About four years ago, my dentist here in the USA broke the bad news. “Your mouth is in terrible shape,” he said.

I had a fifteen year old bridge spanning seven front upper teeth. The problem was, three of the teeth were missing underneath due to sports injuries and the other four gave me such pain, half my face was intermittently numb.

Implants weren’t even something I could consider given the cost. My only other alternative was to expand the bridge from seven to ten teeth to hopefully give it stability. I had experienced bone and gum loss so that had to be addressed. I was also sure I needed several root canals due to the pain I was feeling.

Overall, I was looking at least at a $20-25K bill. And I wasn’t even sure how many different dental specialists I would need to see. It seemed like a long and costly process. So I ignored it.

Luckily, I stumbled onto a website www.welovecostarica.com and made an inquiry. After a bit of research, I found out Costa Rica’s healthcare system ranks above that of the US. A few days later, I received a call from a guy named Charlie Dennard.

Charlie is an American Expat living in Costa Rica. He works as the US Patient Coordinator for a dental implant specialist named Dr. Mario. Charlie educated and guided me through the process and helped make the introduction to the dentist. After emailing Charlie my x-rays and a few photos of my mouth, Dr. Mario called me himself and suggested a treatment plan.

The cost was far less than I could have imagined. My wife urged me to make the trip to Costa Rica and finally get my mouth back into shape. And Charlie was there every step of the way.

I flew into San Jose International Airport on a Sunday evening and returned home the following Saturday morning. Charlie had everything lined up for me. I stayed at a wonderful bed and breakfast that many of Dr. Mario’s patients stay in, Casa Laurin. The owner Ginette, was a wonderful host.

Ginette really looked out for me, made me wonderful breakfasts, and helped me get everywhere I needed to go. She had her driver pick me up and take me back to the airport, and her place was a convenient walk to the doctor’s office, restaurants, etc.

My first appointment was Monday morning. I was immediately given a warm welcome by Dr. Mario’s staff. They were friendly, extremely professional and they all spoke fluent English. I found the office to be state-of-the-art and as good, or better, than my dentist at home.

After an initial examination, x-rays, and a 3-D tomographic scan, Dr. Mario and I discussed and decided upon a treatment plan that was best for me. I took a short break for lunch, and when I returned, Dr. Mario immediately got to work. I have never seen a dentist work so swiftly and confidently. I could tell he was an expert, and I knew I was in good hands.

That week, I had two teeth extracted, two root canals, five dental implants, two crowns, a bone implant and gum surgery.

My total time in the dentist chair that week was about six hours. In between appointments, I was free to rest, sight see, shop and pretty much do anything I wanted. After everything healed, the final cost was about $10K — far less than I would have spent in the US. Dr. Mario also provided a $500 discount towards the cost of my airfare, and I received another 5% discount for paying my bill in cash using a personal check.

I would give my overall experience a definite A+.

I would be remiss if I didn’t single out Charlie Dennard for helping make this all happen. Without his advice and hard work, I probably never would have made the trip. Charlie answered every question and had every base covered when I got there.

The day after my implant surgery he even brought me ice cream and yogurt to help sooth my sore mouth. Later in the week, he also took me into downtown San Jose to show me the sights. By the time I was ready to leave, I considered Charlie a friend. When my dentist at home saw the work that was performed for what I paid, he was astounded.

The best part — I was pain free for the first time in years. And it felt really good to smile again.

Written by VIP Member Dave Carlton. Dave is a 20 year veteran in advertising and marketing and currently resides in Scottsdale, AZ with his wife and 12 year old son.

For more information about our highly recommended Costa Rica Dentist and how you could qualify for a free round trip airfare to Costa Rica, please contact Charlie using the simple form below:

Andrew Makarik

to@welovecostarica.com

Andrew Makarik is the main editor of WeLoveCostaRica, a fan of this sunny country. He is also a loving husband and a has a lovely daughter. By being a devoted family man and the biggest Costa Rica fan, he wants to make more people feel at home there. WeLoveCostaRica unites people and helps them find new home or a new travel destination. This website is a friendly community where everyone can find not only information, but also new friends and travel pals. Andrew is also passionate about IT and programming, so he himself maintains a friendly atmosphere in this cozy environment of WeLoveCostaRica.com.