"W
ho's the best dentist in Costa Rica?"
This question keeps on coming up again and again wherever dental patients exchange stories about their experiences with Costa Rica dentists.
Sometimes the question is asked in a tone of incredulity and disbelief. "You don't seriously mean that I could find a half-decent dentist in a third-world tourist trap like Costa Rica, do you? Yeah? Well, who's the best of the bunch?" To these people, I say: Yes, there are some excellent dentists in Costa Rica, and this blog can give you a jump start in finding the best one for you.
Sometimes the question is asked with a tone of quiet desperation. "My dentist just told me I need a lot of work. I just don't see how I can afford it. But you say there are trustworthy dentists just a jet flight away?" To these people, I say: Yes, you can save at least half on your dental work and get equal or better quality than you can probably find at your local dentist.
And sometimes the question is a snarky, throwaway line by Internet visitors just passing through. "These guys on this web site are talking about dentistry in Central America. Fascinating but weird." To these people, I say: May Fortune smile on you, and may you never need major dental work. But if you ever do, come back to this blog and join the Virtual Dental Underground.
To provide answers to all these people--and maybe to you as well--I created this blog. The official name is: WhoIsTheBestDentistInCostaRica.blogspot.com. But to make it easier to find and to show that it has a broader focus, I gave it a nick name: SmilingAtLast.com.
I'm not a dentist, just a grateful patient. This is my chance to "pay it forward" to others who are now where I was years ago. This blog can give you a jump start on your research and set you on your way to a newer, nicer smile. On this site, you can: Learn about some of my favorite dentists, see links to other interesting blogs and web sites, and participate in a virtual Q and A session where I share my opinions about some issues relating to dental tourism in Costa Rica.
So. Who Is the Best Dentist in Costa Rica?
Indeed, there are some excellent dentists in CR. Folks have been arguing on the Internet for years as to who's the best. It seems that everyone has a personal favorite, though some names come up again and again. All the dentists listed on "The Dentists" menu of this blog have international fan clubs large enough to qualify for the position of Best Dentist in Costa Rica. To find the dentist with the biggest fan base, you could start by researching the dentists here.
What if your idea of the Best Dentist is the one who has the most adoring and knowledgeable patients? In that case you'll have to actually talk with patients. Many would-be dental tourists avoid this step, but I think it's essential. One-to-one private discussions can provide a lot of background and "color" that never makes it onto public forums. I have talked with and emailed many patients. I can attest that all the dentists on this blog have numerous smart and devoted patients who wholeheartedly believe that their own dentist is the Best Dentist in the Whole World...and certainly the Best in Costa Rica.
After you start researching CR dentistry, you'll soon come up with a handful of candidate dentists or dental clinics. Some of these candidates will probably be names discussed on this blog; your own research might unearth other candidates I don't even know about. Once you start trying to choose from the best of the best, you'll soon be asking a more pointed and more personal question: "Who is the Best Dentist in Costa Rica for me?"
You are a unique individual with unique preferences, fears, hopes, quirks and financial resources. The Best Dentist for someone else might not necessarily be the Best Dentist for you. It's up to you to learn the differences in prices, personalities, style and unique capabilities of your candidate dentists. That will require some digging outside of this blog, though I will try to throw out a hint or two now and then. Measure your candidate dentists against your personal yardstick, and make a rational decision as to "Who is the Best Dentist in Costa Rica for Me."
Or you can just say, "To heck with this," and just pick a dentist at random. If you go this way, promise me that you'll stick to one of the Fave dentists discussed on this blog, okay? Or at least a dentist that you've thoroughly researched, as discussed in the Q and A on researching. There are enough stories on the Internet about American tourists who chose the wrong CR dentist. There's no need to add yours to these sad chronicles.
Pura vida! If you've read this far, you're on your way!
NOTE:
This site was designed to show three pull-down menus at the top labeled "Welcome", "The Dentists" and "Your Own Journey" when viewed in a desktop web browser:
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