Got back from a month+ of treatment down in Los Algodones. Quoted over $30K in Canada and paid US$1500. Had $40K+ quote in Canada back in 2009 for extractions, partial and three quarters of a mouth equivalent of caps/crowns and paid US$3K back then.

Interestingly this is what we have learnt mainly this last visit, that may be worth keeping in mind. Those several directional folks that approach you as you cross into Mexico asking "Need Dental, Glasses etc", are paid a referral fee of 15% or higher depending on the work which is naturally added to your bill/quote, if you use them. In 2015 I needed a new plate and a cleaning, but because someone took us to a place my bill of $275 included $75 for him taking us to them.

The dentists in many of the practices, such as Torres are commission paid not salary paid. So the higher the fee for the more work they can do, (they typically bring it down if you indicate you are leaving as too much, but only so far as they want to make their commissions), the more they get paid naturally. It pays to have two or three opinions on what needs doing for sure, or maybe your dentist at home you trust but can't justify the costs can tell you for sure what absolutely ONLY needs doing.

For us now with this knowledge, we explicitly will only use dentists that are not commission paid but own maybe their small practice directly. We will get a minimum of 3 assessments of what work/extractions need doing (both hubby and I lost teeth we shouldn't have this past visit!). Also under no circumstances will we allow someone to "take us" to the dentist, no matter how crazily persistent they are.

We were very happy with our first dentist recommendation in 2009 from a work colleague of mine at the time, of a Japanese Dentist that trained in Indiana and brought supplies like water etc in from Yuma regularly, and provided sealed sterilized equipment in view. Sadly, he had a stroke and retired and his daughter took over who was wonderful also in 2013, but wasn't in town for our last two visits. For sure we will go back to her again for any future work we require after learning what we learnt more on this past trip. She never ever asked for any payment in advance or even stages until all the work was complete over a week+. This last go around with a different dentist they kept asking for more and more money each time even when no work just a look see, had been completed at many of those visits, it was dragged out ridiculously longer than necessary due to lack of attention regarding bone spurs etc that should have been dealt with on a previous two visits necessitating going back and forth for more swelling to subside over a week or two and so on and so forth.

For sure, absolutely get recommendations from others that have had "very similar treatments" to that you need, and preferably have used that same dentist on more than one occasion! Contact those dentists direct for quotes, and establish if they are a commission paid set up or own the practice or are salary paid and been practicing there for a long time. Also make sure you know exactly how to find them yourself and insist you don't need assistance to locate them.

With the exception of this time, we feel we had great service on our previous visits to Los Algodones, which probably meant our guard was down somewhat on what we should be conscious of = Lesson learned, and hope the above helps others that are maybe on their first or subsequent visits. For sure you can't beat the prices for, in our eyes "as good" service as back home for a small amount of the price, provided you do your due diligence and don't become complacent as we did this last time!