When asked if I would be willing to share our experience with Urzola Dentistry, I paused - not to consider if I would, but rather to consider when. You see, I believe that the true evaluation of a product or service provided, is one that is taken after having stood the test of some time. After all, the most valuable asset we own is not our home or car, it is our body, and making the choice of who we have make repairs, will affect us for the rest of our lives. With this in mind, I decided to wait more than 7 months after final work was completed, giving me an opportunity to evaluate not just the level of service I experienced at the time the work was done, but also to be able to share the long-term level of comfort, functionality, and esthetics of the oral surgery and work performed by Dr Urzola and his staff.
Over the decades, I have had several occasions to have minor medical and dental work done in foreign countries, and have learned that there are numerous locations around the world where good dental work can be obtained. A couple of years ago, recognizing that I needed to have extensive oral surgery, I began looking to find the right doctor and location to perform this critical work - work that will affect how I taste and process food, how I sleep, and how I feel about myself when I open myself up to others, by giving them a smile . . . my smile.
The cost of oral surgery and quality implants can be cost-prohibitive In the United States, so I searched elsewhere. We have friends who have had good results working with facilities in Mexico, Greece, Costa Rica, and western Europe. Given the extent of work I needed, I would require a minimum of two visits, with one being of 10 days; accordingly, I needed to consider the difference in time zones, total time traveling, language & cultural comfort while in the host country, along with economics.
Knowing that multiple visits would be required, with perhaps some adjustments being needed years later, I decided that we would be best served seeking a facility in the western hemisphere. The search narrowed down quickly to several clinics in northern Mexico and several in Costa Rica. I read many reviews, spoke with people who had experience with them, and compared many factors . . . including how I felt about the demeanour of their interactions with me. There was one that stood out above the others – Urzola Dentistry in San Jose, Costa Rica.
When I spoke with Christina, whom I learned is the wife of the oral surgeon, I was impressed with her direct, knowledgeable, and personable manner. She was very responsive to my questions and concerns, and answered every question to my satisfaction; even so, she went out of her way to have Esteban call me personally to discuss the procedures.
My first appointment with Dr. Urzola was very comfortable – he met with me in the evening of my arrival, after normal clinic hours, to take X-rays and discuss a plan. His manner of listening to a patient is exceptionally good, and he anticipated many of my concerns, giving me a comfort level rarely experienced in a dental setting. The first visit there lasted about 5 days, and everything went as planned – even better than I had expected – Dr. Urzola and Christina made certain I knew every step of the process along the way. Their scheduling was always with consideration for my comfort and well-being, and they even had one of their staff came to the hotel one day to check on me.
The return and final visit, where I stayed in a new Holiday Inn next to their facility, lasted 10 days, and they designed, fitted, and installed my permanent teeth sets onto the multiple implants they put in on my first visit. Their careful attention to the comfort, bite function, and appearance of the upper & lower sets resulted in a final look and feel much better than I had expected. I am very pleased with their work and service, and it has truly made a significant positive impact on my daily life.
Dr. Urzola’s office staff, guided by Christina, ensured upon arrival in San Jose that I was well looked after for all of my transportation and accommodation needs during both visits. The second longer visit included my wife getting two crowns put in – she, too, was impressed with both their professional and personable patient care.
Dr. Urzola’s background interested me. He is not only well educated and trained, but his father was a doctor, and medical service to others comes naturally in his “bedside manner”. Additionally, I like the fact that he gets his post-graduate ongoing training at New York University, and he makes every effort to maintain an understanding of the most current advances in the dentistry field and oral surgery.
If you want excellent, cost-effective dental and oral surgery care, I highly recommend Urzola Dentistry. Costa Rica’s ease of access from U.S. cities, comfort and secure feeling of the culture, and the quality of personal care, make it an ideal choice for serious dental solutions.
Living life in Alaska with a better smile . . . and bite,
Nick Oppegard
