In the past few weeks and months, we here at Dental Departures, along with our partner clinics, have witnessed a surge of patients booking appointments for dental care along the US-Mexico border.
Many patients are growing desperate as the pandemic-induced lockdowns are preventing many in the US and Canada from receiving affordable dental care at home.
US-Mexico Border Situation: Your Questions Answered
During this time, we’ve also seen an influx of common questions, such as:
- Is the border open?
- Which border ports of entry can I get through?
- What are the hours?
- Can I get easily back to the US once I cross the border into Mexico?
We are pleased to report that since dental clinics in Mexico began to re-open in June, the Mexico border has always been open for essential business.
In this respect, dental care has always been considered an essential business.
[Note: You may have seen websites and news agencies reporting, at times, that the border is closed; however, this only applies to non-essential travel.]
Dental patients can freely drive in and out of Mexico; in fact, we know of no patient that’s been turned away when seeking to access dental care in Mexico. So long as you have a passport and can name the clinic you intend to visit (proof of an appointment is helpful but not required), you will be admitted into Mexico.
Border Opening Times
It should be noted that border hours vary depending on your intended port of entry. For example:
- Crossing the border at the Andrade Bridge (serving the ever-popular dental destination of Los Algodones) posts crossing hours of 6 am-2 pm.
- Another crossing, at San Ysidro (the gateway into Tijuana and the Baja Peninsula) post hours of 6 am-10 pm daily.
- To the east, along the Texas border, the cities of Juarez, Matamoros and Nuevo Progreso offer patients an array of treatment options and are only a few hours' drive from Austin, Houston or San Antonio.
- Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo also offer excellent care at low prices within an easy drive from Southern Texas.
Otay-Tijuana CBX Crossing/Credit: BergElectric
Tips on Scheduling Your Dental Appointment in Mexico
If you are seeking extensive treatment (such as implants, crowns or root canals), you will want to schedule an early morning appointment at your clinic and make sure you leave yourself enough time to cross the border early.
Alternatively, you can book overnight lodgings; most of the popular Border dental towns have ample hotel accommodation at affordable rates. Another option is to book your stay on the US side before heading over early in the morning. Deals can be found on popular sites like Expedia, Booking.com or you can also ask our Customer Care Team if the clinic of your choosing has any offers on nearby hotels.
For up-to-the minutes details, along with a full listing of Mexico border crossings, please see the Dental Departures Travel Restrictions page, one of our many free services to patients. This also includes information about travel to other popular dental tourism destinations around the world.
San Ysidro Border Crossing/Credit: Hartford Courant
Use Dental Departures to Book with Confidence
Top clinics in popular border destinations such as Los Algodones and Tijuana, along with dozens like them, are welcoming patients for an array of treatments from simple cleaning or filling to an All-on-4® treatment concept by Nobel Biocare, or multiple implants, bridges and dentures.
To ensure your safety, our partner clinics are diligently following COVID patient safety protocols—look for this symbol on our clinic listings:
Should you have any questions or concerns about travel to or from the Mexico Border, our Customer Care Team is available 24/7 to assist you with your travel and treatment.
Email: care@dentaldepartures.com
US phone number: 1-888-930-2112
Sources:
U.S.-Mexico Border. San Diego. Website accessed: 4 December 2020. https://www.sandiego.org/plan/visitors-information-services/border.aspx
Los Algodones. Expedia. 2020. https://www.expedia.com/Los-Algodones.dx6158212
Americans Are Driving to Mexico for Dental Treatment. International Medical Travel Journal. 24 June 2020. https://www.imtj.com/news/americans-are-driving-mexico-dental-treatment/