Dental care in Colombia is a third the price than back home

Every year, millions travel to Colombia, South America to save thousands of dollars on dental care. Typically, you can save up to 70% on dental care compared to the prices you’re familiar with back home.

This is all delivered without a drop in quality in care, as dentists in Colombia use the same materials and manufacturers as dentists back home. You’re really just saving on cost of labor.

And to make things even more attractive, you also get a bonus vacation to one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

To pull this off, all that is required are a few additional logistical sets and a little research. The article below will provide you with an outline to saving a good deal of money by getting your teeth done in Colombia. Enjoy!

Get a free dental quote before coming to Colombia

One of the first things you’ll want to do is to get an estimate for what it will cost for you to get your teeth done in Colombia. This can mean many things.

Will you just need porcelain veneers? What about porcelain crowns? Will you need gum shaping or some laser teeth whitening? What about dental implants or bridges? There are many ways to get your teeth done in Colombia so find out.

Another important note, ensure you are properly comparing the same dental procedure across dentists. As confusing as it may be for someone who doesn’t work in the dental industry, nomenclature for dental offices can vary from place to place.

For example, some offices use the word porcelain while others will say ceramic when talking about the exact porcelain veneer. This is also true for composite and resin, abutment and post, and on and on. The goal in the end is to make sure you’re comparing the prices of the same procedure across the board.

Please keep in mind that these photos are used for a simple estimate, and that a proper clinical assessment, and oftentimes times xrays, will be needed to give a detailed estimate.

Some dentists in Colombia may ask for any xrays and/or treatment plans you may have to help make an initial diagnosis. Please share these if you have them available.

Read reviews of your dentist in Colombia

Assuming you’re happy with the consultation and initial treatment plan, you will want to make sure that this dentist is Colombia is the real deal. How qualified are they? What degrees do they have? How long have they been doing this sort of work?

And most importantly, what have previous patients said about their experience with this dentist? Find out by checking their site for a testimonial page and by reviewing independent sites like Google Maps or Yelp.

Examining photos of their dental work on their Instagram page may not be the same as reading first hand reviews but they are certainly a legitimate way of judging the quality of care you will experience from a given dentist in Colombia. Make sure to check out their social media.

Speak with the dental office

Let’s imagine you’ve done the online consultation already and you’re happy with the quote and treatment plan your Colombian dentist has drawn up for you. You’ve also checked out what others have had to say about the quality of care they’ve received, and the reviews and photos all look great to you. What’s next?

It’s strongly encouraged that you actually speak with the dental office of the Colombian dentist you’d like to visit. This is vital as it will give you a good sense of whether or not you will be able to have a productive discussion about your dental care. You need to be able to properly communicate. That’s important right?

Here are a few questions may want to ask yourself while you’re engaging with the office. How professional are they? How good is their English? Does any party have any difficulty understanding the other? Does the dental office respond quickly and informatively to all of your questions?

If you answer yes to all of these questions, then it may be time to talk to them about the dates you’d like to visit.

Can you take off of work? You need to make sure the dental office can see you before you book your flights, use your vacation days, and journey to Colombia. It would be a real shame if you did all of that work only to find out that the dentist in Colombia is completely booked for the time you’re here and cannot see you.

Many dentists in Colombia will also have one of their staff members pick you up from the airport, help you check into wherever you’re staying, and escort you to your first appointment as well. For many dental patients, this is their first time to Colombia, and some, the first time they’re leaving their home country.

A concierge service like this has a goal of making your arrival as easy as possible. Talking with the dental office before making an appointment will ensure that they will be able to coordinate this airport pick up. This is often a complimentary service as well.

Purchase flights

After you’ve decided on a dentist in Colombia and the office has given you the green light on the dates you’d like your dental work performed, it’s time to purchase your round-trip flights. Getting to Colombia is easy from North America.

There are frequent, cheap, direct flights to Cartagena, Bogota, Medellin, and Cali from Florida and Georgia.

Be sure to share your flight information with your Colombian dentist when you book so they can organize your airport pick up. If time is of the essence (as it often is), you may opt to see your Colombian dentist directly after you land.

This is a common practice among many working professionals who take time off of work specifically to come to Colombia to save thousands on getting their teeth done. Many will take advantage of Saturday since most dental offices are open then and most professionals have off.

Before you book, make sure you know how many days you will need for the procedure you want done. You don’t want to book your return flight a day before your dental treatment is scheduled to end.

Book hotels

Booking a place to stay is the last step in saving thousands of dollars by getting your teeth done in Colombia. Often dentists in Colombia will recommend nearby hotels that their international patients frequently stay at. If possible, see if you can get a hold of this list and find out if these establishments have availability for the dates you’re coming down.

If not, a quick search will show you which hotels are close to the office with room for you.

And that’s that! You’re now on your way to saving lots of money by getting your teeth done in Colombia.