Can Your Dentist Pass the Litmus test?

7,000 sq. ft. dental lab at Esthetic Dental Center in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Ok, so you’ve got some cosmetic or restorative dental work to be done and you’re looking for a good dentist.

You’ve called your family and friends for referrals and possibly goggled countless dental marketing sites to look at all the before and after pictures – and do some price shopping.

The litmus test of a good dentist – assuming you expect the best and intend to get it – is whether the dentist is able to discuss and provide all the dental products and technologies available that can alter the outcome dramatically.

It’s not entirely about the bottom line price; it’s about the value of the desired result.  But how do you know if you’re getting all the available information?

Has your dentist used terms like zirconia or lithium disilicate when discussing your desired outcome?  If not, you may be getting the Chevrolet vs. the Bentley level of care.  And you might be surprised to learn that it’s not always cost driven.

According to Mike Lomax, the owner of Esthetic Dental Center in San Jose, Costa Rica, too many dentists are not up to date with technology, don’t have quality control over the dental product, and don’t have the equipment to provide their patients with the best choices.

“My experience is that dentists make a treatment plan, and I have to call them and tell them why it’s wrong,” said Lomax, “I train dentists all day long.  They can’t keep up with all the new materials and products.  They send the case to me and I advise them on the best plan.”

Lomax is an American, born and raised in Michigan.  As a dental technician he was relocated to Costa Rica to manage a dental lab supplying dental products to the U.S. Market.  Several years later he opened his own dental lab.  “We do the work for about 500 US dental clients; about 150 clients who request ceramic/gold,” said Lomax.

Can Your Dentist Ensure the Quality of The Dental Product?

Your dentist might order a product from a U.S. based dental lab, but they have no control over the lab outsourcing the work overseas – which is the case, more often than not.  If your dentist doesn’t have an onsite laboratory then that can be a disconnect in quality control as well as technology.

The issue of quality control was highlighted when an article posted March 8, 2008 on 10TV news entitled Woman Discusses Lead-Contaminated Dental Work set the dentistry industry on its ear by revealing that many dentists have no way to ensure the quality of metal in dental products.  They take it for granted that they’re getting a good product, just as you do as a patient.

Many offshore dental labs do excellent work, for example in Germany and in Costa Rica, and I’m sure in many other locations.  Ask questions to discover if your dentist communicates directly with the people making the teeth like a team, and is not just ordering products through a middleman like you might buy a watch on EBay.

According to Lomax, Esthetic Dental Center has dentists who have studied in Germany and who teach at the university, 45 lab technicians and the most modern and most advanced dental laboratory in Central America.

Does Your Dentist Have the Technology To Provide Custom Work?

Lomax’s 7,000 sq. ft. laboratory is located right upstairs from his 3,000 sq ft. dental clinic.  All adjustments can be made right there for the convenience of the patient.  He has the same laser machine that they use at CIMA Hospital for performing laser root-canals, and the same CAD/CAM equipment used in the Zirkonzahn lab in Germany.”

“It’s a huge dental lab,” explained a patient, “Everyone seems to enjoy their job.  And I trusted Mike, the lab owner, because he has the demeanor that is trustworthy and he aimed to please you.  He’s the one who makes the teeth and is investing all his money buying all the equipment.”

“You can tell the emphasis on technology by the relative square footage of the dental clinic vs. the dental lab,” said Lomax, “What’s bigger – the laboratory or the dental practice?  What that ratio tells you about a dental practice is if the emphasis is on technology and the training.”

The Bottom Line Financially

You can literally save tens of thousands of dollars on restorative and cosmetic dentistry in Costa Rica.  One patient claims she saved over $30,000 out-of-pocket.  Wow!  I’d say it pays to do some research!

Click to read a patient review:  “First Time Dental Tourist Saves $30,000… and she’s shouting about it!“