New dental plan for Americans: Go to MEXICO

New dental plan for Americans: Go to MEXICO

www.msnbc.msn.com

CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico - It was fear of the hefty bill as much as fear of the drill that kept American musician Don Clay away from U.S. dental clinics for 30 years.

When a sorely infected tooth eventually drove him to the dentist last month, it was to a clinic in a Mexican border city better known for violent crime and drug cartels.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Here's a clear message to all Americans. If you have lost you job, or are working in one of Americas low-paying service based "industries" don't expect Uncle Sam to help you out.

Never mind that 1/3 of your shrinking paycheck goes to taxes.
If you have an impacted molar,take a week off from work, hop in your car and drive to MEXICO, and drive James Bond style past the warring druglords to have a "Mexican Dentist" operate on you. The article even suggest that your a wuss if this seems scary to you. You should"shrug off concerns about Mexicos brutal drugwar"

Another example of your tax dollars at work.....

www.msnbc.msn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Look at the three related stories on the side bar in this page:

Violence Increases Across The Border
Dental clinic closes shortly after opening when dentist quits
Mexican rights official says women are still being killed in Juarez

Sounds Great To Me! Can you imagine trying to sell this idea to your WIFE?
"I know your tooth really hurts honey, but American dentists are so expensive. And don't worry about the kids they will be fine, I'll take the week off from work to watch them. Now, you better get driving, it's a long way to Mexico."......

I have never worried about going to Juarez, for shopping, the bars, the dentist, anything. As long as you stay in the tourist areas, you will be fine. Just like most large cities in America.


Over the years I have saved thousands by going to Mexican dentists. I usually go to the west coast, Mazatlan, Topolobampo etc and combine a nice beach vacation with having my teeth worked on. I can spend a week on the beach, party, dentist and still come home with jing in my pocket.

From my perspective, there is an unwarranted bias against anything Mexican currently in America due to the illegal alien problem.

[edit on 2-2-2008 by whaaa]

Whaaa, how does the sterilzation, safety compare to the United States? I'm just wondering, as I think this is a great idea. A trip to Mexico and get all dental work done at the same time, priceless. Provide a cheaper price, and people will come. Good for them, I applaud the fact that they are willing to take citizens from other places when they come, and that they do not gouge their patients in the same manner they are here.

reply to post by whaaa


It isnt a bias against anything Mexican. It's pointing out the absurdity of Americans having to leave their own country for basic health care. If your going to Mexico to have your teeth fixed, I think Boozing it up is a really great idea, it might help you forget that the "Doctor" about to operate on you isn't qulaified to be one in the U.S. If he was he would be here making big $ instead of being in Mexico giving cut rate service. Perhaps you can also get some cut rate Mexican prescription drugs so you can also forget that if anything goes wrong you have absolutley no recourse in the matter.


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[edit on 2/2/2008 by JacKatMtn]

[edit on 2-2-2008 by ItsHumanNature]

reply to post by niteboy82


I have a friend that that flew to San Diego and went across the border to Mexico to have massive dental work. It saved him over $30,000 compared to the cheapest quote from a U.S. dentist. When he got there he was greeted at the office with beautiful women. The office and dentist looked very clean and it ended up costing him only $3,600 for the dental work. The work on his teeth took five days to complete. He said the dentist did a fairly good job, but one big problem infection set in after he flew back to Florida. It cost him thousands to treat the infection thru out his gums and roots of his teeth not to mention the downtime it cost him. Rik Riley

reply to post by rikriley




That sounds like a terrible infection, though even then I wonder at 10% of the cost if it was worth it (before the infection was treated.) I personally would insist on touring their sterilization area ahead of time. As a matter of fact, saving that much money would make it worth it to bring my own statim and Cavi-Wipes!

I have a feeling that water would be an issue though, if you don't have clean water like you are used to where you live, I could see the bacteria causing some problems when rinsing.

reply to post by niteboy82


I agree it is hard to see these little bugs called bacteria. You will come out cheaper to buy your own sterilized dental tools, clean water to rinse, and make sure this guy or gal who is working on your teeth sterlizes their hands. Rik Riley

reply to post by rikriley


I am not very familiar with Mexican law. Does anyone know if they have the equivalence to Malpractice lawsuits down there? If not I would venture to guess that could be a big factor on the cost also? It seems that insurance is so expensive for dentists, MD's, etc. and really raises the cost of treating people. I know this isn't a new idea or anything.

reply to post by niteboy82


I don't "pass" the neuro-portion of a physical in Canada, I am on very good terms with my GP and specialists (friends since school) so they know my Hx (medical history).

I required a "little cleaner" medical for an international sporting regulatory body a fair-few years back... just legal waiver mumbo-jumbo so I could try some sailing with friends. So? Mexico, Mexico City specifically, two hundred twenty bucks Canadian (at that time - cash CDN paper) for 60 minutes and two "MD's" signatures.

"Nurses" (no ID tags) performed the examination. They didn't do the same exam as any Canadian or US MD or like an RN "should" have. My LLD has the piece of paper (a simple "to whom it may concern" letter)... it is valuless in all ways non-political. A proper full physical takes two hours even without writing up the Hx... even on a moderately healthy person. FredT could prolly confirm this. I know prolly isn't a word - but it will be. LOL.

The office was clean-ish. The fly strips were full, the air conditioning vents were caked with dust and skin flakes. The anomometer was like from the 1950's (the pump-bulb rubber was cracked) and was WAY, WAY off caliburation. My heart was hammerin' and it damn sure wasn't 120/80 more like 145/100 minimum.

No body substance precautions other than non-sterile gloves from a bin were used... even for the digital-rectal exam. She did not use an alcohol swab on her stethoscope and she actually "blew on it" before she listened between the 5th and 6th rib on the left. Wink.

The tuning fork for the Rhinne test was bent... nurses should be doing exams, and when they do they should at least record a persons vitals in the file, they spoke in English in my presence which was a treat because like "I no-hablo Espanol." But I'm trying to learn for travel reasons. LOL. The other middle aged lady only watched and I did not see anyone writing anything down.

They missed, or didn't care to notice that I can't balance with my eyes closed. (I did have to grab the edge of the exam table) or can't touch my nose with one finger (right side) with my eyes closed. You'd think when they tap your knee tendon with a rubber mallet and one side is different than the other something would be said other than "very nice reactions". A neuro exam is supposed to have a Babinski test... not there. I was never asked to spread my toes - I can't.

Um, the gown I was given was not new or fresh but at least it closed in the front it was sitting in the change closet where the last person left it... the paper roll on the ancient exam table was empty... they did not use antiseptic on it because I could see the body-sweat-jam of the last client... and the foot stirrups aren't supposed to have dried blood on them or weird tools hanging off them. They did use a new point when they drew blood and took 7 vials of blood (all vials had the same colour rubber top and no labelling at all on the reservoir).

Nurses should not be in sandals and have bare feet... one had longish fingernails and nail paint. In fairness she did not perform the exam.

Sharps should not be thrown in the office garbage bucket either and throwing a sharp from across the room like Larry Byrd just isn't confidence inspiring. Once an exam has begun one should not handle the doorknob with gloves because one doesn't (and the other) have a proper nusing watch and then perform an oral examination without changing gloves and washing one's hands.

Urine should go in a labelled container... fecal hemocultures do not require three weeks to process with a Baxter hemocult quick test. Ask a nurse or MD.

The clinic did have a dental office off of the same office suite common waiting area... one could speculate that the Medical standards in Mexico are more pragmatic and result oriented maybe. Perhaps things have improved over the last couple a few years.

I don't know, I'm sure Mexico has some really good MD's. I shook hands with the Docs that signed off on my paper which I only needed for being "just a passenger" on a sailboat in a couple of fun type "poker run" international regatta's that I never even attended. LOL. You sign a participation waiver anyway, like everyone else. LOLLr. It was cheap at twice the price for what I wanted it for but never got to use.

Trouble is I "want" another one... for the same reasons. Not gonna happen though. No big deal. Regatta's are fun... but so's runnin' under the 'Roger and Soloman's flags too.

Would I ever allow anyone I truly care about to receive medical treatment in Mexico? I'd recommend against it unless there were no alternative, based on strictly my own personal experience. BTW: I caught a chest cold in Cuba one year (like 84-ish) and was very, very favorably impressed with the quality of care in a public clinic in a "not so good place" outside of Veradero, they didn't have any resources to speak of beyond the minimum but they did treat me competently in Spanish as far as my buddy translated.

Carumba, a dental estimate of $30K? Glad I live in Canada and have good chompers.

Vic

[edit on 2-2-2008 by V Kaminski]

Wow I would never go to Mexico for anything and American dentists must cost a fortune if people are going there because its cheaper. Canadian dental care is not cheap but its affordable and top class care so I bet a lot of Americans that live near the Northern border would be coming here to fix their teeth? Nothing against the people of Mexico but thats one of the last places on earth I would want to recieve medical care in of any kind let alone travel there with all the crime there now and violence against tourists.

I'd also like to know what dental procedure in the USA would cost around 30000$ The most expensive one I have heard of was getting cosmetic replacements and they only cost around 8000$ here for a full set of teeth I think.

reply to post by Slickinfinity


Wait.. 8000 bucks for full replacement of teeth on both uppers and lowers?

I'll put it to you like this. Say I would need a root canal on tooth number 4. The root canal would cost me approx $800. At that point I would also need the tooth prepped and built up in order to receive my crown. That would be $980 for the prep on a porcelain crown, and $220 for the build-up. Then on top of that, there would be the cost of the crown from the lab (in this case, I will use DaVinci out in California as an example.) A crown from them would run me roughly $250 depending on reduction coping and if it would be necessary.

Now lets add that up, for one tooth to get a complete repair, I am going to pay about $2,250. And you are saying that in Canada I could get every tooth redone for 8000 dollars? Even taking away the root canal on every tooth (which I doubt most people would need) that is a phenomenal savings.

Maybe I should be getting a second opinion on my treatment plan from a Canadian dentist, and forgo the infectious possibilities of Mexican dentists?

*Edit - don't know why I said veneer in that one spot.*

[edit on 2/2/08 by niteboy82]

reply to post by niteboy82


I got one canal, one crown, one small resin filling, a cleaning and a Marilyn-bridge for $1480.00 CDN in late 2005 in Toronto at what might be considered one of the better dental clinics in Yorkville.

Cheers,

Vic

reply to post by V Kaminski


This points out the intent of my post: That our health care system is really messed up. The fact that we as Americans are forced to leave our country to get basic health care or to buy prescription drugs is a travesty.

I'm not trying to convince anyone to go to Mexico for dental work.
But I live close to Mexico, I have never had an infection after any procedure, I love the Beaches on the Mexican west coast, I like the nitelife, the fishing, the music, and the friendly atmosphere.

And let's be realistic Dentistry isn't open heart surgery. the Mexican dentist I see have a clean, professional, well staffed office, with basically the same technology afforded US dentists. And It couldn't be to bad because almost all the patients I see in my Mexican dental offices are gringos.

Also a lot of my compadres like to go to Costa Rica for all sorts of medical
issues. Even plastic surgery, cancer treatment, prescription contacts/eyeglasses, etc.

reply to post by whaaa


Well put wha I agree with you that health care is affordable and perhaps adequate in Mexico. What happens if something goes wrong? Have you ever had to contact the Policia in mexico before for any reason? Good Luck getting them to look into a simple theft, let alone something like malpractice.

Do you think you would have any recourse if you get a bad infection or something? Would you end up in a mexican hospital to treat your infection?

Originally posted by ItsHumanNature
Well put wha I agree with you that health care is affordable and perhaps adequate in Mexico. What happens if something goes wrong? Have you ever had to contact the Policia in Mexico before for any reason? Good Luck getting them to look into a simple theft, let alone something like malpractice.

Do you think you would have any recourse if you get a bad infection or something? Would you end up in a Mexican hospital to treat your infection?

I have no idea what would happen in Mexico if a medical procedure went wrong. I would assume however that very little could be done by or for an American citizen in Mexico when dealing with Mexican authorities. Mexican authorities are renowned for their corruption and graft.

Yes I have had contact with the Policia/Federales in more than one City, village and town. All very unpleasant and expensive. One of the reasons I give Sonora a wide berth. With enough cash however, most altercations can be settled with little trauma.

I no longer take road trips in Mexico, but back in my bohemian days, traveling in Mexico was a wonderful adventure and a joy. No longer; to dangerous. My current modus operandi is to fly into a tourist area, take a taxi to my hotel, preferably on the beach and chill;
Never venturing far from the area where I'm staying unless accompanied by a guide.

I have heard a lot of good about dentistry in Mexico, many mexican dentists actually attended dentist schools in US, so the quality just as good as in America or any other country that are known for good dentistry, just if someone actually decides to go there and fix some teeth, I would recommend you. I am planning to do that.

I have adentiya, a rare teeth disease unfortunately, well luckily I have fake teeth lol , so no one can tell I actually miss some teeth hehe.Adentia is actually is when there is actually no roots, so when small milky teeth fall out, my new teeth didn't grow. I miss around 14 teeth, sux I know. In US it would cost approximately 55,000$ just to fix my teeth!!! that's outrageous!!! So I either will do it in South Korea or Mexico.

[edit on 3-2-2008 by Odessit]

Originally posted by Odessit
I have heard a lot of good about dentistry in Mexico, many mexican dentists actually attended dentist schools in US, so the quality just as good as in America or any other country that are known for good dentistry,


[edit on 3-2-2008 by Odessit]

My personal experience is that dentistry service in the U.S. stinks and is insanely expensive , so saying that a bargain can be had by going to Mexico for similar service is not going to make me scurry there to get drilled anytime soon. How are you certain these "dentists" went to school ANYWHERE, let alone the U.S.? I can print some fancy diplomas and set up shop in Mexico too. With a few weeks practice, I bet I could even get fairly proficient at doing some "Bondo" jobs on peoples teeth.