Equal Quality with a Different Cost
If you’re from the USA and you’re visiting this website, you’ve probably discovered that dental care is outrageously expensive in the USA. As a dentist from the USA, I had my doubts about the quality of care in Costa Rica. I did my homework. Here’s what I discovered.
In Costa Rica, dentists and specialists are trained with the same criteria as dentists in the USA and Canada. In Costa Rica, dentists are required to attend a 5-year dental program. The program in the USA is only 4 years.
In Costa Rica, specialists are trained in the same high quality programs in the USA or other countries. Costa Rican clinics use ADA approved materials and the same materials your dentist probably uses.
For most patients that choose Costa Rica, they discover that the quality of care is equal if not better than dental care in the USA. The bottom line is that you get better or equal quality dentistry from highly skilled dentists, specialists and staff for a fraction of the cost.
How Can Dental Treatment Abroad be Affordable?
How can Costa Rica dentists offer such low prices? It simply costs less to do business in Costa Rica. Lower staff salaries, lower income taxes, lower product cost, lower clinic cost, lower insurance cost and lower laboratory costs…all mean lower prices for patients when receiving dental treatment abroad.
As a dentist in the USA, I did a general dental cost comparison and averaged the cost of various procedures for 10 quality dental clinics in Costa Rica and 10 quality dental clinics in Florida. The overall results were as expected. The average cost for dental procedures in Costa Rica was about 1/3 the cost for the same procedure and same materials in the USA.
General Dental Cost Comparison
| Restorative | CR Average | USA Average | ||
| Composite Fillings 1-2 surfaces | $73.00 | $225.00 | ||
| Foundation Build Up | $90.00 | $285.00 | ||
| Crown and Bridge | ||||
| Crown – Porcelain Fused to Metal | $363.00 | $1,210.00 | ||
| Crown – Porcelain Fused to Zirconium | $511.00 | $1,590.00 | ||
| Crown – Solid Porcelain or Emax | $459.00 | $1,480.00 | ||
| Veneer – Solid Porcelain | $436.00 | $1,360.00 | ||
| Inlay/Onlay – Solid Porcelain | $386.00 | $1,240.00 | ||
| Endodontics | ||||
| Root Canal Therapy, 1-2 roots | $326.00 | $1,010.00 | ||
| Root Canal Therapy, 3 + roots | $349.00 | $1,280.00 | ||
| Periodontics | ||||
| Scaling and Root Planing-Per Quadrant | $75.00 | $235.00 | ||
| Oral Surgery | ||||
| Titanium Implant – Zimmer, 3i, Implant Direct | $837.00 | $2,790.00 | ||
| Implant Abutment | $300.00 | $930.00 | ||
| Implant Crown – Porcelain Fused to Metal | $375.00 | $1,210.00 | ||
| Implant Crown – Porcelain Fused to Zirconium | $549.00 | $1,590.00 | ||
| Bone Grafting with Collagen Membrane, per tooth | $438.00 | $1,460.00 | ||
| Direct Sinus Lift with Bone Graft* | $1,650.00 | $5,120.00 | ||
| Indirect Sinus Lift with Bone Graft | $775.00 | $2,410.00 | ||
| Extraction – non 3rd Molar | $78.00 | $305.00 | ||
| Extraction – 3rd Molar | $244.00 | $760.00 | ||
| Denture | ||||
| Full Acrylic, per Arch | $638.00 | $2,050.00 | ||
| Removable Partial Denture – Metal Base, Per Arch | $650.00 | $2,120.00 | ||
| Hygiene | ||||
| Cleaning – General | $68.00 | $195.00 | ||
| Cleaning – Deep Cleaning | $121.00 | $340.00 | ||
| Miscellaneous | ||||
| Nite Guard – Hard Occlusal, Soft Gingival | $200.00 | $550.00 | ||
| Laser Whitening with Touch Up Trays & Gel (ZOOM) | $320.00 | $780.00 | ||
| Whitening Trays Only | $262.00 | $610.00 | ||
| Panorex X-ray | $50.00 | $140.00 | ||
| Periapical X-ray, each | $16.00 | $40.00 | ||
The chart above shows the pricing differences. If you have any questions or would like me to help you find the best dentist for your needs in Costa Rica, please send me an email at patients@worldmedicalguides.com