From other expats living in Ajijic, we found a highly recommended dentist who was just a short bus trip away from us. Doctora Candy Ugalde ("doctora" is Spanish for female doctor) was trained in Guadalajara, speaks perfect English, and has a cheerful, calm, and professional demeanor. We stopped by her office one afternoon just to meet her and her staff, and our first impressions were very positive.
Dra. Candy, even though we had no official appointments scheduled yet, took us under her wing and assisted us with filling out the necessary new patient paperwork. She and her staff spoke English, asked us the necessary health history questions, and clearly listed their prices for each service we may need. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that the initial check-up at the beginning of the exam was free. We would only be charged for cleaning and any x-rays, if needed.
Dra. Candy smiled and said that she had a television installed to make her patients feel more comfortable and distracted while having their dental procedures done. She told me I could pick anything from a Netflix drama or comedy series, to a YouTube concert, to zen meditation videos. She wanted me to relax and enjoy the experience as much as possible.
Her recommendations were for me to stay away from my favorite snack, popcorn (most likely the cause of my superficially cracked molars), keep the areas cleaned and flossed daily, and to return in six months for a follow up exam to check the cavity. She predicted that eventually the cracks would be deep enough to warrant a cap over the tooth, but for now, I'm off the hook. Whew!
Randy's turn went just as smoothly. He had a few minor flaws too, but Dra. Candy's professional opinion was that we were good to go for another six months before she reevaluates our issues.
When we walked back up to the front desk to pay, we were a little nervous. Not having health insurance means we pay as we need treatment in countries where we are staying, and costs can vary widely all over the world.
The grand total for our exams and cleaning was 400 pesos ($21)! We literally only paid 200 pesos ($10.50) EACH for this visit! It was one of the most professional and pleasant experiences we've ever encountered at any dentist. When we were living in the U.S., an exam and cleaning like this would run us at least $100 or more each.
We would highly recommend Dra. Candy Ugalde at Dental Health One in Ajijic, Mexico for all your dental needs. She's even conveniently located directly across the highway from WalMart! We feel like we're in very good hands here across the border.
https://www.facebook.com/dentalhealthone/