When I retired to Punta del Este in Uruguay last year, I was eager to find out if the stories I’d heard of great deals on quality dental care outside the U.S. were true.
Good news: They are here.
As a diabetic, tooth and gum issues have a strong impact on my health in general. If I ignore a small problem today, it can turn into a big, expensive problem tomorrow. With a history of poor experiences and a low tolerance for pain, I was skeptical going in. But I needn’t have worried.
Since moving to Punta del Este, I have found a fantastic dentist. In the center of town is the office of well-known and respected dentist Dr. Claudia DiFiuri de Falcioni. This office provides services for general dentistry, rehabilitation, oral surgery, orthodontics, and aesthetic dentistry. The office has a 25-year history and an unmatched reputation in South America.
Less than an hour from the capital city of Montevideo, Punta del Este is known as the Saint-Tropez of South America. A beautiful beach resort and a paradise by anyone’s standards, Punta welcomes more than half a million visitors every year. Come here for a vacation, and also catch up on your dental needs for you and your family.
Cost for Dental Procedures in the U.S. vs. Uruguay
| Procedure | Price in the U.S. | Price in Uruguay |
| Implants/ceramic crown | $3,000 | $1,400 |
| Root canal | $750 to $1,200 | $130 to $350 |
| Crowns acrylic/ceramic | $500 to $850 | $130 to $450 |
| Pin/perno | $400 | $150 |
| Bridges (ceramic) | $1,200 | $450 |
| Bite guard | $500 | $200 |
| Dentures | $1,000 | $200 |
| Porcelain veneers | $850 | $400 |
| Ceramic veneers | $750 | $300 |
| Acrylic veneers | $500 | $200 |
| Ceramic metal bridge | $450 | $200 |
Dr. DiFiuri and her daughter, Dr. Maria Fernanda, work side by side in the clinic catering to the dental needs of their patients and the hundreds of referrals that pour in every year from Argentina, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Venezuela.
Dr. Fernanda has an amazing talent for the treatment of children and the elderly. Her gentle care and chair-side manner has drawn a new audience to the offices of this prestigious clinic. As my personal dentist, she has earned my trust and respect, and I recommend her highly.
From my experience, you won’t find a more professional and well-priced service anywhere in Uruguay.
To accommodate international patients, they work diligently with the top three dental labs in Uruguay to accelerate treatments and fulfill orders. They can complete work on the rehabilitative needs of a patient by scheduling appointments several hours daily during the patient’s week of travel.
My personal results have been extraordinary in terms of quality. The experience was painless, despite the need for root canals, pins, perno, osseous gum treatment, crowns, bridges, bite adjustment, new bridge/crowns, 17 black amalgamates cavity composite replacements, and, happily, the cosmetic treatments I could never have afforded back in the U.S. Priced at more than $20,000 in Atlanta, my cost was an amazing $3,500 in Uruguay. It has been, without a doubt, my finest dental experience.
The final result was the beautiful, natural movie-star smile I had always dreamed about. And my teeth and gums were completely healthy.
See the clinic’s website at: www.clinicadifiuri-falcioni.com. IL readers are invited to receive a complimentary quote (e-mail difiuri@movinet.com.uy for this)
Roundtrip flights from Miami to Montevideo run from $750 off-season (mid-April to mid-December) with Copa Airlines (www.copaair.com) and American Airlines (www.aa.com). Come to Punta del Este and visit the DiFiuri dental team and you’ll smile…all the way home!
For more information on living, retiring, or traveling to Uruguay, go to: www.internationalliving.com/uruguay.
