by Fernando Acevedo

Tourists with toothaches travel each year to look for the best dentist in Los Algodones, Mexico which has the most dentists per square meter in the world. Once a town filled with bars and brothels, the small border town now attracts foreign patients looking for cheaper and quality dental care. 

A Dentist on Every Corner

The municipality of Vicente Guerrero in Baja California, or better known as ‘Los Algodones’, meaning ‘cotton’, has an average of one dentist per 8 residents. The town offers every type of service from root canals, to dental crowns and cavity fillings. This makes it a popular destination for those seeking specialized procedures with competitive rates. 

Los Algodones is located on the border between Yuma, Arizona and Baja California. Notably, the town also shares a border with California, which helps to increase the foot traffic from patients in both U.S. states. Once famous for its cotton plantations, hence the name, the town is now known as a haven for dental work. 

With a population of around 10,000, its four main streets are populated by over 600 dental offices. 

The Rise of ‘Molar City’

In 1969 Bernardo Magaña arrived as a dentist in Algodones Mexico and quickly saw the potential it had to attract medical tourism. At the time, there were many cantinas (bars) and brothels, but Magaña quickly shifted the dynamic. He ran for mayor and drove out the cantinas and brothels to make a more tourist-friendly atmosphere. 

He also advertised heavily in American publications to attract more patients. Ad appeared in magazines and newspapers highlighting dental work for much cheaper, which ultimately created tension with American dentists on the other side of the border. 

Others quickly followed suit and mimicked Magaña’s tactics in advertising, going even one step further and hiring ‘hawks’ which bring patients to the offices.

“I almost see it as predatory,” said Dentist Howard Sorensen, a Yuma practitioner. “You went across the border, you see how they almost grab you and pass out cards. And they come across to Arizona and they advertise in our phone books, on our T.V. and our radio.”

Sorensen also said that the biggest problem was that Mexican dentists aren’t licensed to practice in the U.S., so why would they be allowed to advertise there? This however, is changing since Los Algodones dentists can get certified in the U.S, and many do.  

“If you create an unethical system, people are going to be unethical,” he said. “It is just the nature of human nature. Really they are all trying to make a dollar and they are going to make a dollar, that is the bottom line.”

South for the Winter

Currently, foreign patients coming from the United States and Canada make up about 98% of all dental clients in Los Algodones. In the 1960’s, these travelers began migrating to Mexico to escape the harsh winters and enjoy a milder climate with a much lower cost of living. 

These snowbirds preferred border states such as Baja California, Sonora and Chihuahua for their proximity to the states. California residents, for example, might take a short walk across the border to look for a dentist in Tijuana Mexico. 

Prices are much cheaper because of the fierce competition, but also because the market corresponds to Mexico’s economy. For example, most patients see prices that are on average 70% cheaper than what they would be in their home countries. The ability to also buy over-the-counter medicines without a prescription also appeals to seniors who rely on expensive treatments.

With many options available and much lower prices, medical tourism looks promising for any Los Algodones Mexico dentist.