<p>I don’t think dentists have to worry for awhile.</p>
<p><a href=“http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080201/lf_nm_life/mexico_usa_dentists_dc[/url]”>http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080201/lf_nm_life/mexico_usa_dentists_dc</a></p>
<p>I have thought seriously of doing this. I have been putting off going to the dentist or a while because of the cost. The dentist I was going to was very pushy about telling me I needed implants for some missing back teeth at a cost of $10,000 (I have terrible, very week teeth, and have spent a fortune over the years - but the costs are getting beyond my reach) - the fact that I just simply cannot afford $10,000 didn’t stop him from trying to push me into an appt. with an oral surgeon. ugh.</p>
<p>I’m not surprised! Julst like you, swimcatsmom, I was given a quote by my dentist who also does oral surgery: $13K for implants or $5K for crowns/bridges. The two insurances I have would cover 50% of the latter, but 0% of the former. Since the implant involves bone grafting (yechhh!), I will pass on the offer. By the time my other teeth start falling out, the industry will come up with something better than titanium screws in my jaw, I hope.</p>
<p>Almost all of my foreign-born coworkers get their dental work done abroad when they go back to visit their relatives in India, Russia, China, etc.</p>
<p>The orthodontists still have it good in the US and I do not see it changing - try going to Mexico every month for braces adjustments!</p>
<p>My dentist and surgeon have given me a price tag of around $10K for implants, none of which will be covered by insurance. I’ve just stopped chewing on that side of my mouth. Maybe I’ll book a trip to Mexico instead.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t do it, but joining the complaint bandwagon - spent over $10,000 after all was said and done on a single tooth implant for D who was born without that tooth. Insurance coverage - zero. All considered “cosmetic”.</p>
<p>Because it’s so close, I’ve heard of people around here heading to Mexico for various treatments and (legal) drugs - especially Hispanics. A colleague from Venezuela made a trip to Venezuela just to have Lasik done. He said he could have the Lasik, take the trip, and still have money left over. </p>
<p>I’ve also read that some insurance companies are giving their customers options of flying to places like India to have certain surgeries, such as joint replacements, done for a lower cost.</p>
<p>So yes, there’s some outsourcing in the medical industry. I’ll bet there are some scary stories as well and that legal recourse in the event of problems would be pretty much out. I wouldn’t do it.</p>
<p>How can you be sure of quality? If I won’t drink the water, how can I feel comfortable about oral surgery?</p>
<p>I was wondering the same thing. My coworkers told me that they would go to the modern, “Western-type” clinics equipped with the latest and the greatest gadgets. These clinics cater to the wealthy population in their countries, and still charge less than the dentist in the local strip-mall office.</p>
<p>I guess when they say to rinse and spit, you try not to swallow…</p>
<p>I don’t drink the water where I live in the US - not till I filter it anyway.</p>
<p>I would have not hesitation going to Mexico for dentistry if I could get a recommendation from someone I trusted. When I choose a health care provider in the US I try and find recommendation also. </p>
<p>I just accidently discovered I can get the whole parenthesis/slash thing for bold and italics by pressing control when I type i or b I meant to press shift to get a capital I</p>
<p>I live in Texas, and Im seriously thinking about doing that now that I’ve read that article. I even have a friend from Laredo I could probably stay with for free and persuade to cross the border with me to help me look less like a sore thumb. The article says people compare experiences on the internet; I imagine I wouldnt have trouble finding a dentist there with a very good reputation.</p>