Although dental tourism has been around for a long-time, the prices that most Westerners face to maintain their dental health at home is making more and more people consider overseas surgery, especially for expensive procedures like dental implants.

And while a trip to the dentist may not sound like your ideal vacation, a small border town in Northwest Mexico called Los Algodones is drawing travelers to the dentist chair in the thousands, especially from countries like Canada and the United States.

The self-styled dental capital of the world, there are hundreds of dentists located here. For dental tourists, the expertise as well as the incredibly low dental implant costs in Los Algodones is enough reason to head for Mexico.

With people from Western nations flustered by the sky high prices of dental implants that their local dentists charge, the following are reasons why it costs way less in Algodones.

Dental Tourism: Why Dental Implants Cost Way Less in Algodones

How Much are the Prices?

You’re planning on covering the cost of travel to Mexico in addition to your dental implants, so how low are the actual prices? On average, a single dental implant for Westerners costs:

By comparison, in Los Algodones, also known as Molar City, the cost of dental implants is around:

A more expensive treatment based on dental implants is the all-on-4 system. Here, a whole arch of teeth (either upper or lower) can be replaced with just 4 implants. The price for Westerners at home is steep:

Whereas, in contrast, the Algodones’ all-on-4 costs are around:

If you’re wondering why the dental implants are so affordable in Molar City, you’re not alone.

Some people wonder whether it’s because of low-quality dental work. Thankfully, the reality is quite different. Let’s see the main reasons behind the low dental implant costs in Los Algodones.

Lower Operating Costs

Unlike in western, first-world countries such as the US and Canada, it costs much less to run a dental practice in Mexico.

Maintaining a dental clinic and paying the local staff, including qualified and experienced dental professionals, is not nearly as expensive as it is in the US and Canada. As a result, dental clinics in Mexican cities such as Los Algodones are able to offer much lower prices.

So even a modern, well-equipped dental facility with top professionals working there will be able to operate on a much lower budget than a comparable one in, say New York, Toronto, London or Sydney.

High Competition

Los Algodones has 300+ dental clinics and 900+ dentists. It has the highest rate of dentists per capita in the world.

There’s high competition among the clinics, which keeps an additional check on the prices, keeping them from spiraling out-of-control.

These clinics also know they have to maintain a high-quality of services – despite the lower prices – to attract a steady stream of international dental tourists.

Lower Living Expenses

Just like operating costs, the living expenses in Mexico are also lower than in Western nations. It’s not just about “cutting costs” as the costs aren’t that much to begin with.

Less Red Tape

This is yet another reason that translates into lower dental implant costs in Los Algodones. A lot of the bureaucratic red-tape that businesses in the western world have to face is eliminated at destinations such as Mexico.

This is a good difference for Mexican dentists as well as dental tourists who visit Mexico.

The Dental Tourism Myth

So, there you go. Now you know why dental implants cost way less in Algodones.

It’s simply a myth that dental tourism means risking your dental health. With the right information, you can easily find reliable clinics in Los Algodones, as is the case with other destinations.

For Westerners looking for less expensive dental work, Algodones is a great destination, and if you are traveling in the Southern US, or Mexico, then you may be tempted to look in on a dental clinic in Los Algodones if you’re nearby.

If you need affordable implants, plan your trip to Algodones confidently. You know that despite the lower dental implant costs in Los Algodones, you know it’s a place where you can get quality dental work.

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Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind Waking Up Wild; a website dedicated to opening your eyes to the wild & natural world.

Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, aims to promote responsible travel experiences.

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