Rising Dental Fees are Pushing Older Americans to Travel to Mexico for Treatment
Rising dental fees in the USA are pushing older Americans to head south of the border to Mexico for treatment.
Mark Bolzern, 56, is just one of a growing number of Americans travelling to Mexico to take advantage of discounted dental fees. He left his home in Alaska and travelled 3,700 miles via a stop-off in Las Vegas, to Los Algodones, to access affordable dental care. The town is well-known for its dense population of dental offices and has become a popular spot for Americans looking to save substantial amounts of money on routine dental care, as well as cosmetic and orthodontic treatment.
Statistics show that the proportion of people with dental insurance has increased to its highest level in decades. However, many people, especially older people, are still struggling to afford to see a dentist on a regular basis.
In Mr Bolzern’s case, the trip down to Mexico saved him in excess of $60,000. At home, he was quoted a fee of $65,000 by a private dentist for extensive dental work, which included crowning every molar and lifting the teeth. After he received the initial quote, he started to look around for discounted options, but even visiting a dental school and undergoing treatment under the supervision of a trained dentist would have cost him $35,000. In Mexico, he paid $3,000 and he has vowed to go back each and every time he needs to see a dentist, even though the trip is time-consuming.
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