Certified Dentists Internationale Cautions Dental Tourists on Dentist Qualifications
By Dr. Sandra Jamala
Dental tourism today faces new challenges according to
Ms. Carla Helena Sanchez the new Director of Certified Dentists Internationale.
“The rapidly growing dental tourism industry is in danger
of getting a black eye with many dental tourism websites and dental travel
brokers promoting any dentist who is willing to pay their annual membership
fees."
The dentist membership fees can cost $1,500us or more per year for some websites.
The websites cannot possibly screen the credentials of the 1,000’s of dentists some
agencies claim to list. Consumers as a result can get shoddy work from general dentists anxious to bag lucrative treatment patients by misrepresenting their qualifications to trusting dental tourists.
"The problem for the consumer is that over 85% of the planet's dentists are only general dentists not formally trained or certified
for the kind of advanced dentistry that most dental tourists require."
The American Dental Association notes…”...most dental
tourism takes place in developing nations (Mexico, The Philippines, Thailand etc) and most of these countries do not restrict general dentists to performing
only the very basic dentistry they are trained for. In the West, consumer protection laws exist to prevent less-trained
general dentists from attempting dental implants, root canals, crowns, veneers, periodontics, oral surgery etc."
Ms. Sanchez explains: “Certified Dentists Internationale
(CDI) endeavors to select only the very best board certified dentist applicants in each locale to join our association. We don't claim to have 1,000's of dentists in our membership - but we know each and every one and can recommend them without hesitation. We work closely with patients and our Certified Dentists Internationale member dentists we refer them to."
Unlike many commercial
dental tourism websites – CDI doesn't approve every applicant who pays their small annual membership fee. 'We are
very selective and do our due diligence on behalf of the patients. Trust me - the commercial dental tourism agencies don't have the staff or time to do this for their claimed 1,000's of dentist subscribers. The patient might as well go to a phone book as to go a site called 'Whatever Dentist.com. or 'Denture Adventures." You don't know who or what you are going to get..."
Ms. Sanchez says that Certified Dentists International members are among the
very best with many being Presidents of their dental associations, dental
specialist college professors, hospital maxillo-facial surgical department
chiefs, award winners and guest lecturers at dental conventions.
According to the Mexico dentist, CDI dentists routinely work closely with American Dental Association members and their counterparts in other nations in coordinating
patients who find dental travel a necessary convenience for a variety of
reasons – the greatest being affordability.
Certified Dentists Internationale staff assists potential
dental travel patients select the right dentist for their case, gets free
estimates, resumes, referrals, gives dental tourism advice and sets appointments
without cost to the patient.
“When patients select a CDI dentist they will be getting
the quality work they expect and deserve for their money.” Ms. Sanchez laughs and says: "I am reminded of a general dentist who became a “specialist” overnight by purchasing a laser whitening unit
and hanging out a sign advertising ‘Extreme Cosmetic Dental Makeovers. And that was in the USA!"
In the US - cosmetic dentistry is not an ADA recognized specialty and any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist specialist there. In Mexico, one has to attend dental specialist school for another 2 years beyond the 4 years of basic dental college (and 1 year public service in a government clinic) to become a Certified Cosmetic Dentist.
In the US - cosmetic dentistry is not an ADA recognized specialty and any dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist specialist there. In Mexico, one has to attend dental specialist school for another 2 years beyond the 4 years of basic dental college (and 1 year public service in a government clinic) to become a Certified Cosmetic Dentist.
Certified Dentists Internationale (CDI) is the new parent
entity of the recently combined Board Certified Mexico Dentist Association (BCMD)
and Board Certified Asia Dental Association (BCAD). The merger took place early
in 2015 after winning the approval of their respective directors located in
Mexico City and Manila’s Global City Philippines.
Carla H. Sanchez former Presidente’ of BCMD will assume a
Directorship in the new entity and will be responsible for overseeing the growth
of Certified Dentists Internationale.
By Sandra Jamala
President 2015-2016
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