Dental Cost

[Jollygoodfellow]

After putting it off for a very long time l forced myself to the dentist,Dr Ramon Sucalit did a great job on my fillings.In Australia the cost would have been around $630 from my dentist in Brisbane,here it cost me about $50 or P2200.Unfortunately I still need a root canal and a crown but will probably only get time for the crown as there needs a space in between appointments.You can read about Dr Sucalit here, Cebu Dental Services

[Inspector]

I've used this dentist...IMHO, not as good as you would get in the states, or even any dentist here, where 20,000 aged american snow birds cross every day during the desert cool months including my dad who just got a bridge done....but he was very polite, the office neat and the work pro like despite the lack of equipment you would see in a western office. Anybody know of a good dentist elsewhere in the Philippines other then Cebu?Davao City?Manila?...where I would assume the western equipped dentists would be.Subic Bay?

[Mr Lee]

I've used this dentist...IMHO, not as good as you would get in the states, or even any dentist here, where 20,000 aged american snow birds cross every day during the desert cool months including my dad who just got a bridge done....but he was very polite, the office neat and the work pro like despite the lack of equipment you would see in a western office. Anybody know of a good dentist elsewhere in the Philippines other then Cebu?Davao City?Manila?...where I would assume the western equipped dentists would be.Subic Bay?

My wife and I have both used the above dentist Ramon Sucalit and had great results. I had 4 caps made and installed, and my wife had a bridge made and installed, and we are both very happy with not only the work, but the price was about for 4 what it would have cost me with my insurance co-payment for just one back in the states. So we both highly recommend this Dentist and just like back in the state, it is hard to please everyone, and on top of that, a lot of us from first world countries seem to expect things to be done just like they are back home, but this is the Philippines, and IMO hardly anything is done here like back home, yet some things are actually done better or as good, but at a much lower cost. BTW, my dentist back in the states looked at the work and was impressed and especially so when I told him the price I paid, after he said the caps looked great and it was a good job. I believe what is important besides good work, is that this dentist charges everyone the same rate, so no white man tax and that means a lot to me as well. Oh, and I also had a tooth ache one time and came to him, and he looked at it and gave me a prescription, whereas in the US it would have ended up $1000 or more of work, that I did not need. Ramon does not drive a BMW, Porsche or Mercedes, so you can expect realistic prices and honest service.

[Inspector]

Not knocking him at all, reread please...as I did mention he was polite and managed to get the cavity and cleaning work done with the equipment on hand. I also do not believe he was overcharging us, although without x-rays and actual pain tests on said teeth, who could be sure if it had a cavity?If I was in Cebu, I would use him again and expect that was as good as it gets....but the Philippines is a LONG way from becoming a medical tourist destination, as are Costa Rica, Panama, Thailand and ...as I mentioned in my first post in this topic, Mexico for dental work.Lee, you make a statement here...." yet some things are actually done better or as good, but at a much lower cost"Can you give me some examples to this, as I just had eye surgery and the anesthesiologist in the US was from Luzon, Manila area. We got to talking as he made me comfortable, and he said I did the correct thing in coming back for this surgery simply for the fact the Philippines lacks the technology and equipment they have in the states or western countries, and he was talking about Manila, the area they supposedly have some decent hospitals. Now, I'm not talking about massage work, or the cheap labor of fixing a car...both can be debatable on "as good?" ...but exactly what services regarding dental care aside from a filling or cleaning, or giving some antibiotics for the runs are "better or as good"?Let's say you need a dental implant with a sinus lift?...are you willing to have a dentist do this in the Philippines? There is a reason why top politicians or those with money in the RP get serious medical care done in the west. As I said, until the Philippines becomes a medical tourist destination, and not only improves the equipment and training of their doctors, to gain that base of patients to become experts with said equipment, I would certainly not encourage foreigners with serious health issues to rely on the Philippines and their medical field to get better....unless it's something like lab work, or antibiotics...or a teeth cleaning and simple dental work. So, for basic needs, I can say this dentist was acceptable. Bridge work, implants both complicated and not...I would head over to Thailand, or a place where medical and dental tourism thrives and the doctors have the modern equipment and actually stay in their countries and are not trying to leave.IMHO pf course. :th_thholysheep:

[Art2ro]

I hate going to the dentist, but I'll go only if I have to! Luckily it's affordable here in the Philippines!

[MikeB]

I go all the time - every 4 months for cleaning and I've found the longer you wait the worse (and more expensive) it is. It's important to find a good one and especially a good hygienist. Plaque builds up under the gum lines and that's what usually causes gum disease and loss of teeth (also bad breath). I appreciate Inspector's comments about dentists there, I hate to leave my dentist and hygienist but, unfortunately, they're not interested in moving to the Philippines with me. Be true to your teeth or they'll be false to you.

[Call me bubba]

2 sites that has listing of Doctors,Dentists is the american embassy website http://photos.state.gov/libraries/manila/299618/dellutajc/2009%20List%20of%20Hospital%20and%20Physician.pdf The Embassy at Manila has not evaluated the credentials of the physicians in this list and assumes no responsibility for their integrity or professional ability. The Embassy would appreciate receiving comments on these individuals and firms for use in their periodic revisions of this listthe listing is 3 years old and mostly all metro manila offices or inquire on rxpinoy.com that is a medical(doctor,dentist) listing :th_thholysheep:.

[Dave Hounddriver]

My experience in Canada was that it is very easy to find a bad doctor or a bad dentist and one had to look very hard to find a good one. The conventional wisdom at that time was that the good ones moved to the States where they could make more money. But you know what, average people like me still get their teeth fixed and their doctorin' done where they happen to be living. I don't know anyone there who would fly off to the US or any other country for treatment.I mention that Canadian thing because I see the same situation here in the Philippines with the same result. In short, few people living here care how great the care is in the US or Thailand because here is where we live and here is where we will get treated, with some exceptions of course.So if the dentist mentioned in this thread is good enough for Lee and Boss then I would not hesitate to give him a try, but like some other posters said, I really gotta be hurtin to go to the dentist

[Inspector]

I agree Dave, to a point, however many posters, here and elsewhere, do not live in the Philippines....Lee and Tom as two prime examples. I also asked where would be other suggestions other then Cebu, as this is not like that other site where it revolves around Cebu, but the entire Philippines. Personally, I'm in Davao City and would love to hear of a dentist there, and as I also mentioned....I too liked the dentist Lee went to, as far as the simple stuff.This is a great debate among expats, and why many who do have health issues should choose where they live, either IN the Philippines period, such as province vs city versus, vs splitting time in two places.Ask Lee where he would have say something like prostate cancer treated if it was discovered in Cebu, or the Philippines....and if he would be the " I don't know anyone there who would fly off to the US or any other country for treatment" person. I am quite sure it would be in Florida. :yes:There was an old saying among the retired military living up near Subic, if you get "really" sick and can get on a plane...get to your home country...or at least Thailand. :th_thholysheep:

[Dave Hounddriver]

There was an old saying among the retired military living up near Subic, if you get "really" sick and can get on a plane...get to your home country...or at least Thailand. :th_thholysheep:

The Thailand idea bears looking into but your comments remind me of a common complaint I hear from British expats. It seems they used to go 'home' for medical care when something serious was wrong with them but their government seems to have decided that expats need to come home and live there for 6 months before they can be readmitted to the National Health. Any ex Brits care to comment.And in Canada, to the best of my knowledge, we have the same concept but it seems easier to maintain a 'deemed residence' in Canada as they want us to keep paying taxes there, thus if I went back for medical care I doubt they could refuse me . . but I have not tried yet.