It’s hard enough to find a qualified dental clinic in the USA. It becomes even more difficult for patients seeking a dental clinic in a foreign country. That’s why we created this guide. A patient can have a hard time when evaluating a potential dentist. In this era of heavy online marketing and international dental tourism, many clinics offer deals that are designed to be alluring but aren’t backed up with appropriate credentials.
How do I find a qualified dental clinic?
One good place to start is to know that the most reputable dental association in dentistry is the American Dental Association (ADA). At the moment, the ADA recognizes nine dental specialties. It is interesting to know that there isn’t a dental implant specialty. Rather, the two specialties that are recommended for performing dental implants are maxillofacial surgeons and periodontists.
Global Clinic Ratings (GCR) is an organization that evaluates and rates dental clinics. Accreditation by GCR assures that a clinic meets all internationally recognized standards for optimal patient safety to ensure the delivery of safe dental care. CostaRicaDentalGuide.com is another source for reliable information about leading dental clinics in Costa Rica. The Costa Rica Dental Association is another organization that can help you find the right dental clinic for your needs.
Many clinics offer dental implants. However, only a few place dental implants using a licensed periodontist or maxillofacial surgeon. This guide only refers patients to clinics that use a periodontist or maxillofacial surgeon for ensured safety and confidence. The majority of clinics that place dental implants do so with a general dentist. This is comparable to having your hip or knee replaced with a general surgeon. It’s unthinkable. However, many patients fall prey to clever marketing and discounts, while overlooking the most important facet of their care. While it is legal for general dentists to place dental implants, it is not recommended for your safety and for the long-term success of the procedure.
Are dental implant clinics qualified?
Some dental institutes or organizations offer courses that may look more reputable to a patient than they actually are. For example, these courses might have lasted a few days or a couple of weeks. A Master of Implantology doesn’t mean a Master’s Degree. Advanced coursework in placing dental implants is not equivalent to the experience of a periodontist or maxillofacial surgeon. These practices go against the Code of Conduct of the ADA, which states that dentists and clinics should not announce credentials that might be false or misleading to patients.
The purpose of this article is to make you aware of the traps that unethical clinics may use so that you can look for them and avoid them. Feel free to ask any questions of a clinic that you’re considering until you feel satisfied and assured starting with asking if their dental implants are performed by a maxillofacial surgeon or periodontist.
Fill out the form on this page to receive a referral to Goodness Dental that places dental implants in accordance with these accepted practices.