Dental work

Naked_truth777

New member
May 11, 2006
43
2
0
What is the best city in Dr to travel for dental work?I need deep gum cleaning ($860 in US) 3 root canals and 3 porclain crowns. Will I need an appointment or will always be able to find somebody reliable at any day of the week? And how long should I allow for travel? If you know reliable clinic or dentist can you please place their contacts like phone or address?I would appriciate any help I can get. Thank you very much.
 

HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
2
0
There are excellent dentists in all the cities in the DR. Where would you prefer to go to? If you do a search of dentists, you will come up with many recommendations. The type of work you describe will probably take at least a few weeks to accomplish.
In Puerto Plata I recommend Dr. Lepe and Dr. Santos at 809-586-6666.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
1,416
40
0
In Santo Domingo, I would highly recommend Dra. Ena Rosa Henriquez. She speaks excellent English, is very knowledgable and is very gentle. She is also a profesora in the Dental School at UMPHU. Her office is in Gazcue, and the telephone is 809-688-6251. (although her assistants do not speak English, just ask for the doctora).
 

Naked_truth777

New member
May 11, 2006
43
2
0
I have tried to reach all of those dentists over the phone without success.They all have messages and they are not returning calls.
Just how busy Dominican dentists are ? I live in SW Florida and I could not schedule appointment to see dentist earlier than 2 months .It is insane here.
What is the best way to schedule an appointment with dominican dentists?
Will I be able to find dentist who is available if I just travel there and withing what period of time? May be somebody can share their own expirience. Thank you very much.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
1,416
40
0
When would you like to come to Santo Domingo? I will try to call Dr Henriquez tomorrow and see what she says, and get back to you.

I think she normally works in the pm's (at least I have always gone to her office at 4 or 5 pm) - she is also a profesora at a university.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
1,416
40
0
I spoke with Dra Henriquez' office this morning. She is outside the country, but will return early next week.

The doctora normally works all day Wednesdays and Thursdays, and on Friday afternoons. Her assistant told me that crowns are made in a laboratory and returned to the dentist in a couple of days, ready for installation. That would suggest to me that you could come in on a Thursday, she could do impressions and the root canals then, and have the crowns ready for the next week. (but I'm not a dentist and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night).

I will call the doctora next Wednesday am, and get the real story, and post her answers here. Have a good weekend.
 

Naked_truth777

New member
May 11, 2006
43
2
0
hi

GringoCArlos said:
I spoke with Dra Henriquez' office this morning. She is outside the country, but will return early next week.

The doctora normally works all day Wednesdays and Thursdays, and on Friday afternoons. Her assistant told me that crowns are made in a laboratory and returned to the dentist in a couple of days, ready for installation. That would suggest to me that you could come in on a Thursday, she could do impressions and the root canals then, and have the crowns ready for the next week. (but I'm not a dentist and I didn't stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night).

I will call the doctora next Wednesday am, and get the real story, and post her answers here. Have a good weekend.

Thank you , my friend. I'am going to owe you .Just wondering how busy her schedule is? Sounds too easy. I hope that will work out that way.
When I will travel to DR I also will be looking for RE to purchase to get a resident status.Do you know anything about Adscot Advisory services.If they are any good? Thx a lot my friend. God Bless.
 

Naked_truth777

New member
May 11, 2006
43
2
0
hi

GringoCArlos said:
I spoke with Dra Henriquez' office this morning. She is outside the country, but will return early next week.

The doctora normally works all day Wednesdays and Thursdays, and on Friday afternoons. Her assistant told me that crowns are made in a laboratory and returned to the dentist in a couple of days, ready for installation.

I will probably will take her entire day,because I need deep gum cleaning, 3 root canals and I also want mercury fillings to be removed from 8 teeth. I have all Xrays with me.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
1,416
40
0
Naked_Truth777, I just spoke with Doctora Henriquez. I will send the details to you via a Private Message, rather than bore the other readers with the details.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
1,416
40
0
(for a minute, Robert, I was tempted to say if you are that bored, get the news for Friday up and posted, hehehe)

Dra Henriquez is available to do your work. The amount of time it may take depends on several things, such as your general health and any heart conditions, glycemia, or other health conditions; your possible reactions to any of the root canals, the type or conditions of the roots of your teeth, your age,...

She did say that generally, dental work in the DR will cost about 1/2 of what similar work costs to be done in the US. If a crown requires a post, etc the cost will be more.

She will do her own exam, and the deep gum cleaning, and then give you an estimate on the crowns and root canals. If the root canals are straight-forward, she can do those straight off. If there are complexities to your root canals, she can immediately refer you to a specialist to do this work.

If you want a better cost estimate before travelling to the DR, you can send her your x-rays, and a panoramic mouth x-ray, and answers as to your health and any conditions, and your age, and any other things she should know beforehand.

Otherwise, if you want to come down, her schedule is open for the week of 12 June 2006. If you want me to call them and schedule your appointment, I am willing to do that for you, once you know when you will fly.

She also asked me what your $$ situation is, and I told her I don't know. She works on a cash basis (she does not accept any insurance from any patients, not just you - :) )

Dra. Ena Rosa Henriquez's office is located at Calle Socorro Sanchez # 157 (altos), Gazcue, Santo Domingo, and the office number is 809-688-6251. Her office is easily reached from any of the Malecon hotels, or from the Zona Colonial area.
 

Naked_truth777

New member
May 11, 2006
43
2
0
Half of the cost of US?

She did say that generally, dental work in the DR will cost about 1/2 of what similar work costs to be done in the US. If a crown requires a post, etc the cost will be more.

Thx for your help, but half the cost of US ? It is still a little steep for DR. Considering cost of travel. From what I heard from other people you can get a root canal for $50 US and ceramic crowns around $125 .
Considering travel costs (plane,hotel, etc) and lost of time from work .Half of what it costs in US for dental work is not worth traveling to Dr for dental work at all. I do not mind paying a little more what locals pay if she does a good work ,but I do not want to be taken advantage off and pay "stupid gringo" prices.
I can go to Ukraine or Hungary for that matter and pay much much cheaper prices .
May be she has no idea how high dental costs are in USA. And they vary greatly ,like in some parts of US deep cleaning might be $350 and in some parts $800. Root canal might be $400 and in other parts of country $850.
So if she meant lowest US prices then it might be worthy but for highest it is not worthy of travel for working individual.
 

Naked_truth777

New member
May 11, 2006
43
2
0
hi

My finincial situation is ok. I can pay even us prices, but I refuse to pay these rediculious charges. I know what I can do.
The best thing for me to do is to take a short trip,like 3-4 days go see the dentists in Dr ,do deep gum cleaning and go from there.
 

GringoCArlos

Retired Ussername
Jan 9, 2002
1,416
40
0
I've always believed that you get what you pay for. Dra Henriquez is the head of a dentistry program here, and practices on the side. She's no spring chicken, and she knows her stuff. She did a root canal followed by a gold inlay into one of my crowns, and it worked out to be about US$150. I considered that to be pretty cheap.

Dra Henriquez doesn't look at someone and see 'gringo'. She only sees patients.

If you really want a deal, just go to the nearest Florida state university with a dental school, and they will gladly do all of your work, for practically nothing, and you can be the students' patient. They will appreciate the practice, and you won't have to buy a plane ticket or pay for the work.

From experience, I know that not taking care of one's teeth for a long period of time usually leads to the need for several root canals, and crowns, sometime in the future. What's too expensive? Regular preventative care, or a bunch of reconstructive dental work later?

Sometimes tacaño is good, but with teeth, never. Good Luck.
 
Last edited:

Naked_truth777

New member
May 11, 2006
43
2
0
hi

GringoCArlos said:
I've always believed that you get what you pay for. Dra Henriquez is the head of a dentistry program here, and practices on the side. She's no spring chicken, and she knows her stuff. She did a root canal followed by a gold inlay into one of my crowns, and it worked out to be about US$150. I considered that to be pretty cheap.

Dra Henriquez doesn't look at someone and see 'gringo'. She only sees patients.

If you really want a deal, just go to the nearest Florida state university with a dental school, and they will gladly do all of your work, for practically nothing, and you can be the students' patient. They will appreciate the practice, and you won't have to buy a plane ticket or pay for the work.

I hope you are right.$ 150 is much less than some US dentist charge .I can easily afford paying anything within that range .To have a student drilling my teeth is an excellent idea,thx a lot ,but I will pass :laugh:
How about june 14 wednesday if I come for deep gum cleaning and go from there. I will just take a 7 day trip first,check it out. If I like it I will come for more :) Thx a lot.
 

HOWMAR

Silver
Jan 28, 2004
2,624
2
0
GringoCArlos,
Dra Henriquez may be looking forward to giving you your next root canal after this referral.;)