Choosing Mexico for your dental work is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make. People from all over the world wouldn’t come all the way to Mexico for dental care if they don’t provide high quality and affordable costs. Expect that the prices in Mexico are a fraction of what they are worth in the US or in Canada for instance. Depending on the treatment or procedure you are looking for, you could save anywhere from 10% to 35%, without compromising quality and your safety.
As with travelling to another foreign country for medical procedures or dental treatments, anybody can be tense about the outcome especially when it involves surgery. One of the secrets to success is to relax and let your dentist do their job. Another is enjoying as much as you can with what Mexico has to offer. For sure there a lot of things to do and explore in Mexico. Aside from its bustling metropolitan areas, Mexico also offers countless destinations for recreation, relaxation and recovery.
To help you have a more relaxed dental trip, here is a list of the common things you should bring or have before going on a dental trip to Mexico.
Old medical/dental records. Keeping your old medical records can save on costs and ease the flow in assessing medical and dental history. You can bring your old dental records, previous lab tests, panoramic X-rays, doctor’s notes and previous medications taken prior to your check-up with your new dentist. This will help speed up the process and the doctor will know, based on your medical/dental history, what other procedures you have finished and you might need further.
Local currency. Although, the US dollar is widely used in Mexico, it’s also best that you have a certain amount that is in Peso, Mexico’s local currency. This is because you might discover locals willing to exchange their dollars with you, but the exchange rate used will always be the rate in their favor.
Identification. Always bring your passport and driver’s license. If you’re a US or Canadian citizen and you plan to travel by land in Mexico, you may be required to present those when crossing the border – especially when you are exiting Mexico and going back to the US. This is in part of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) of 2004, which was agreed in order to reinforce border security.
Appropriate clothes. When you’re travelling to Mexico, know the weather they are in when you travel there. This helps so you can know if you need to bring extra light coats or heavy sweaters. Don’t also assume that the weather is always humid in Mexico. Also, even if the weather is hot, avoid going around in tank tops, shorty shorts as some parts of Mexico’s cities require formal attire. Of course, swimwear is acceptable in beach cities and same goes for footwear.
Conversational guide. Don’t be ashamed of bringing a conversational a guide. Although most dental clinics in Mexico, dentists and medical staff are fluent in English, it also helps of you know simple Spanish phrases like “Buenos dias” (good morning), “buenos noches” (good evening), “muchas gracias” (thank you very much), “me llamo” Brenda (My name is Brenda.). This gesture helps in sending a message that you are learning about their culture, are open-minded and are willing to be their friend. This is also helps in getting around especially if you want to make the person at ease and when bargaining during shopping.
Bring a family member or a friend. To make the trip more enjoyable and less stressful, it would be best to ask a family member (your husband, wife, sister, and mother) or a friend to come along with your dental adventure. It may not be the best bonding experience or trip but at least you have moral support. Undergoing surgical dental procedures isn’t pain and worry free, so having someone’s shoulder when you want to scream “Ouch!” can be a more relieving than going thru it alone. You also have to foresee that in some dental procedures, especially when anxiolytics or strong medications is prescribed, you aren’t allowed to drive, so you need somebody to take care of you, drive, feed and assist you. And it helps if that someone knows you already and cares for you.
Travel light. Bring only the essentials such as these on your dental trip. For more information about dental clinics and dentists in Mexico, please do not hesitate to contact us!
