Save Up To 60%: Fix Your Smile in Costa Rica

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Josef Woodman

Around midway through my research for the first edition of my book, Patients Beyond Borders, an old root canal became infected and I needed an extraction and implant. When my specialist in North Carolina quoted $4,100 for the procedures, I knew it was time to “walk the medical tourism talk” and head overseas for care.

I chose Costa Rica, one of the five countries in the world most visited by Americans for medical treatment; in the Western Hemisphere, only Mexico receives more medical tourists
Medical tourists can choose from a wide range of specialties, including orthopedics, heart surgery, bariatrics and obesity management, and cosmetic surgery. But Costa Rica attracts more patients for dentistry than for any other specialty, numbering in the tens of thousands of U.S. patients annually. Most of the work is done in San José and its affluent and highly Americanized suburb of Escazú, where I went for my dental work.
Each time I returned to Costa Rica for treatment (I’ve been back four times now), the waiting lobbies were increasingly crowded with American and European visitors who had come primarily to take advantage of the 30% to 60% savings—and, perhaps, to recover in a lush, tropical, pampering environment. I saved around $800, which included costs for my airfare, hotel, transportation and meals.
My original dentist, Dr. Luis Obando, has since moved his practice to the Meza Dental Care Clinic, one of San José’s most popular dental tourism destinations.
Dr. Obando, a certified implantologist, worked diligently on a number of challenges surrounding my procedure. He and his staff were always courteous, informative and empathetic. All the equipment was state-of-the-art, and I was most appreciative to see that the lab and panoramic X-ray equipment were all on location (true of all the top dental clinics I visited when researching my book).
In addition to the Meza Dental Care Clinic, consider these other facilities: Munoz Cavallini and Associates and Prisma Dental Care.

How to Guarantee Smooth Treatment
When choosing your dentist, know that most of the clinics are small or family run. Thus, you’ll want to exercise all the usual precautions of medical travel. Here are a few do’s and don’ts:

Do make sure your dentist and staff have a good command of English and that you receive prompt and satisfactory responses to your inquiries.
Don’t just shop price—seek quality as well. Make sure your dentist has a long history of successful treatments, is credentialed, and, preferably, is U.S. board-certified.
Do remember to bring all your dental history with you (e.g., consultation notes, X-rays, lab work). And remember to bring all paperwork with you on your return home.
Don’t rush the trip. After my first implant procedure, I hopped a bus for Dominical and made it only as far as San Isidro before the travel became too burdensome and painful. Leave time on both ends of your journey for preparation and for recovery.

One of Costa Rica’s medical tourism specialties is the “recovery retreat” —a hotel or ranch-style accommodation that serves recovering patients exclusively. Situated close to clinics, these retreats offer all the amenities of a normal hotel, but they are staffed with nurses and interns who attend to the special needs of recovering patients. Transportation to and from the airport is usually included with the cost, as is transport to clinics for consultation and treatment.
Guests in these retreats chat at breakfast and dinner about their latest treatment, and a snapshot of the clientele at any point in time is usually a portrait of recovery’s progress—from the bruises of yesterday’s facelift procedure to the confident smile of the dental patient heading home.

Editor’s Note: Author Josef Woodmanhas spent more than five years touring 100 medical facilities in 14 countries, researching contemporary medical tourism. He has recently published a book called Patients Beyond Borders He is also working on a new health care report for International Living.

SIDEBAR
Pampered Recovery Care
Some hospitals and dental clinics in Costa Rica have partnerships with specific recovery resorts and can make arrangements for you. With other retreats, you’ll need to book your stay separately. When you’re organizing treatment, ask your medical provider about the best way to proceed. To give you a sense for price and services, though, here are details for three popular recovery resorts you may want to consider:

1. Chetica Medical Recovery Ranch; Twenty minutes northeast of San Jose and Escazu, this 80-acre ranch was established in 1996, making it Costa Rica’s longest running recovery retreat.
2. Paradise Cosmetic Inn; Paradise Cosmetic Inn is located on top of San Antonio, Escazu’s famous mountains,20 minutes from the San Jose International Airport. Its five-acre facility is close to all 10 major hospitals and clinics.
3. Villa Le Mas;This American-owned and American-operated retreat specializes in recovery after plastic surgery and dentistry. Locatedin the city of Escazu, it is less than 20 minutes from hospitals, clinics and doctors.