www.CostaRicaTicas.com

I really wasn't sure the best forum area to post this in so excuse me if it's in the wrong place. I"m planning a trip in Sept and I need to get a cpl crowns done. Has anybody been to the dental clinic listed with CRT ? I"d like to know how their prices were and if you were happy with the work. I'd really appreciate it if you could message me with your opinion of the place. Thanks in advance.

Lots and lots of posts on this place and others, search "dental" and or "dentists"

Yup, first class in my experience. Was there a few weeks ago, had a cleaning & Tica wife the same. Also had a butt-load of x-rays. Total cost was $100. Returning next week for one crown, one inlay & replacement of one large filling. Quoted $660 for everything.

I was impressed with the equipment (first is a micro-video camera to the monitor so you can see exactly what they're talking about. Dentists pointed out several things they were not happy with & I have to agree (been suspecting for years the quality of my state-side dental work was sub-par.). And their pricing is MUCH less than what I was paying in Louisiana.

/dddick

I totally agree. The nicest most well equipped dental office that I have ever been in. My implant cost me $1600. Crowns were $325, and they'll pick you up and drop you off for free.

Agree with all the above. I've not had this kind of major work but it's a top-notch outfit personally overseen by a guy who's run dental labs for 35+ years. BTW, they'll do transport for as little work as teeth cleaning. Don't know of 1 bad report on the place (well, there was one but that guy reported back that he'd been made whole--something about whitening).
Bottom line: You won't find equal or better that's cheaper unless you do a lot of digging.

_________________
"A man accustomed to hear only the echo of his own sentiments, soon bars all the common avenues of delight, and has no part in the general gratification of mankind"--Dr. Johnson
"Amen, brother"-ED

I just had a root canal and crown done here in the states for $2000. So out of curesiorty I email them with the tooth number and asked for a quote . They promtly replied and quoted between $600-$700 for both.

I am an actively practicing dentist in Pasadena Texas. Just keep in mind when you compare prices for procedures between Costa Rica and the U S, the guy in CR is NOT paying $17.00 per hour for his assistant, not paying $25.00 per hour for his office manager, not paying $3000.00 per month for his lease, not paying $500.00 per month for electricity, probably not paying anything for malpractice insurance, etc. I pay more for the same parts for an implant procedure from the same company than a Central American dentist charges for the entire procedure and he still makes a profit. Where you are and the local economy determines cost factors. You don't get hot Latinas for TLN in Houston for $100.00 either. We go to other countries for the benefits available but we also pay for airfare, hotels, etc. On that note, I was recently charged $130.00 for one night in the Sleep Inn in San Jose and I would not have paid more than $60.00 per night for the same room in Texas, I was charged $230.00 for one night at the Hampton Inn at the Guadalajara airport, I would not have paid more than $80.00 for the same room in most US locations. The point is some things are cheaper for tourists, some are more expensive. Remember what it cost to get where you're at.

Goetz

i hear you doc but it costs me 440 to fly there and i never pay more than 80 at the sleep inn--i like the place--how did you get hit for 130---i book online. so, seeing as i love cr, it's a no brainer when my local perio wanted to charge me 4k in 4 visits and i had a young american trained perio in sj do the entire procedures in 2 days for 1100. major surgery in sj might not by choice.

and my perio in the states was going to do the cutting, his tech was going to do the work, and he was going to come back to do the close. in sj, my perio was at my side the whole time and did everything.

re your malpractice, get a very high deductible. i am in the biz, maybe your enemy in your mind. dentists very rarely get tagged and i pay 2k a year to see verdict reports not only in my major city, but across the us. do not believe the horror stories at the meetings. you are not going to make that type of error that is going to kill you. note that dentists win over 90 per cent of the time in my jurisdiction, and docs and hospitals upper 80's, and i am in what is considered a good venue for plaintiff's. my cousin is a dentist and i convinced him and that'll save you a bundle.

The Sleep Inn thing was I came in late at night from Nicaragua without a reservation with my spouse and didn't feel like looking around. Went to the Morazan the next morning. The night receptionist was super hot though. I got the impression they were not chica friendly but can't say for sure as I didn't bring the first chica back until I was at the Morazan. ( Yes with my spouse.)

The cost of ALL medical treatment in the US is out the roof but most people don't want to go outside the US for treatment. As long as hospital corporations, insurance companies and Pharma control things it will only get worse. My airfare from Houston on Continetal has been running high $600's to mid $700.00's booking a month in advance pretty much to all Central American destinations, ie San Jose, Managua, and Panama City.

Pura Vida
Goetz

doc you hit on the head re why costs are so high. when manged care came in via ins co's, that was the end of your doctor making the decisions. my best friend is a cardio thoracic surgeon, now getting only 3-4k for a 6 hour quad after everybody is paid, used to get 14k 12-14 years ago. i have bc/bs, never made a claim in 20 years and all i get from them is an increase 2x a year. i had a very small basal cell removed from my leg in cr a few months ago for fear bc would jack me thru the roof. i have a cardiologist friend, was moderately occluded as 90 per cent of us overfed gringos are, so he said what the heck, get cleaned out. bc dropped him. basis---that is heart disease as opposed to a heart attack, so undisclosed pre-existing. he wasn't thinking.

socialized med like canada or cr or some in europe, good and bad. what we have in the states is good and bad also but for diff reasons, but a hell of alot more expensive. i am paying 340 per month w/ a 3000 deductible.