone call prior to the consultation can be very reassuring for the patient and also it is very helpful for the dentist knowing what the patient’s expectations are.
3. IT’S NOT CHEAPER IT’S LESS EXPENSIVE
Dental treatment outside of the U.S., Canada or Europe can be just as good (or even better). The quality of dental care depends on the training and expertise of your doctor, and the materials, equipment and technology they use. Many of our patients are surprised to find state-of-the-art facilities and equipment, even though our prices are considerably lower.
The reason why treatment it is less expensive in Mexico is because the all-around cost is less. Operational costs are much lower, rent, salaries and malpractice insurance make up for most of the difference. But also living expenses are much lower and dental treatment prices have to go accordingly. Dental care is approximately 40% to 70% less expensive in Mexico. This is why Dental Tourism has become so popular, you can get your dental treatment and a vacation for the same price or even lower than back home.
4. YOUR INSURANCE MIGHT COVER IT
Because you’re out of the country, insurance companies sometimes follow more stringent procedures, in order to get a reimbursement, you must fill out your own dental claim. Many of our patients are able to do this when they get back home. We provide a detailed billing statement and full report with before and after photos and x-rays and fill out any form that may be needed.
Not all dental insurance plans are the same and some have unique requirements for submitting out-of-country claims. Be sure to check with your insurance provider before planning your trip.
5. THERE’S ALWAYS SOME RISK
Dentistry is always subject to risk and or changes. Sometimes things don’t go as planned or turn out to be more complex than expected. As experienced dentists we are able to work through these situations but the main downside of Dental Tourism is distance and time. In many cases (such as implant therapy), more than one visit is necessary to complete treatment and sometimes patients need to stay a little longer so we can make sure everything is going well before leaving.
Another concern is warranty. Most dentists guarantee their work (this should be discussed prior to the treatment), but again distance and time might be an inconvenience. A solution we have found for this is establishing a global network of referral dentists, these are colleagues that we personally know and trust with our patients, located all over the US and Europe so they can assist us if our patients have an emergency..
For the most part dental tourism is safe and reliable. It’s all about choosing the right clinic, good patient doctor communication and planning.
