Shortly after arriving in Colombia, I thought I had broken a crown on a tooth. I ignored it for several weeks until it became I realized it was infected and became painful. I was very nervous about visiting the dentist here for the first time. I can now confidently say I will never have dental work done in the US again.
Dental Care in the US
In the US, even with dental insurance, I avoided the dentist. I have had various dental issues in the past, including cavities, root canals, and lost crowns. My father had all of his teeth pulled at the age of 21 and wore dentures for the rest of his life, so I guess I inherited it from him.
I rarely got out of a dental visit without paying $200 — $600 and much more for more intensive procedures. In the US, Dental insurance typically only covers annual cleanings and a small percentage of procedures, regardless of necessity. Therefore, I often put off visiting the dentist until I had extra money saved or was in pain. I have known many people who couldn’t afford dental work that they desperately needed or who had teeth pulled and couldn’t afford an implant or partial and were forced to live with the gap.
In the US, dental care is treated as if it is cosmetic. It’s not considered health care despite the multitude of severe health issues that can result from dental problems.
Many employers don’t even offer dental insurance, and when they do, the plans are expensive and still leave a large portion of the bill for the patient to pay. Additionally, the cost of treatments can be outrageously expensive. The average cost of a tooth extraction is $75 to $200 per tooth. The extraction of an impacted is even more, averaging around $800 to $4,000.
No matter how badly someone needs dental work, it is often not prioritized due to the exorbitant cost.
My Dental Experience in Colombia
I was surprised by a few things during my first trip to the dentist in Colombia. Firstly, I walked into the dental office nearest my home to make an appointment for my infection and was seen immediately. There was no wait. The dentist greeted me at the door and asked if I would like her to take a look now. Obvio!
On this first visit, she just took a quick look and said it did, in fact, appear infected but that she would need X-rays to get a better understanding of what was going on. She also recommended an antibiotic. Now, the crazy part is that I left with a prescription for an X-ray and not an antibiotic.
Most dentists and doctors in Colombia don’t have X-ray equipment in the office as they do in the US. Instead, you go to an “Oficina de Radiografía” or Radiography office to have the images taken. This was less convenient and more time-consuming, although there was one in a neighboring barrio (neighborhood). The price tag made the trip worth it. I was only charged 35.000,00 pesos, or roughly $ 9, for the image, and the process was very quick. Dental X-rays in the US can cost anywhere from $25–$750. I left with a physical copy of the x-ray, and they were emailed to the dentist.
Antibiotics, I was shocked to learn, are available over the counter in Colombia. This raises some concerns about overuse but is undoubtedly more convenient and cost-effective for patients. Especially those in pain and can’t afford to see a doctor.
I was also left stunned when I asked the dentist what I owed her for the visit, and she said she didn’t do anything, so not to worry about it. I would pay when I received treatment. She said she would take a look at the X-rays and to stop by the next day.
When I returned the next day, again with no appointment, the dentist saw me immediately, looked over the x-rays, and confirmed the tooth underneath my crown was broken and infected. She said I would need a specialist to remove it and judge if anything was salvageable.
She took my number and told me she would call the specialist and see when he was available and text me with the appointment time. I asked where the office was located and was surprised when she told me he would see me there in her office. Apparently, in Colombia, this is a common practice. Rather than making patients travel to be seen by specialists, the specialists travel to dentists’ offices when requested.
When I saw the specialist, he removed the crown and confirmed the infection. The infected tooth underneath crumbled, becoming an extraction and temporary crown placement. I was instructed to purchase a much more potent antibiotic. Again, no prescription was necessary. This visit cost around $80 US. I was again never charged for check-in or follow-up visits.
The last step will be the implant, the most expensive part of the procedure. Again, performed in my local dentist’s office. I was quoted upfront for the procedure and materials and received an appointment within the week. The cost of a dental implant in Colombia is around $790 USD, and while that is still a considerably pricy procedure, in the US, the average cost is between $3,000 and $4,800 USD.
Final Thoughts
I can’t help but wonder if dental care in the US were comparably convenient and affordable if I would be facing the multitude of corrective procedures I now require and thankfully can access here in Colombia.
The average income in Colombia is drastically lower than in the US. While it is easy, as an American, to consider the prices inexpensive, they would still be significant and expensive for most Colombians. In the US, however, I have never had the experience of not being charged to see any medical professional for an evaluation, check-in, or follow-up. Additionally, in-office X-rays are a minor convenience with a considerable markup there.
My experience in Colombia has been extraordinary. Simply seeing a patient as a walk-in and not making them wait in pain for an appointment was already going above and beyond. Additionally, my dentist texted me regularly to check in, asking how I was feeling, providing price quotes, and giving appointment times. She was thorough and thoughtful in her explanations of procedures and care. And overall, it has been a great experience, which is saying a lot for a trip to the dentist.
BLEW WRITING LLC 