Exploring the wonders of Costa Rica was our goal. Finding the “dental deal of a lifetime,” was the icing on the “torta.”

A year earlier, my wife Francene and I experienced George Lundquist’s information packed four-day tour for retirees. He had set the stage for this year’s exploratory month in the land of “Pura Vida.” On George’s tour last August, we learned about the friendly Ticos, their culture, the wonderful climate, incredible scenery and relaxed lifestyle.

During that trip, we toured the modern CIMA Hospital in Escazu, and a wonderful little dental office in Santiago de Puriscal owned by Dr. Franklin Mora. I remembered his high tech equipment and an impressive implant procedure he had done that very morning, complete with computerized photos of the “before, during and after.”

Back at our home in Dunnellon, Florida, I asked our family dentist about replacing the old silver, amalgam fillings (complete with mercury) that Francene and I had carried in our mouths for the past four or five decades. He assured me that the mercury was leaching so slowly that it posed little health risk. I was not convinced.

I asked him what it would cost to replace them with a modern resin composite. He said, “You don’t want to know. It would be far more expensive than it would be worth, and besides, the old fillings are in relatively good condition.”

I had remembered reading in WeLoveCostaRica.com about many foreigners coming to Costa Rica for cosmetic and dental work because of the excellent work and low cost. As we settled into our comfortable rental villa near Puriscal in early August, I was drawn back to Dr. Mora’s office – just to inquire about the cost of changing out our old fillings.

Dr. Mora welcomed me with a genuine home-town friendliness that I hadn’t experienced in quite some time. His command of the English language isn’t perfect, but is certainly good enough to communicate perfectly well with his “gringo” patients. He quoted a reasonable price and told me he could work me into his schedule to complete the work in about three or four daily visits starting the very next day.

As I eased back into the chair I admitted to being a “big chicken” regarding pain. Dr. Mora smiled understandingly and assured me that his computerized Novocain system minimized pain by 80 percent. I felt no pain.

As he worked quickly to replace the two largest fillings, Milena, his dental assistant, sang softly to accompanying Costa Rican music from the air waves. I couldn’t wait to report my experience to Francene, and encourage her to have her fillings replaced as well.

After four visits, eight filling replacements, four or five small cavity repairs, and a teeth cleaning that I called a “power washer with baking soda,” I was happy as a clam to pay Dr. Mora US$660 for what feels and looks like a new set of teeth in my mouth.

Francene’s dental work was a bit more extensive including several enamel enhancements, but with the same happy results – like new looking and feeling teeth. Her smile tells the story best.

The savings we realized on the dental work completed by Dr. Mora more than offset the cost of our Costa Rica adventure.

I can’t wait to see our hometown dentist’s reaction at our next checkup. On second thought, I think we’ve just found a new hometown dentist.

Pura Vida!

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Written by VIP Member Rick DuCharme who is a retired USAF Captain and former Regional Director of Public Affairs for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Dallas. Rick and his wife Francene currently live in Dunnellon, Florida and visit Costa Rica regularly.