Dental experience in Ajijic Jalisco Mexico

An article about my dental experience in Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico at Dental Express, Rancho Del Oro, Ajijic, Jalisco, Mexico

So I have this dental issue. Well, I guess more than just one. Back home in Illinois my general dentist…the one I use for cleanings and minor stuff…sends me to an oral surgeon and an implant specialist. First the oral surgeon. He won’t touch me until I have these little white spots on my gums checked out. Of course, I tell him they have been there forever and have been checked out before, even biopsied. Nonetheless, he insists on performing his own biopsy. Which is okay I guess; it has been a long time since I have had them examined closely – can’t be too careful.

So $400 USD later I have a clean bill of health – surprise.

Next, I have this adult tooth in the roof of my mouth. It never came down during pre-adolescence and I had my baby tooth for eons (just like my grandfather, father, sister and daughter – gotta’ love genetics). As one would expect, this baby tooth couldn’t last forever. This being the initial reason to see the oral surgeon, I am examined and get a quote – between $2000 and $2500US – to remove the adult tooth. And an additional fee to place a bone graft to fill the hole left by the removal of the tooth. That was under $1000US. That of course does not include the implant(s) required to support the new bridge. So off I go to the implant specialist to get the dollar figure from him. Holy you-know-what! Thousands, yes, thousands. This is getting out of hand. Did George Washington really have wooden teeth? And just how much did they cost?

So I hold off on all dental treatment, but my general dentist reminds me that I shouldn’t wait too long. Define “too long”…because this all took place over a few months in early 2010. As my husband and I were planning on our first extended stay in Mexico, I decided to check out the local dentists in Ajijic.

I did some asking around of the gringos we had met. The consensus was a popular dentist inRiberas. Well, let me tell you I was really impressed. This dental office is state of the art. Clean, very clean. High-tech equipment. Highly trained staff. But not a heck of a lot cheaper than in Illinois. Less expensive, yes, but not what I expected. Don’t ask me what I expected – that just wasn’t it. Also, part of the work would have to be done in Guadalajara which I wasn’t too keen on.

So I collect my x-rays and go back to our rental home in Ajijic. I do nothing about dentists for a while. Then right at the bottom of the hill where we live is a dental group called Dental Express. I had noticed it before (there are big lips all over the front of the building). I just didn’t pay any attention because no one to whom I spoke had even mentioned it. Well, let me tell you, that is a big mistake. Dental Express had three dentists/surgeons on staff. They have recently added a fourth, Dr. Paola Arroniz.

To make a long story short (well, not really) I stopped by to have my teeth cleaned (limpieza) and check this office out - for $150MX – that’s about $12US. Another holy you-know-what! I was impressed and had clean teeth to boot. I had a consultation with two of the dentists, Dr. Edgard Macias and Dr. Aldo Garcia, after my cleaning, which was completed by Dr. Elena Chavez. We discussed what I needed to have done and what my options and timing would be. I can’t begin to tell you how comfortable they made me feel. 

They took their own panoramic x-ray - $300MX – about $24US. (Side note: jump forward to August 2011 – last week - I just paid $100 for the same thing in Illinois). They then discussed my personal dental plan: