Read Testimonials From Customers From Mexican Dental Vacation

Here are some testimonials from past customers of Mexican Dental Vacation. We welcome anyone to send us testimonials, both good and bad. You can use your name, or remain anonymous. Please use the form below.

Here is a testimonial from Craig Scheiner, which he wrote for a travel website. It is vey honest, and we are publishing it as is, with no editing.

Craig Scheiner, Sonoma, CA.

December 8, 2005

Like many folks I was shocked when my dentist told me last June it would cost $4500 for a removable bridge with three teeth and a floating bridge which would consist of a new tooth suspended by caps between the teeth on either side. I have no insurance for something like this, but beyond that, I could not understand how dental work like this could possibly be worth so much money. There was no hi-tech work involved.
The dental methods had hardly changed in the last half century. The more I thought about it the angrier I got. I determined I would pay a fair price and no more. I began a web search for a dentist in Mexico.

My wife and I are not strangers to Mexico, although we know no doctors or dentists there, other than in Oaxaca. We know that in some larger urban areas dental care is as good as back home, which for us is Sonoma, California; about an hour north of San Francisco. It took a couple of interesting hours Googling "Mexican Dentist" and the like to find some information and a few folks to email.

After some back and forth correspondence I chose mexicandentalvacation.com in Mazatlan. It is a home business run by Nick Konev, a Canadian. He focuses on Canadians and Americans for clients. He does not provide dental services to locals as far as I know. He had hired Dr. Guzman, a Mexican dentist, whose wife is also a dentist, but for a Mexican healthcare organization.
Nick made sure Dr. Guzman was qualified by Canadian and American standards. He completed his requirements to perform implants last April, but as this was to be my first Mexican dental experience I decide to go with the bridges for now rather than implants to see how things worked out.

A few days after emailing Nick for some information, he phoned me just like my home doctor might. He answered my question straightforwardly. He emailed me a price list of the services he offered so I would know before leaving home exactly what it would cost me. Sonoma: $4500, Mazatlan: $1700 for exactly the same thing. If I wanted nickel instead of gold: $1340. Nickel is not recommended, though. When you see a person whose gums have a black line around the tooth it's because he used nickel instead of gold for his crown or bridge.

I traded my Puerto Vallarta timeshare for one at El Cid El Morro Tower in Mazatlan, but Nick has arranged for lower than normal room rates at various resorts if you want to pay for your lodging out of pocket. He offered discounted greens fees for the 27 hole golf course on the property and a free massage during the time I was there also. The El Morro Tower is a good place to stay.

The accommodations are very spacious, the grounds, pools and beach are as good as any mid-level Mexican resort. The people who work there are the best in every way and the restaurant on the edge of the beach is fabulous. We ate lunch out regularly but never found a better restaurant for dinner. The location of the resort is not so great. There is not much of interest when you walk out the door to explore. It is not dangerous, just not many shops of interest. The primary tourist area is called the Golden Zone, about a mile down the road. There are lots of hotels lining the beach, lots of shops and restaurants and bars. You might want to stay in this area instead.

I arrived on a Sunday in September and at 9 AM Monday I was at the dentist office. It's Mexico, so we started on Mexican time, noon. Between 9:30 and noon Betty Ann, my wife, and I strolled along the Malecon, explored the stands at the Zocolo, and had a delicious lunch across the street from the dentist office at The Shrimp Bucket. At noon, Nick drove me to a shopping center 10 minutes away where a business specializing in x-rays, CAT scans and the like did a panoramic x-ray of my mouth. Cost: $14, time in to out, 25 minutes. I paid out of pocket as this was not included in the price.

Ten minutes later I was in the dental chair with Dr.Guzman grinding the tops of two teeth and making molds for my new teeth. He made up two temporary crowns and attached them. This was my time of doubt. There was no going back, but if it turned out to be a poor job there would be no permanent damage. I would just have to have everything redone when I got home, and of course it would cost me much more for the experience.

The dental room had everything that was needed but not more. One cabinet with a sink and the items needed for my procedure and no stock of extra supplies. The mechanical device to swing the overhead light was not as heavy duty as what I am used to in the states, neither was the dental chair, and the water for rinsing is drawn from bottled water rather than plumbed to the tap. Everything was spotlessly clean. Everything needed was there, but I saw no excess.

Nick acted as dental tech when needed, Dr. Guzmen did the rest personally, like mix the mold making goop. The doctor did not speak English except things like, "No bite, no bite" or "Close, close." Nick filled in translating when needed. In a couple of hours I was finished until Saturday, when my new dentures would be installed. Time for the vacation part of my Mexican dental vacation.

On Thursday I got a call from Nick. He told me the lab making the dentures had run out of gold and more would arrive on Monday. He said Dr. Guzman could install the dentures Monday night and I could fly home Tuesday. That was not acceptable. My flight left 4PM Sunday and I told him that was a firm time. He must have the job finished then. I told him that in all of Mazatlan I was sure he could find me dental gold.

Two days and several more phone calls later, with my stress level at a steady high, Nick called Saturday and said the dentures would be in Sunday at 11 AM. He had convinced the lab to move my job to the head of the line. So the gold shortage was only for those at the end of the line. I did not ask how much propina he paid to move my dentures up to first place. I was concerned about the fitting; what if they didn't? He assured me they would. I took a deep breath, reminded myself the worst that would happen would be going home and having them redone.

Sunday morning my wife and I packed and took a cab to the dental office. Nick and the doctor were there with my new choppers and ready to go. The crowns and upper floating bridge fit perfectly. The lower removable bridge went in perfectly also. The job was top notch. I was very happily surprised - and relieved. So were they.

But Nick had left out one detail. I got up and handed Nick my credit card. "I'm not set up for credit cards yet," he said, "Can you withdraw the money from the bank machine?" I'm limited to $300 cash per day by my bank, so that wouldn't work. Nick asked if I would make a direct deposit to his Wells Fargo account when I got home, which I agreed to and did. An American having dental work done in Mexico by a Canadian company with a Wells Fargo account based in Oregon. My new teeth are truly international.

I imagine Nick is set up for CC's now, but if you go be sure and ask.

One week from x-rays to dentures is faster than it could have been done in the states, and delays are normal in Mexico so I suggest you be prepared to stay longer than planned if necessary. The dental work itself was top-notch for me.

The Thursday after I got home I had a regularly scheduled cleaning appointment with my Sonoma dentist. He didn't say a word about my new teeth. But the dental assistant, who did the actual cleaning said "Beautiful job." Those were her exact words. And she told me other clients were having their expensive dental work done in Mexico also.

Best regards, Craig Scheiner

*A note from Nick Konev
We now stock gold, so there are never any delays with getting your work done. We also have digital x-ray and intraoral camera technology to show you on a computer screen, the inside of your mouth.

Testimonial of Bruce Delaney

I was raised on a cow ranch in Montana far from town. After going to half a dozen different dentists while in grade and high school, I found one I really liked and respected. He was always on top of the latest dental and hygienic procedures; charged fair and reasonable rates and was a personable individual; who also donated services to those who really needed dental work, but could not afford it.

I stuck with this man for over 30 years despite the fact that I had to drive 140 miles round trip for an appointment. Later, he moved to a larger city, and despite a now 260 mile round trip, I stayed as one of his clients.
About fifteen years ago, I myself had to move from the ranch and tried to maintain my professional relationship with Dr. Downing, but a 460 mile round trip became prohibitive and I sadly had to find someone else to work on my teeth.

Unfortunately, despite going to four different dentists where I now reside, I haven’t been able to find another whose work stands up to what I’d become accustomed to, and their rates started becoming exorbitant.

Dr. Guzman at Mexican Dental Vacation in Mazatlan is an excellent dentist and for the first time in years, I feel my teeth are being taken care of properly, and not costing me an arm and a leg to do so.
Despite the fact that I am a “Gringo Who Doesn’t Speak The Lingo”, these folks were extremely gracious, professional and hospitable to me , and I had absolutely no trouble communicating with them or the folks at the hotel, restaurants, gift shops, etc. Mazatlan is really a nice place with pleasant people.

Over the course of two visits, I had two dental implants, a root canal, and two crowns replaced. And it was still less expensive, including air fare and hotels, then back in the US., and the quality of work better than I’ve found for years.

As a bonus, I got to go deep sea fishing a couple times and tried my hand at paragliding. I can only recommend these good people highly. Their work is excellent, and Mazatlan a beautiful place to spend some time. I’d give the whole experience five stars, and hope to return.

Sincerely, Bruce Delaney Butte, MT

Frank, Scottsdale, AZ.

Coming from Scottsdale Arizona, after boarding ship in SanDiego , I Arrived Mazatlan on a Cruise ship at 08:00 on Dec 2, 2008. (the MS Oosterdam)
I had made appointment with Alisa and Dr. Jennifer Hernandez for 09:00 on Dec 2, 2008 via e-Mail..
They were both there to greet me at exactly 09:00. Dr. Jennifer spent 4 hours meticulously preparing, and "bonding" (putting veneer on surfaces) of four front teeth which were discolored and one even cracked, which was very unsightly.

I commented at completion of my visit, that they not only saved me many hundreds of dollars under my USA dentist, but Dr. Jennifer was without question the finest and most precise Dentist

• I have ever had work on my mouth. (I have had MANY in my 82 years !)
• I rate their services as "5 STARS" !!
• I highly recommend them for any and all dental work.