Visiting The Dentist In Playa Del Carmen [What To Expect]
Need a reliable dentist in Playa del Carmen? So did we! Here’s what our experience was like and what you can expect.
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Matthew Metcalfe
June 19, 2024
Finding the right dentist in Playa del Carmen can mean high-quality work without the hefty price tag.
Whether you are:
- Looking for a simple clean
- Requiring serious dental treatment
- Needing some emergency work
…Playa del Carmen is an excellent place for dental care.
They are equipped with modern tools and have many skilled and caring doctors who speak great English. It is no wonder Playa has become widely popular for “Dental Tourism”.
If you are living in Playa del Carmen for any amount of time, this is a great place to get your dental needs checked off.
In this blog, I will walk you through our experience while visiting a dentist in Playa del Carmen.
What Is Dental Tourism?
As full-time digital nomads since 2018, we are used to different healthcare services worldwide.
Dental Tourism is when you travel to countries known for high-quality dental treatment where dental care is cheaper.
The main benefit is the amount you will save.
And of course, you get a nice little holiday as well. Does it get better than that?
The Dangers of Dental Tourism
While dental costs are significantly cheaper, there can be many potential dangers associated with traveling for dental care.
You need to understand that dental clinics in foreign countries are not always subjected to the same laws and standards as your home country. So make sure you do your research and choose the best dentist for you, whether that’s at home or overseas.
Our personal experience in Playa del Carmen, along with many others, was excellent! But please just do your own research because we have also encountered some very unprofessional dentists.
Dental Tourism in Playa del Carmen
Our main concern with visiting the dentist in Playa del Carmen was ensuring that we found a clinic that we could trust.
After all, you don’t want a doctor that you don’t feel comfortable with digging around in your mouth.
In Playa del Carmen, there are a lot of great dental clinics and people regularly travel there to get their dental work done. This means that many dentists are typically well-equipped for tourists from other countries, providing a trustworthy service at a very cost-effective price.
Best Dentists In Playa del Carmen
Most dentists in Playa del Carmen cater to serving tourists and foreigners.
Below, I have listed some dentists that we found to be trustworthy and provide good service in Playa del Carmen.
Again, these are our own views and we cannot give you any specific advice for your situation. We encourage you to do your own research and make sure you choose a dentist that suits your own needs.
The top 3 dentists in Playa del Carmen that we found were:
I got these recommendations mainly through Facebook groups, word of mouth and the WhatsApp communities for digital nomads in Playa del Carmen. Coral Dental Center was the most popular recommendation amongst all the local Whatsapp groups I was in. The best dentist in Playa del Carmen is currently A1 Smile Design, they are very popular on TikTok!
Without experience, we can’t really recommend any other dentists in Playa del Carmen but these 3 are the best ones to check out for yourself.
What Kind Of Dental Treatments Can I Get In Playa del Carmen?
You can usually get any dental treatment that you need in Playa del Carmen. It’s always best to contact the dental clinic before visiting to ensure they can provide the treatment or service you need.
Some of the more common dental treatments you can get are:
- Checkup & Cleaning
- Standard Fillings
- Tooth Extraction (including wisdom teeth)
- Root Canal
- Dental Crowning
- Dental Implants
- Dental Bridges
- Total Smile Makeover
As you can see, there is a wide range of popular dental treatments available in Playa del Carmen.
General Dental Costs In Playa del Carmen
The cost varies depending on the dental clinic you choose and the procedure you need, so make sure you do your research first. Remember, cheaper doesn’t always mean better.
General dental costs in Playa del Carmen:
- Checkup & Cleaning: 900 – 1400 MXN ($50 – $80 USD)
- Fillings: 1100 – 2100 MXN ($60 – $120 USD)
- Root Canal: 4.4k – 16k MXN ($250 to $930 USD)
- Dental Crowning: 7k – 10.6k MXN ($400 – $620 USD)
- Dental Implants: 19.5k – 40k MXN ($1,100 – $2,320 USD)
Note: Prices depend on the dental clinic and procedure you are getting done. It’s always best to contact the dental clinic for specific updated prices for each service.
How Much Will I Save?
How much you will save on your dentistry work in Playa del Carmen depends on the dental clinic you choose and the treatment or service you need.
We found prices to be about 50%-60% cheaper than back in Australia and the United States.
Do I Need to Speak Spanish?
The short answer for most dental clinics in Playa del Carmen is: No. In our experience, we found that most of the staff and all of the doctors at each clinic spoke great English.
We have heard that many have actually been educated in countries such as the United States, Canada, and Europe. If you do know Spanish it might help but you should be just fine with English.
Visiting The Dentist In Playa del Carmen
We had a fantastic experience with our dentist in Playa del Carmen. Ashley started by joining the ex-pat and digital nomad WhatsApp and Facebook groups in Playa, asking for recommendations.
We were almost overwhelmed with the responses that we got, which is a good thing because it gave us a lot of viable choices. Being digital nomads in Playa del Carmen for the first time, it made us feel a lot better!
My recommendation is to ask around and see which dentists people refer you to.
This will give you a good base for finding the right dentist. It also gives you a little more confidence as you get recommendations for clinics that people have had good experiences with.
Contacting Dentists
We then narrowed the list down to 3 choices and contacted each dentist individually. If it makes it easier, you can simply call them or if you have WhatsApp, you can often reach out with a message.
Make sure that you tell them what services you are after and if you don’t know, just explain that you need a checkup and highlight any problems you are experiencing with a tooth or your teeth in general.
This will help them give you a long enough time for your appointment.
You can at this stage also ask for prices. Most dentists will give you specific prices for specific services, depending on what you need. We also found that a lot of them offered us a cheaper price, often 10%-20% off, if we paid with cash.
You can definitely pay with a card depending on what you prefer. Note that in some cases, credit cards may also be subjected to a 3%-4% processing fee.
If you are getting a clean done on your teeth, they may offer you what’s called just a “clean” or a “deep clean”.
The “deep clean” is what we would consider normal and the one we opted for. You can ask the dentist when you arrive and they will advise you on what you need.
Getting To The Dentist in Playa del Carmen
Once we were feeling more confident and had chosen our dentist, we booked the appointment.
After booking the appointment for a checkup and clean, they sent a confirmation by WhatsApp and directions to get there. When we arrived for our appointment, we walked into a super clean and modern reception area.
We were greeted by a friendly staff member who ushered us to sit on the comfortable leather couch while waiting for the doctor.
They also asked us to fill out some standard forms and provide some facts about our overall health and previous dentistry work.
Our Dental Checkup And Cleaning
After waiting less than 5 minutes, the doctor came out and Ashley was sent in first. Her teeth were in perfect condition and it took less than 15 minutes for the doctor to do the cleaning.
He was extremely friendly, caring, and happy to answer any questions she had.
The examination room was very clean and modern. They had everything that you would expect to see in a normal dentist.
All of the tools and machines seemed to be in excellent condition and allowed the doctor to do his job efficiently.
I was up next and went in for my checkup and clean.
My experience was also very smooth and the doctor was very careful. I didn’t experience any discomfort at all. Unfortunately, I had a tooth that needed a filling done.
The doctor informed me that he wouldn’t have time to do it that day. He asked me to book an appointment within the next week.
I booked it for a week later and on return had the filling done with no complications.
He was so gentle I didn’t even need any anesthetic, which was a huge benefit for me. I hate having to deal with a numb mouth in the hours after the visit.
All in all, it was an easy and smooth experience, I would say even better than previous dental experiences I have had in Australia.
Wrapping It Up
Overall, we had a really great experience at our dentist appointment in Playa del Carmen.
Looking for the best dental clinics? Here are the 3 dentists in Playa del Carmen we can recommend based on word of mouth in the community and the most trusted ones on social media.
I was so impressed with the quality of service that the Dentist in Playa del Carmen offered. I also have to mention that when I was inquiring about my wisdom teeth. The doctor gave me x-rays and also some recommendations on how to handle them in the future.
Other than that, if you’re looking to get your teeth cleaned, get some fillings in or have a complete smile transformation – there are some great dentists in Playa del Carmen!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is going to Mexico for dental work a good idea?
We think so! We’ve had great experiences going to the dentist in Playa del Carmen and would recommend it. As long as you do your research and find a trusted and qualified dentist who speaks English, getting dental care in Mexico can mean you spend 50-60% less than in Australia or the US. On top of that, you get to holiday in Mexico!
How much does it cost to get your teeth cleaned in Playa del Carmen?
A check-up and clean will cost you around 900-1400 MXN peso ($50-$80 USD).
It’s always a good idea to contact the dentist you plan to visit and ask them for a price guide.
Can you brush your teeth with tap water in Playa del Carmen?
While it’s not a good idea to drink tap water in Mexico, most people will brush their teeth with tap water. Rinsing and spitting should be fine, just make sure not to swallow it. Of course, you might feel more comfortable to play it safe and just use bottled water.
Do dentists in Mexico speak English?
In our experience, we found that most of the staff and all of the doctors at each clinic spoke English.
We have heard that many dentists have actually been educated in English-speaking countries. If you do know Spanish it might help but you should be just fine with English.
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