When a US citizen has a toothache and cannot afford traditional dentists, crossing the border is an option. Our neighboring country of Mexico offers less expensive prescription drugs and other medical services, including dentistry. Many US residents could not afford certain types of health care without this less expensive option. But is it a good idea? There are pros and cons to going out of the country for dental work.

Some of the positives include:

Less Expensive – If a person does not have a sizable bank account balance or insurance coverage, American dental work may be out of their price range. A crown, which can cost up to $4,000 in the states, can cost less than $1,000 across the border. That’s a huge savings!

Same day service: Mexican clinics can usually see patients right away. The labs are faster at making crowns and other items than the labs in our country. In the United States, the wait for a porcelain crown can be a couple of weeks, but Mexican crowns can be ready the next day.

Vacations at the same time: Many dental health clinics in our sister country are located near the beach. What better place to wait for your appointment time to arrive? Some patients combine a beachfront vacation while achieving their oral health care goals. With all the money saved on the less expensive services, why not?

Technology and training have improved: Initially, the cross-border dental and medical communities were substantially inferior to the rigid standards set in the states. This has been changing over time and the practices of foreign countries have improved a lot, especially in major cities.

Some of the negatives include:

Drug Trafficking Offenders: Unfortunately, drug trafficking has reached an all-time high which has caused more crimes to occur. Some innocent bystanders have been caught in the crossfire of these disgusting criminal activities.

Not all professionals are well qualified – a citizen should thoroughly research their potential dental health workers. This is true of all countries, but the US has stricter regulatory practices that promote a broader range of safety standards and high-quality, trained professionals.

Away if something goes wrong: The unfortunate side of traveling to a faraway place to perform any type of medical service is the fact that it IS far away. If something goes wrong while you are outside your home country, your own documents will not be available. If something goes wrong after you return home, it’s a long way to go to fix the problem. An ill-fitting crown or a defective root canal can become a serious problem that will need to be attended to by a local doctor. Trying to save money can sometimes cost a lot more in the long run.

Are dentists in Tijuana or Chihuahua a good idea? This is an individual decision that each person must make for themselves. It would be a good idea to weigh the pros and cons, as well as talk to friends and family who have traveled for medical care.