Tijuana Dental Travel, 10 Things To Know Before You Go.

Tijuana Clinic For Cosmetic Dentistry ~ http://tccdentistry.com 
We serve clients from all over the U.S. with high quality dental care at affordable prices  We are able to compete with U.S. dental practices due the quality of our work, which is reflected in our Reviews. We employ highly trained specialists for many of our dental procedures. 
I've started this blog to help our prospective clients learn more about our practice, travel, and dental care. For my first post I have created a list of items that I think are going to provide useful information to make traveling much easier.  

Here is my list of 10 things to know before you go...

1. Sentri: My wait time to cross into the U.S. with Sentri is about 10 minutes. Without Sentri, 1-2 hours. Sentri requires a background check, and a fairly clean driving record. The cost is about $125 and will require some paperwork and two interviews at the customs office located at the border. 

A Sentri pass allows you to cross fast!

For More Information:

http://www.bajabound.com/before/permits/sentri.php

Apply at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Website:
https://goes-app.cbp.dhs.gov/main/goes




2. Transportation to the Dental Office: Make sure your dentist offers free transportation to and from the border to your office. Street addresses are often meaningless in Tijuana, and most taxi drivers find location by way of nearby landmarks. TCC Dentistry offers free transportation to and from the border. However, if you have some time on your hands, go ahead and take your own taxi. You may see some parts of town that you otherwise would not. 

Zona Rio Tijuana

3. Safety: An often cited concern when crossing the border into Mexico. Tijuana is a large city with it's share of problems. However, as a typical looking American,  I have never felt that my safety was threatened despite working and going to restaurants, with my family in tow, nearly every day. As with any large city, the rule is: There are areas to avoid. If you follow this simple rule you will not find safety a major concern. 


The main thing to look for when choosing dental or medical care here is location. The easiest way to follow this rule is by learning about where you are going. TCC Dentistry is located within a beautiful glass high rise in Zona Rio, an upscale business district located just over the border and along the main avenue of Paseo De Los Heroes. Zona Rio is home to a cluster of corporate business towers, shopping areas and restaurants. Anywhere in this district is as comparably safe as most business areas an any large city. But our clinic, naturally, has the very best location.

Translates spoken language!

4. The Language Barrier: Language is not an insurmountable barrier in Tijuana. Most people living here speak at least some English, and many speak quite fluently. Be sure that your dentist speaks fluent English, however, so that you may communicate clearly in regards to your dental care. 

 For other circumstances when traveling in Mexico, and you need a word quickly, I suggest downloading the free dictionary from http://www.spanishdict.com/ into your smartphone. 

There are many other Spanish language applications as well, among them Google Translate. This application is quite useful, and I use it all of the time. 

For iPhone: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-translate/id414706506?mt=8 

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.translate&hl=en

Map to TCC Dentistry. Click to enlarge!

5. Documentation: Be sure to bring your passport and/or birth certificate along with your drivers license. You can still cross without a passport, but it's "not recommended by U.S. Customs". However, we have patients crossing regularly sans passport without any consequence other than a few extra questions from the border agents.

Important, as well, is to print out a map to where you will be going and directions for pick up, if available. Keep in mind that you may have no cellphone service after you cross the border (The carrier will switch to TELCEL). So plan ahead to have any information you need printed out on paper to carry with you. 

Welcome to the Tijuana Clinic For Cosmetic Dentistry

6.  Learn a little about your dental care: Wikipedia is a great resource to learn some basics in regards to materials used, general procedures and options available to you. However, do not use it as a guide to plan your own care, which is something that your trained and experienced dentist will do. Being aware of what materials and procedures are available to you, however, is recommended. For example, you may want to know the difference between a Veneer and a Lumineer, or the materials available to make your crown. Some materials last longer than others, and have different aesthetic qualities. A little bit of knowledge can help you plan to spend a little more for quality materials once you know what to expect down the road.

7. Reviews: These allow a dentist in Tijuana to compete with a dentist in the U.S., or anywhere in the world. Due to the relatively high costs of dentistry, the internet has enabled even a local dentist to compete on a national or international level. The key is reviews. Reviews will allow you to better choose your dentist, as well as ensuring high standards for your care. If a patient does not receive good care, they are now empowered to write a bad review to reflect that.

Ironically, U.S. dentists are often not vetted by reviews, and are still able to provide sub-par work without any repercussions to their business. However, an clinic in Tijuana that provides service for exclusively U.S. clientele lives by reviews alone. Be sure to look for reviews on reliable 3rd party websites such as Google, Yahoo, WhatClinic.com or Dentaldepartures.com. These referral services profit from the quality of care they refer patients to, or they lose credibility. 

8. Flying to Tijuana for Dental Work: If you plan ahead, flying can be fairly inexpensive. There are many booking services online, and in a matter of minutes you can find quotes from dozens of different carriers. Just Google "cheap airfare" or something similar, and you will find dozens of options available to you.

If you add up all of the costs involved with traveling, you will often find that is it still considerably cheap than your local dentist.

As well, be aware that you can "expedite" your dental treatment if needed. For example, our labs generally take 5-7 days to complete most types of crowns, veneers and bridges. However, for $15 per tooth, we can deliver these to you in 3 days. This may be more cost effective than book extra days in a local hotel.

9. Money/Exchange: In regards to exchanging dollars for pesos and visa versa, just look for a good exchange rate at the ubiquitous Casa De Cambio's you find on nearly every block in the vicinity of the border. Be sure to look for those without commission, otherwise the exchange rate displayed is arbitrary.

Our office offers 5% discount for cash. Carrying cash with you obviously isn't a good idea if you are going to be taking your own taxi's or doing much public walking. However, our office and others offer transportation to and from the border with trusted drivers, allowing you to carry your cash worry free :) Otherwise, a credit or debit card works as well. Our clinic also accepts Palpal, allowing you to pay entirely from the internet, freeing you from carrying large amounts of cash OR cards. 

See more photos of Tijuana:
http://runoftheworld.com/mexico/
baja_california/tijuana/index.htm

10. Driving over the border: Driving in Mexico is somewhat different than the U.S., but not overly difficult. In Tijuana, street addresses are somewhat arbitrary. Google Maps will often work, but if you are trying to find and address when you are driving by looking at address numbers on buildings, good luck. It is a good idea to plan ahead where you need to drive, and then print out maps from Google before you cross. This includes how to get to the office, and where to go to cross back over the border.

Traffic lights are respected. Stop signs, on the other hand, are not often acknowledged by other drivers. 

 You can drive safely here if you pay more careful attention to the direction you are moving, which includes switching lanes. Always look before you change directions. This is especially true in the Glorietas, the roundabouts that the U.S. does not have. Keep tabs on your side mirrors to see who is coming around you, and look for openings to switch lanes.

You have to be more assertive driving in Mexico. Being assertive is how communication happens on the road here. You have to imply "Here I come!" or you will confuse the other drivers. Hesitation is not going to serve you well here.

That being said, it's not very difficult to drive here, it's just has slightly different unspoken rules.

Traveling to Mexico isn't difficult or dangerous if you do a little research before you leave. This article and many others are accessible within seconds on Google. A little bit of reading and research can save you thousands of dollars. It's that easy. 

Keep Smiling,

Rebeca