Patients from all over the U.S. and Canada are crossing into one Mexican town with the most dental offices per square mile in the world. Their hope is that they’ll find the best dentist in Los Algodones, Mexico for a fraction of the cost.
A Dental Paradise
Over the years there has been an increase in medical tourism to Mexico with patients hoping to get critical work done cheaper. The city of Los Algodones responded to the demand by filling commercial spaces on its four main streets with dental offices.
In fact, there is an average of one Los Algodones Mexico dentist for every 8 residents of the little town. Over time the number of total offices has grown to almost 600. These medical professionals can perform any operation including cavity fillings, dental crowns, and even root canals.
This prestige as a one-stop-shop for dental work gave the town the name of ‘Molar City’ among both locals and foreigners. Notably, over 90% of clients come from the U.S. and Canada and cross the border through Arizona or California.
Going South
The success of this small town is owed to an opportunity exploited by Los Algodones dentists. Beginning in the 1960’s, many Canadian and American citizens traveled to Mexican border towns to escape the harsher winters up north. They landed in the states of Baja California, Sonora, and Chihuahua which offered a cheaper quality of life and milder weather.
These warmer climates were also better for older travelers with medical conditions aggravated by the cold such as arthritis. As a result, these tourists began seeking medical services during the months they spent in Mexico, specifically dental work.
The most attractive aspect of getting work done in Mexico was the drastic difference in prices. Clients could save more than 70% of the cost in their home countries, and prescription drugs were also easier to acquire without a prescription.
As an example, the average cost of a cavity filling in the United States is $225 USD, but in Los Algodones it’s only $45 USD. Also, denture implants can cost around $3,000 USD, while in Mexico the average price is $450 USD.
A Golden Opportunity
Bernardo Magaña was the first dentist in Algodones Mexico to notice the potential for directing his business towards foreign clients. He arrived in the town in 1969 and noticed that it was filled with brothels and bars which made it an unwelcoming scene for foreigners.
To remedy this he ran for mayor and won, and subsequently prohibited bars and brothels in the main area of the city. He also began advertising cheaper dental work in American newspapers and magazines which angered American dentists.
To further exacerbate the problem, U.S.-based insurers began covering work in Mexico as part of their policies.
Dentists in Yuma, Arizona which borders Los Algodones raised disputes with medical insurers arguing that Mexican dentists did not have the same qualifications or certifications. Although, this later changed when dentists in Mexico could get an American certification to further legitimize their practices to outside clients.
This led to great success for his own practice, but it also attracted competition. Soon other dentists started to follow suit and opened offices in the empty spaces left behind by the ousted bars and brothels. This created a lot of supply and also drove down prices as different dental practices competed for each client crossing the border.
Nowadays patients can cross freely into Mexico and choose one of hundreds of dental offices ready to serve them. Although, all of this competition means that finding the best dentist in Tijuana might require a quick google search.
