I pinch pennies whenever possible, but I can appreciate the drastic difference between being frugal and being cheap. Frugal is when you search around and get the best price on quality goods and services. Cheap is when you pay the lowest price without regard to quality. When it comes to dental care, I’m just not willing to be cheap, which is why this winter you won’t see me following the throngs of full-time RVers who head to Mexican border towns for cheap dental care.
Photo: Rene Agredano
Earlier this year I posed the question “Are you brave enough to get your teeth fixed in Mexico?” I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say “Count me out.” Why? Mainly because I’ve heard stories about U.S. citizens getting their teeth worked on in a border town, only to arrive home and experience complications that later required the skills of an American dentist.
Nope, I’m not brave enough to go to Mexico for dental work, but I do take good care of my teeth despite lacking dental insurance (which I haven’t had for most of my adult life). Here’s how I do it as a frugal full-time RVer:
Get your teeth cleaned in Colorado, without seeing a dentist.
Almost all U.S. states require dental hygienists to work under the direct supervision of a dentist. As you know, this means that every time you want your teeth cleaned you need to pay for that five-minute dental exam in addition to the cleaning. How often do you ever find that exam to be money well spent?
After we hit the road we learned that Colorado is one of the few states (I think Alaska may be the only other one but I’m not certain) that allows dental hygienists to practice on their own, similar to how a licensed beautician can own and operate a salon.
Every year we make the trek to Colorado and have our teeth cleaned by fabulously skilled hygienists who not only offer x-rays and oral health screenings, but can refer us to partnering dentists if work is needed. We still get our dental exam about every year and a half, but we save money when we get our teeth cleaned every six months.
Go to dental schools for low-cost, affordable care.
Don’t get scared by the thought of having a student dentist work on your mouth. Medical training schools offer some of the most advanced technologies and newest protocols available because they’re training the doctors and dentists of tomorrow. Most medical practices can’t afford the kind of high-tech equipment that schools have invested in, nor can they afford to spend the kind of time that student dentists and their direct supervisors spend on their patients.
Dental schools offer excellent, closely supervised care that you shouldn’t shy away from if you’re on a budget. Check out this American Dental Association list of dental schools to find treatment centers on your route. Keep in mind that appointments are often scheduled a few months in advance, so plan accordingly.
Finally, the non-profit group Smiles from the Heart offers free dental care to those without the means to secure care, through dental care events held in locations around the country (and the world). Although the services are limited to teeth cleanings, fillings and extractions, it’s a great way to get free, basic care on your road to somewhere else.
Just because you’re on a frugal full-timing budget doesn’t have to mean that you need to skip on important health care routines like dental care. Although you’ll need to do your research ahead of time, it pays off with better health that keeps you on the road as long as you want.
Rene Agredano and her husband, Jim Nelson, became full-time RVers in 2007 and have been touring the country ever since. In her blog, Rene chronicles the ins and outs of the full-timing life and brings readers along to meet the fascinating people and amazing places they visit on the road. Her road trip adventures are chronicled in her blog at LiveWorkDream.com.
Dental schools are a good way to have work done less expensively. However, you need to realize it’s usually a first come first serve kind of arrangement. They usually don’t take appointments. You also do not get it all completed in one visit so you usually have to go back several times. I also had to pay $10 in parking each time I went back to the Dental School in Houston. The students and staff were very professional, never hurt me, and did good work. It just wasn’t as inexpensive as I thought it would after the other variables (parking and multiple trips) were added in.
Angela thank you for sharing your experience, those are definitely factors to consider. We noticed that Loma Linda Dental School in Southern CA does take appointments, so that’s nice. One thing I forgot to inquire about; did the dental school you went to want any kind of proof of residency from you? Many affordable dental programs are geographic-based, so a full-timer like me wouldn’t qualify for programs out of my domicile. Just curious.
Great post! We’ve actually had excellent dental service in Los Algodonas (near Yuma), but did check out a dental school in La Grande OR. Our South Dakota domicile state didn’t matter to them — but their six months’ wait time for an appointment was too long for us 🙁 We will put the school on our list as a possible spot in the future.
Hi Ellen thanks for the insight. Six months is a lonnnnng time to wait but I guess if you know the work that needs to be done and it’s not urgent it would be worth it. Glad you got good care in Los Algodonas, I’ve also heard of others finding good dentists there.
We had excellent dental service in Los Algodonas (near Yuma), largest concentration of dentist in the world. This community so depends on the dental business that they self regulate the industry. Poor quality dentist don’t last long here. All the dentist I have seen there are all dental school graduates (many in the USA). No records (or very little) are kept and they don’t have to pay for malpractice, with labor cost much less than in the states we found prices to be 1/3 of what we pay in the states.
Good to know Ted, thanks for sharing your experience. I understand why they don’t have to pay for malpractice insurance in MX, but I think that’s more of because patients really have no legal recourse anyways, with or without it. I’m glad you had good work done there.
I am Canadian and I did go to Los Algodones near Yuma for my teeth. I needed 22 crowns, yes 22, plus two implant. In 3 days it was all done (December 2013). I am very happy with the results. The place I went was so clean I could have eaten of the floor.
I saved myself $25000.00 and I am still happy about my teeth. BTW, my Canadian dentist was really impressed by the quality of the work done on my teeth.
Just like anywhere else, if it does not “feel” right when you walk-in, just walk-out. The same is true in our country. Use common senses.
Remember, many times we only hear about the bad experiences.
Denis, I’m glad you survived getting 22 crowns in 3 days! Ouch! But yeah, that’s where a trip to MX could come in very handy as long as you know who you’re dealing with. Thanks for sharing the experience.
We have gone to Algodones many times for cleanings and crowns..We have never had a problem. Our dentist even gives one year warranty!
I have been going to Mexico for dental care for YEARS and have had no problems. I had braces put on there and have had crowns and bridges also. They are great. I go to Algodones. It is worth it. If you go to a dental school you better be prepared to wait and wait, even if you have an appointment. Even then they are not the best price. So do not be afraid to go to Mexico for dental work, especially to Algodones.
Barbara I’m happy to hear you had such a great experience all those times, thanks for the feedback!
Weird timing, a friend of mine just told me about this dental discount plan. She’s used it and says it’s great. The discounts can be used in any states:
https://www1.careington.com/index.aspx