Dentistry In The USA - You Have To Be Rich To Afford It! - NY Times

For many US middle-class families - dental emergencies and large treatments such as oral restorations are a huge, uninsured family budget wrecking event. And many are going without treatment and ending up in hospital emergency wards which are unable to provide proper dental care. 

Dental care in the US is increasingly becoming something that only the upscale segment of society can afford causing many to leave the US on “Dental Vacations” to Mexico and Asia to find affordable dental care. -ed

By Reed Abelson for NY Times

With dental costs rising and employers cutting dental coverage, an increasing number of working Americans cannot afford to see a dentist even for chronic problems. If you need a full-mouth restoration, several root canals, 27 crowns or dental implants - most dental insurance won’t cover you.

During the Iraq war, some reservists and Guard members chose to have their teeth pulled so that they could be deployed, said Maj. Gen. Robert A. McIntosh,in testimony before Congress.

"Although promised restorative dental work, their reward for their loyalty and patriotism will be dentures," he said. Dental implants, a better alternative to dentures, are not covered because they are more expensive.

In a nation where a person's smile is considered a sign of general well-being and an important factor in landing a job, dental care is becoming ever more unequal, policy specialists say. In 2000, the Surgeon General issued a report describing the silent epidemic of dental and oral diseases.

HOW TO FIND THE BEST DENTAL IMPLANT & COSMETIC DENTISTS IN MEXICO By Board Certified Mexico Dentist Association

The Best Dentists in Mexico.. for your cosmetic dental makeover, dental implants or other important dentistry - will always be Board Certified Mexico Dentist Association member dentists.

                          

In Mexico..

..quality is problematic and here’s why. General dentists in Mexico untrained in dental implants, cosmetic dentistry, root canals etc. can legally attempt advanced dental procedures by practicing on unsuspecting patients.

This situation is not the result of any conspiracy – just less consumer protection laws. It used to be the same situation in the US many decades ago.  

May God help and protect you if you get one of those nice young Mexican general dentists learning root canals at your expense in a border town discount dental mill. 

But it gets worse - in the smaller Mexican border towns there are many clinics which prey on desperate US patients operated by unlicensed illegal alien dentists from Central America, the USA (oh yes!), dental school drop-outs,  dental technicians and worse – clinics operated by businessmen and US Insurance companies staffed with dental school grads attempting specialist work at minimal wages.

MEXICO DENTAL TOURISM - Mexican Dentists, Mexico Dentist Prices and How We Saved - By Huffington Post

A US couple living in Mexico shares their experiences with dentists in Mexico.

  Cabo San Lucas Marina - Photo courtesy of Certified Dentists Internationale'

Sometimes you just don't see it coming.

Living in Merida, Mexico, at the time, we were dashing around the house and packing for an early flight when a tall American forehead met a low Spanish Colonial doorway, and a top front tooth snapped cleanly in half.

Once we returned from the trip, we called our dentist and got an appointment immediately. In three visits, he cast a color-matched cap for the tooth, ground a post from the remaining half of the real tooth, and fit the new cap perfectly. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

In the States we estimate that we'd have paid anywhere from $800 to $1,500 for the same work, depending on the type, location and material of the cap or crown. Our dentist in Mexico charged less than $475.  Even though it wasn't a large amount, we didn't have that much cash on us.

"That's fine," he said, "bring it in when you get it."

That's dentistry in Mexico, and throughout most of the rest of Latin America where we've visited and lived. In at least five Latin American cities or towns, we've had fillings, root canals, cleanings...

And the story is always the same... great quality work at half the cost or less of the same work in the U.S.

Even The 3 Stooges Could Do Cosmetic Dentistry in The USA -

The American Dental Association Says Cosmetic Dentistry is not a dental specialty... That's good news for the 3 Stooges...

In the US - cosmetic dentistry is not an American Dental Association (ADA) recognized specialty and any dentist can purchase a dental whitening machine, double their prices overnight and call themselves a Cosmetic Dentist. Some join the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentists and hang the AACD membership certificate on their salon wall for added credibility. 

Anyone can join the AACD so long as they pay the membership fees.  Dental students, dental lab technicians, dental suppliers, general dentists and even the 3 Stooges would be welcome.