With the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as Obamacare, health insurance reform is now a widespread affair in the United States, a nation where medical and dental treatment have always been financially inaccessible to many residents. The topic of dental insurance is once again being discussed at the kitchen tables of many U.S. households, and it is often being mentioned along with dental tourism as an alternative.

 

Just about any kind of health-related insurance coverage is beneficial to whoever can afford it. In the U.S., a one-year dental insurance policy premium starts at less than $200, with the highest costs resting between $600 and $700. According to a recent article by Rachel Prodnos of personal financial website NerdWallet.com, the average dental insurance annual premium in the U.S. is about $300 per year.

 

In her article, Ms. Prodnos explains that dental insurance plans are not good deals if they are not used, and they are only marginally ideal when they are actually used. The problem is with the maximum benefits of the plans evaluated by Ms. Prodnos, which are often at $2,000. With the average cost of a root canal in the U.S. at $900, the coverage offered by most dental insurance plans is insufficient for many procedures.

 

Until U.S. dental insurance plans improve their financial incentives, patients in need of root canals or other dental restoration procedures are better off visiting Costa Rica as dental tourists. At the Flikier Institute of Dental Rehabilitation, for example, the cost of restoration procedures is on par with the maximum cost benefit offered by dental insurance plans. Each year, thousands of patients take advantage of the low-cost, high-quality care provided by Costa Rica’s cosmetic surgeons and dentists. In fact, a 1991 survey conducted by the University of Costa Rica found that 14.25% of all visitors to Costa Rica come to receive some sort of medical care – most often cosmetic surgery and dental work.

 

To learn more about dental tourism in Costa Rica, contact the Flikier Institute: 866-638-1102 from North America or 2232-1626 locally.