Dental Tourism in Costa Rica
Popular Treatments
All-ON-4 DENTAL IMPLANTS
All-ON-6 DENTAL IMPLANTS
SINGLE IMPLANTS
DENTAL BRIDGES AND CROWNS
Costa Rica is located on the Central American isthmus, bounded by Panama to the south and Nicaragua to the north. Costa Rica enjoys two terrific coastlines: the Caribbean Sea to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. A tropical climate prevails all year round, particularly in the cooler hill regions.
Visiting Costa Rica for dental treatment will give you the chance to enjoy world-class dental care in a country rich in history. Meaning ‘rich coast,’ Costa Rica was so named by Christopher Columbus in 1502. Costa Rica’s diverse terrain of jungles, beaches, volcanoes, coral reefs, mountains and hot springs are filled with an extraordinary abundance of plant and animal species, making this Central American tropical paradise a joy to visit for dental care.
The friendly disposition of the Ticos–as, as Costa Ricans call themselves, help make Costa Rica one of the most popular dental destinations, particularly for Americans and Canadians.
Why Visit a Dentist in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a great destination for affordable dental care, particularly for budget-conscious North Americans and Canadians who don’t want to suffer longer flights to Thailand or India purely for a dental procedure. Here’s why:
Excellent quality care: Our best Costa Rican dentists have been trained in the US and are likely to be members of the American Dental Association or accredited by one of the leading US or Canadian agencies.
Easy access: With numerous airline carriers offering flights just a few hours from major US and Canadian cities, coupled with reasonably priced fares, Costa Rica is one of the most convenient dental destinations for North American patients. This is doubly true if you need to make a return trip for dental implant work.
Great prices: If you are among the millions struggling with the high costs of dental care at home, then Costa Rica could be just the place to get your dental health on track. Savings on most procedure range 40-70% (see below for typical treatment costs).
Engish is spoken here: Because the best Costa Rican dentists generally depend upon a high influx of North American patients, English is fluently spoken at all our verified clinics.
Cost of Dental Work in Costa Rica
| Procedure | USA | Canada | Mexico |
|---|---|---|---|
| Titanium Implant + Crown | $5,000 | $4,600 | $1,500 |
| All-on-4 Dental Implants (Per Arch) | $24,000 | $22,000 | $9,000 |
| All-on-6 Dental Implants (Per Arch | $28,000 | $26,000 | $12,600 |
| Zirconia Crown | $2,500 | $2,300 | $500 |
| Zirconia Veneer | $2,500 | $2,300 | $400 |
| Porcelain Veneer | $2,500 | $2,300 | $400 |
| Full Denture (Per Arch) | $2,000 | $1,840 | $600 |
| Root Canal | $1,500 | $1,300 | $250 |
| Bone Graft (per unit) | $1,200 | $1,100 | $250 |
| Sinus Lift | $2,500 | $2,300 | $1,500 |
| Laser Teeth Whitening | $1,500 | $1,380 | $50 |
| Simple Tooth Extraction | $300 | $270 | $50 |
| Wisdom/Impacted Tooth Extraction | $1,000 | $800 | $200 |
| Regular Teeth Cleaning | $300 | $270 | $70 |
Nova Dental Clinic
Cosmetic Dentistry & Dental Implants in Costa Rica
Nova Dental is a full service Dental Clinic located in Plaza Itskatzu in San José, Costa Rica. Our services include partial or complete cosmetic restoration, full-mouth restoration with dental implants, endodontics treatments and routine dentistry.
We add to the equation world class doctors, a state of the art facility and our practice philosophy to take the maximum advantage of the time invested on your dental health.
Our commitments to excellence is emphasized in the recognition of our quality by the most important dental associations and councils.
Accreditations and Recognitions
We design your All-Inclusive
Dental Holiday
- Dental work, airfare and hotel can be offered separately. We tailor-fit to your needs through our in-house travel agency
Where to Stay in Costa Rica
AllDentists has an in-house travel agency to take care of your hotel booking. We are in partnership with almost all hotels in Costa Rica, so we can offer you options best suited to your budget. We will also coordinate with the dental clinics to make sure that your hotel is within the close vicinity to the clinic.
Budget accommodation can be as little as $15 USD per night, while luxury five-star hotels are also offered at prices that hotel booking sites cannot beat.
High season (from December to April) is also the dry season, where accommodations are more expensive; during peak season you should book and confirm your accommodation well before you arrive.
San Jose’s affluent suburb of Escazú (just a few minutes west of downtown) offers options for luxury American hotels as well as very affordable airbnb rentals, villas and apartments. Patients visiting a dentist in Escazú may wish to seek accommodations nearby, as the traffic in and out of San Jose can sometimes be quite heavy.
Is Costa Rica in Safe?
With rare exceptions, yes. Every year, some two million people – including tens of thousands of foreign dental patients – travel to one of Central America’s most affluent countries. Costa Rica is economically stable, a democracy, and for decades has been consistently safe from random acts of terrorism or gang warfare.
Pickpockets and petty theft are probably the biggest concern to travelers. As is common throughout the world, pickpockets tend to operate in city crowds and popular tourist sites. Following the common sense rules of the travel road will keep you out of harm’s way in this welcoming land.
While Costa Rica’s rainforests and spectacular coastlines are often compared to a Garden of Eden, San Jose is a typically unromantic Central American capital city. You may wish to avoid San Jose’s downtown lodgings by seeking accommodations in the classy, Americanized suburb of Escazú, where many of Costa Rica’s best dentists and medical centers are found.
Is the quality of care in Costa Rica same as back home?
There are many dentists throughout Costa Rica who will offer you the same good quality of care that you would receive at home. At AllDentists, we take the guesswork out of finding good, quality-checked dentists in Costa Rica. We have pre-screened our dentists’ qualifications, professional memberships and experience.
We thoroughly qualify our dental clinics in Costa Rica which are at least of the same standard as clinics back home, utilizing the same techniques, equipment and international protocols as dentists in the US and Canada.
What happens if something goes wrong? Do dentists in Costa Rica guarantee their work?
Less than 0.01% of our patients who have booked an appointment through AllDentists encounter difficulties. On these rare occurrences, we see to it that any problem is put right. Should you have any issue with your dental care, the procedures and lab work are covered under warranty. All of our clinics provide at least 2 years of warranty of their work and up to lifetime warranty on dental implants.
Competition for patients is steep; clinics only survive by providing excellent quality care. Further, when scheduling your appointment through AllDentists, you can be sure you are visiting a quality-checked clinic, with an advocate working on your behalf. While no practitioner can guarantee 100% perfect work, if something needs to be fixed, we are here to help resolve any problems.
Do I need to speak Spanish?
No. Our dentists in Costa Rica cater to American and Canadian patients and speak fluent English. There are also dedicated bilingual staff for international patients.
Visa Requirements
U.S.A., Canada, European Union: Do not require a Visa. However, they should comply with the following requirements:
• They must have a valid passport
• They must arrive in Costa Rica with a return ticket proving they will leave the country within the tourist visa period (usually 90 days).
• The length of the tourist visa granted is at the discretion of the immigration official at the point of entry to Costa Rica.
Dental Tourism: How Does It Work?
Contact Us
Send us your detailed dental needs — sending X-rays and dental pictures are more than helpful. We also need to know your airport and hotel budget so that we can create an all-inclusive pricing for you.
Free Evaluation
Your dental X-ray or report will be evaluated by the dentists in your desired destination, and we will offer you 3 treatment plans from different clinics. This will give you an idea on what to expect in terms of treatment, cost, and the length of time needed to complete the process. This avoids unnecessary surprises when you arrive at the clinic.
Schedule Appointment
Once you agree on treatment plan, we set up your appointment. We have discounts with airlines and hotels so we can help arrange it so that your trip is worry-free. You pay the airline and hotel directly through a safe payment link. This service is optional — we cater to your preference.
Your First Appointment
You will have initial evaluation and X-rays, and your dentist will explain your treatment course. You will initiate the treatment on this day, and your dentist will explain your succeeding visits and frequency. Hotel-clinic transfers will be provided.
Sightseeing
While in your destination, we can assist in arranging your excursions and sightseeing. You would need to plan this with us during your trip planning stage to ensure a smooth and pleasurable trip, and to allow us to pre-evaluate your budget and safety.
Follow-up Check-ups
You will need to allocate enough days for proper follow-up consultations before flying back to your home country. This is to ensure that your dental work is perfect. You will be taking home your dental X-rays and reports for future reference.
Travel Tips
Costa Rica's Currency
Costa Rica’s currency is the Colon (₡). The exchange rate fluctuates daily but usually works out to between ₡500-550 per US dollar.
Here is what to do before you travel:
• Make sure that you have a 4 digit pin number, otherwise, you won’t be able to take money out.
• Check with your card issuer about the charge for using your credit or debit card while abroad. Expect to pay a flat fee of between $1 and $3 per transaction.
• Notify your bank and credit card issuer of your travel plans, so your vacation spending isn’t flagged as suspicious activity.
• Virtually all ATMs “close” at around 10 p.m. When possible, only use ATMs that are marked with ATH. This means a todas horas or “all hours.”
• In addition to colones, US dollars are widely accepted throughout the country. However, bills larger than $20 may not be taken by some businesses. Also, when paying for goods and services in dollars, you’ll more than likely get your change in colones.
Best season to visit Costa Rica
With numerous microclimatic regions stashed in one country, you can always find a spot that suits your temperature and temperament. Costa Rica has two seasons- dry season (November – April) and wet season (May – November) and temperatures averaging in the 70 degrees.
Although the dry season is very popular, the wet season has the following advantages:
• Nature is lush green.
• There is no mad holiday rush.
• Rentals are not overpriced or heavily booked.
Cost of Living
For a 2-3 star accommodation, in San Jose, expect to pay around $20- $50. A typical tourist can expect to spend $55 – $60 a day while in Costa Rica. The activities you decide on will effect your daily budget tremendously.
Cellphone Service
• You can pay for an international plan from your cell phone company. Before traveling, you can ask your cell phone provider how much it will cost for you to get a temporary international plan. Most cell phone companies will provide some type of service like this, but it usually isn’t very cheap.
• You can buy a prepaid SIM card from Kolbi. You just need a passport to get a sim card. They have a stand at the baggage claim area of the San Jose airport where you can buy a prepaid SIM card for about $4.
• If you need to call your family or friends back home, it is best to wait until you have wifi and use the free app Whatsapp, Facebook messenger, or Skype.
Internet Service
Costa Rica has a relatively modern telecommunication infrastructure. All Internet traffic goes through state-owned Grupo ICE and its subsidiary RACSA.
Free wireless internet access in popular spots throughout the country, including international airports and shopping malls.
Most hotels also provide free wireless access, as well as popular restaurants, such as McDonald’s, Subway, Bagelman’s, Denny’s, etc.
How to stay safe
You will be safe as long as you use common tourist safety precautions and take advice from authorities, hotels, and tour operators. It is important to follow the news on television and radio closely.
Be aware of your surroundings at all times like you would in any large city. Due to crime, exercise increased caution in:
• Central neighborhood in Limon city.
• Liberia City.
• Desamparados neighborhood in San Rafael.
• Pavas and Hospital neighborhoods San Jose.
• Avoid Hatillo, a district of San José, especially at night. This is a low-income neighborhood that has one of the worst reputations in Costa Rica. It is home to many low- and mid-level drug dealers.
Taxi Service
Uber is safe in Costa Rica. It’s especially great to use from SJO Airport to your accommodation.
The color of licensed taxis is red. That’s the legal type and anything else that calls itself a taxi most likely is not.
Recommended Hotels
Recommended Apps
Waze: it will notify you of upcoming traffic, road closures, etc.
XE Currency Converter: resource for currency exchange rates from around the globe.
Costa Rica Weather: weather forecasts accurate, and adjust your program according to the weather.
BirdSounds Costa Rica: collection of songs and calls of birds of Costa Rica. It is the perfect complement to your paper field guide to the birds of Costa Rica.
Animals of Costa Rica: field guide of animals of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Travel Guide: contains complete and up to date city guides for travel destinations in Costa Rica. It works offline, you don’t need an internet connection.
Magicseaweed: lets you check out the current surf conditions at the beach.
GoogleTranslate: free service instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.
Google maps: have this feature in which you can download your route ahead of time. It will navigate you via satellite for free and without internet.
WhatsApp: you can send text messages, voice recordings, or call someone through your internet.
Common Greetings
How are you? – Como estas?
Good Morning – Buenos dias
I don’t understand – No entiendo
How Much – Cuánto cuesta?
Stop here – Te detienes aquí
Where are you going? – A donde vas?
What Is This? – Que es esto?
Sorry – Lo siento
Help – Ayudame
Cheers – Salud
Q & A on AllDentists
Do I pay for your services?
You are not paying for our services. The dentists in our network pay us a fixed amount for being a part of our organization. We also have sponsors who help us sustain and maintain our good quality service to patients.
Do I pay you or the dental clinic?
You don’t pay us any amount, nor we collect advance deposits. All payments are done while you are at the clinic.
What is your role here?
Most dental clinics do not have the staff and infrastructure to provide 24/7 international patient support. We are here to make sure that your communication with the dentist is smooth, and you don’t need to pay long-distances charges. All our staff speak native English, and all of our staff are trained dental advisers, so you can discuss your dental needs more effectively. We will then get you everything you need to plan your trip, from getting you a treatment plan, scheduling a call consultation with your desired dentist, and setting up your appointment, with no extra effort from you.
Do you arrange flights and hotel?
Yes, we do. We are a licensed travel agent with direct contract with airlines and hotels. In most cases, we can offer the lowest price in the market, and we can price match as well.
This is completely optional on your end. You may book anywhere convenient for you.
When booking flight and hotel, do I pay you?
No, you don’t pay us. You pay to the airline and hotel’s booking system. You will receive a safe payment link that goes directly to their portal.
Why should I go through you?
We have handpicked and carefully screened our dentists to streamline your search efforts. We also take care of your flight and hotel while coordinating with the clinics to match your dates and length of stay. We also make sure that ground transfers are arranged (airport/hotel/clinic). This means total peace of mind for you.
Will you help with sightseeing?
Yes, we have partner local teams to organize your sightseeing agenda.
Contact Us
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