How to save thousands by getting dental work in Colombia
Save 70% on dental work in Colombia
Millions of people every year travel to Colombia to save thousands of dollars on dental work. On average, dental work is about a third the price of what you’re used to back home, without a drop in the quality of care.
Dental implant procedures (titanium implant, abutment, and porcelain crown) are $1,385 USD, porcelain veneers are $490 USD, porcelain crowns are $590 USD, and laser teeth whitening is $100 per session.
And to top it off, you also get a bonus vacation in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
All it takes is a little research and a few more logistics. The blog post below will outline the steps required to get dental care done in Colombia, and in the process save you a lot of money.
Get a quote for your dental work in Colombia
The first thing you want to do is get a quote for the dental work you need done in Colombia. Find a few dentists that you feel like you’d like to visit and compare their dental procedure prices.
Are they all about the same? Disregard any outliers. Dentists that are too expensive are overpriced or taking advantage of foreigners, and dentists that are too cheap may signal a lack in quality.
Also, make sure you’re comparing the same procedures as nomenclature for dental offices can vary from place to place. For someone who doesn’t work in the dental industry, this can be a little confusing.
For example, some offices like to say ceramic while others will use the word porcelain when they’re both describing the exact same material. Some will say composite when others say resin, abutment and post, and on and on. You get the picture.
In the end, you simply want to make sure you’re comparing “apples to apples” so to speak.
Do a free online consultation with your Colombian dentist
Comparing prices is one thing, having a Colombian dentist take the time to look at your teeth and come up with an initial dental treatment plan is another. You can’t save thousands of dollars on dental work in Colombia if you don’t know what dental work you need done in the first place.
Most of the time, simply sending a few photos to the Colombian dentist will do just fine, though they may ask for previous dental scans and/or treatment plans if they are available.
Please keep in mind that sending photos does not replace getting a physical examination and/or taking x-rays. An online consultation will simply provide a strong idea of what will need to be done, and will be able to provide you with a pretty close cost estimate for the dental procedures.
Read reviews of your dentist in Colombia
If you’re happy with the quote and consultation, you will want to make sure that the Colombian dentist you are considering is the real deal. What are their qualifications? How long have they been in practice?
Most importantly, what have other patients said about the level of treatment and care they received? Check out their site for testimonials but also make sure you’re looking at reviews on independent sites like Google or Yelp.
Reviewing photos of their dental work on their Instagram page may not be the same as reading reviews but they are a credible way in judging the care of a Colombian dentist.
Making sure the reviews and photos meet the quality of care you expect is just another step in saving thousands of dollars by getting dental work done in Colombia.
Speak with the office of your dentist in Colombia
So you’ve done an online consultation, you’re happy with the updated dental quote, and the reviews are positive enough for you to continue. 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 will give you a good sense of whether or not you will be able to have a productive discussion about your dental care. That’s important right?
Here are a few questions to ask yourself. How professional are they? How’s their English? Can you communicate well? Do they respond quickly and informatively? If yes, talk to them about the dates you’d like to visit.
You need to make sure they can see you before you spend money on flights, take off of work, and travel down. It would be a shame if you did all that only to find out that the Colombian dentist is completely booked and cannot see you.
Often times, Colombian dentists will have a staff member pick you up from the airport, check you into your hotel, and take you to your first appointment as well.
For many patients, this is their first time to Colombia, and some, the first time they’re leaving their home country. This concierge service is to help make your arrival as smooth and easy as possible.
Buy flights to Colombia
After you’ve decided on a Colombian dentist and the office has given you the go ahead on the dates you’d like, it’s time to purchase your flights. Getting to Colombia is easy.
There are frequent, cheap, direct flights to Bogota and Cartagena from Florida and Georgia. Other major cities in Colombia like Cali and Medellin are short, hour flights from Cartagena or Bogota.
Be sure to share your flight information with your Colombian dentist so they can coordinate airport pick up. If time is of the essence, you may opt to see your dentist in Colombia directly after you land.
This is a common practice among many professionals who take time off of work to come to Colombia to save thousands on dental care. Many will take advantage of Saturday since most dental offices are open then and most professionals have off.
Book hotels for your trip to Colombia
The final step in saving thousands of dollars by getting dental work in Colombia is booking a place to stay. Often dentists in Colombia will recommend nearby hotels that their international patients frequently stay at.
See if you can get a hold of this list and find out if they 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 space for you.
Make sure you know how many days you will need for the procedure you want done. It would be a shame if you bought your return flight a day before treatment is scheduled to end.