Trip Report - Algodones Dentistry
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From: The Real Bev on 18 Aug 2008 00:08 Bottom line: DO IT! *THE GOOD* The natives are friendly. Most speak English, and if they don't there's somebody nearby who does. The dentists are willing to work for 4 hours or more at a sitting and will shoot you sufficiently full of lidocaine that you're numb the entire time AND MORE. I had possibly 9 (I didn't count and don't have a detailed bill yet) crowns and three fillings. Total chair time 16 hours spread over 6 days. $2700. Husband has implants, crowns, a root canal, a bridge and a partial. BIL had crowns, root canals and partials. Their work required much less chair time than mine. Implant post insertion and attached teeth still to go in 6 months. They use bottled water for drinking/dental purposes, but the sinks use whatever comes out of the tap. Some website said Algodones used Yuma city water, but the office didn't confirm that. They had higher-tech equipment (digital x-rays) than the last local dentist I went to. If you need a specialist, (s)he will come to YOU, and possibly while you wait. Prescription stuff IS cheaper and the big pharmacy is only a few short blocks from the border. The pet pharmacy is a little further. August means no crowds. Free parking (when that gets filled up there's a huge $5/day lot). Short or no pedestrian line to cross the border back into the US. Don't even think of driving across the border, the parking probably won't be any closer to where you want to go and you risk whatever you risk by driving across the border -- not the least being a LOOOOOOONG wait even in August. We found an ordinary motel with AC, 2 double beds, TV (HBO too), microwave, refrigerator and a small pool for $40/night. RegaLodge on 4th Avenue. The Del Sol supermarket is a few blocks away. I know nothing about silver jewelry prices (they price by weight, apparently), but the stuff sold by the street vendors is attractive. I bought a ring for $20. Lots of opticians too. Even with my nasty prescription, I got my glasses in an hour. Cheapest: $20 for single-vision or bifocals plus $10 for tint and $10 for exam. My right lens was better than the one I'm wearing. The left one wasn't, so the guy made another left one in my old prescription. An acceptable outcome. If you don't like the frames this shop has, go to the next. There are hundreds. *THE BAD* Had I accepted the offer of a private tour of the Yuma Sewage Treatment Plant it would have been the highlight of the trip. There is nothing to do in Yuma that you can't do in the town you left because there was nothing to do there. Plan on bringing your entertainment with you unless you're an alcoholic. Air conditioning is essential. Check out the high and low temperatures and plan accordingly. Food quality was not a high priority ("soft" is prime), but avoid the Jack-in-the-Box breakfast bowl. If you go in a group, it's probably wise for everybody to go to a different dentist. There were only a few other patients while we were there, but the three of us did a lot of waiting while the two dentists worked on us. I'd recommend bringing some kind of cushion -- my tailbone is really painful. I don't know how you choose a dentist. My SIL used one recommended by someone she knew. I picked ours because they had the most professional-looking webpage, handled all the procedures we needed, and responded promptly and in excellent English to my emailed questions. My tongue is still sore so I can't really tell how the crowns feel, but they seem a little rough with some unexpected edges. If they don't disappear with time and usage I'll have the guy smooth them down when we go back in 6 months. *THE UGLY* Yuma. It's not actually ugly, it's just like every other town of similar size in the US that's REALLY warm. -- Cheers, Bev ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Why should I be tarred with the epithet "loony" merely because I have a pet halibut? --Monty Python
From: HardWorkingDog on 18 Aug 2008 00:31 In article <tA6qk.27534$1N1.6059(a)newsfe07.iad>, The Real Bev <bashley101+usenet(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Bottom line: DO IT! Glad to hear everyone survived the Mexican Dentist Vacation. -- Charles '99 YZ250
From: endurodog on 18 Aug 2008 01:27 Thanks for the report Bev, I have been hearing some good stories about getting stuff done down there. You found a web page for the place, can you post that. Rex McKinney "The Real Bev" <bashley101+usenet(a)gmail.com> wrote in message news:tA6qk.27534$1N1.6059(a)newsfe07.iad... > Bottom line: DO IT! > > *THE GOOD* > > The natives are friendly. Most speak English, and if they don't there's > somebody nearby who does. > > The dentists are willing to work for 4 hours or more at a sitting and > will shoot you sufficiently full of lidocaine that you're numb the > entire time AND MORE. I had possibly 9 (I didn't count and don't have a > detailed bill yet) crowns and three fillings. Total chair time 16 hours > spread over 6 days. $2700. Husband has implants, crowns, a root canal, > a bridge and a partial. BIL had crowns, root canals and partials. Their > work required much less chair time than mine. Implant post insertion and > attached teeth still to go in 6 months. > > They use bottled water for drinking/dental purposes, but the sinks use > whatever comes out of the tap. Some website said Algodones used Yuma city > water, but the office didn't confirm that. > > They had higher-tech equipment (digital x-rays) than the last local > dentist I went to. > > If you need a specialist, (s)he will come to YOU, and possibly while you > wait. > > Prescription stuff IS cheaper and the big pharmacy is only a few short > blocks from the border. The pet pharmacy is a little further. > > August means no crowds. Free parking (when that gets filled up there's > a huge $5/day lot). Short or no pedestrian line to cross the border back > into the US. Don't even think of driving across the border, the parking > probably won't be any closer to where you want to go and you risk whatever > you risk by driving across the border -- not the least being a LOOOOOOONG > wait even in August. > > We found an ordinary motel with AC, 2 double beds, TV (HBO too), > microwave, refrigerator and a small pool for $40/night. RegaLodge on > 4th Avenue. The Del Sol supermarket is a few blocks away. > > I know nothing about silver jewelry prices (they price by weight, > apparently), but the stuff sold by the street vendors is attractive. I > bought a ring for $20. > > Lots of opticians too. Even with my nasty prescription, I got my glasses > in an hour. Cheapest: $20 for single-vision or bifocals plus $10 for > tint and $10 for exam. My right lens was better than the one I'm wearing. > The left one wasn't, so the guy made another left one in my old > prescription. An acceptable outcome. If you don't like the frames this > shop has, go to the next. There are hundreds. > > > *THE BAD* > > Had I accepted the offer of a private tour of the Yuma Sewage Treatment > Plant it would have been the highlight of the trip. There is nothing to > do in Yuma that you can't do in the town you left because there was > nothing to do there. Plan on bringing your entertainment with you > unless you're an alcoholic. > > Air conditioning is essential. Check out the high and low temperatures > and plan accordingly. > > Food quality was not a high priority ("soft" is prime), but avoid the > Jack-in-the-Box breakfast bowl. > > If you go in a group, it's probably wise for everybody to go to a > different dentist. There were only a few other patients while we were > there, but the three of us did a lot of waiting while the two dentists > worked on us. I'd recommend bringing some kind of cushion -- my > tailbone is really painful. > > I don't know how you choose a dentist. My SIL used one recommended by > someone she knew. I picked ours because they had the most > professional-looking webpage, handled all the procedures we needed, and > responded promptly and in excellent English to my emailed questions. > > My tongue is still sore so I can't really tell how the crowns feel, but > they seem a little rough with some unexpected edges. If they don't > disappear with time and usage I'll have the guy smooth them down when we > go back in 6 months. > > > *THE UGLY* > > Yuma. It's not actually ugly, it's just like every other town of > similar size in the US that's REALLY warm. > > -- > Cheers, Bev > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ > Why should I be tarred with the epithet "loony" merely > because I have a pet halibut? --Monty Python
From: Mike Baxter on 18 Aug 2008 10:59 After reading this, I'm sooooooo happy that Tracy works for a Endodontist. I pretty much cover the cost of supplies these days. Mike Baxter On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 21:08:00 -0700, The Real Bev <bashley101+usenet(a)gmail.com> wrote: >Bottom line: DO IT! > >*THE GOOD* > >The natives are friendly. Most speak English, and if they don't there's >somebody nearby who does. > >The dentists are willing to work for 4 hours or more at a sitting and >will shoot you sufficiently full of lidocaine that you're numb the >entire time AND MORE. I had possibly 9 (I didn't count and don't have a >detailed bill yet) crowns and three fillings. Total chair time 16 hours >spread over 6 days. $2700. Husband has implants, crowns, a root canal, >a bridge and a partial. BIL had crowns, root canals and partials. >Their work required much less chair time than mine. Implant post >insertion and attached teeth still to go in 6 months. > >They use bottled water for drinking/dental purposes, but the sinks use >whatever comes out of the tap. Some website said Algodones used Yuma >city water, but the office didn't confirm that. > >They had higher-tech equipment (digital x-rays) than the last local >dentist I went to. > >If you need a specialist, (s)he will come to YOU, and possibly while you >wait. > >Prescription stuff IS cheaper and the big pharmacy is only a few short >blocks from the border. The pet pharmacy is a little further. > >August means no crowds. Free parking (when that gets filled up there's >a huge $5/day lot). Short or no pedestrian line to cross the border >back into the US. Don't even think of driving across the border, the >parking probably won't be any closer to where you want to go and you >risk whatever you risk by driving across the border -- not the least >being a LOOOOOOONG wait even in August. > >We found an ordinary motel with AC, 2 double beds, TV (HBO too), >microwave, refrigerator and a small pool for $40/night. RegaLodge on >4th Avenue. The Del Sol supermarket is a few blocks away. > >I know nothing about silver jewelry prices (they price by weight, >apparently), but the stuff sold by the street vendors is attractive. I >bought a ring for $20. > >Lots of opticians too. Even with my nasty prescription, I got my >glasses in an hour. Cheapest: $20 for single-vision or bifocals plus >$10 for tint and $10 for exam. My right lens was better than the one >I'm wearing. The left one wasn't, so the guy made another left one in >my old prescription. An acceptable outcome. If you don't like the >frames this shop has, go to the next. There are hundreds. > > >*THE BAD* > >Had I accepted the offer of a private tour of the Yuma Sewage Treatment >Plant it would have been the highlight of the trip. There is nothing to >do in Yuma that you can't do in the town you left because there was >nothing to do there. Plan on bringing your entertainment with you >unless you're an alcoholic. > >Air conditioning is essential. Check out the high and low temperatures >and plan accordingly. > >Food quality was not a high priority ("soft" is prime), but avoid the >Jack-in-the-Box breakfast bowl. > >If you go in a group, it's probably wise for everybody to go to a >different dentist. There were only a few other patients while we were >there, but the three of us did a lot of waiting while the two dentists >worked on us. I'd recommend bringing some kind of cushion -- my >tailbone is really painful. > >I don't know how you choose a dentist. My SIL used one recommended by >someone she knew. I picked ours because they had the most >professional-looking webpage, handled all the procedures we needed, and >responded promptly and in excellent English to my emailed questions. > >My tongue is still sore so I can't really tell how the crowns feel, but >they seem a little rough with some unexpected edges. If they don't >disappear with time and usage I'll have the guy smooth them down when we >go back in 6 months. > > >*THE UGLY* > >Yuma. It's not actually ugly, it's just like every other town of >similar size in the US that's REALLY warm.
From: Tiago Rocha on 18 Aug 2008 14:02
On Aug 18, 1:08 am, The Real Bev <bashley101+use...(a)gmail.com> wrote: > Bottom line: DO IT! > $2700. Do you know, more or less, how much you'd spend on your hometown to do the same job? -- Tiago -> got full dental & medical care from my employers. |