Chile Forum

Hi. I need a good dentist recommendation in Santiago. I would prefer someone who went to dental school in the U.S. if possible. I am very nervous because 1. I rarely see Chileans with good looking or healthy teeth and 2. I saw the news special a couple months ago where they went into many dentist offices here in Santiago to get quotes and they had secret cameras and caught the majority of them lying and telling the people they needed a lot more procedures than they really needed so they could make more money. Typical Chilean mentality. If anyone knows of a very trustworthy dentist please post some contact info on here or pm me. Thank you!!!

consult your isapre if you have one,

I get $3000 checkups at megasalud in parque arauco with mine (Consalud policy)!

I have Fonasa and as far as I know, they do not cover dental. I just need a good trustworthy contact.

I went to the Centro Odontológico Padre Mariano (they have a website) near the Alcantara metro station. They work with Colmena, I don't know if they work with other isapres. Also, I don't know if any of the dentists there are trained in US or elsewhere, but they did a great job for me and were very professional. Good luck!

I haven't been to the dentist here myself, but good friends of ours (Australians) swear by Paulina B at Clinical San Sebastian. (San Sebastian runs off Isidora Goyenechea)

I know someone who is touring with Cirque du Soleil. When they were here in Santiago, she and quite a few other people from the show went to a dentist by the name of Gustavo Harfagar M. She said the office is in Providencia but has to look through her stuff for the exact address. I will let you know when she sends it to me. She said he speaks fluent English and was very professional, no one seemed to have problems with being charged for unnecessary work. Anyways, she said she would highly recommend him.

today's urgency brought me to DRA. Natalia Ananias O at Padre Letelier 0154, Providencia.
phone: 2344078.

service I swear by with a price tag so pleasing I made the effort to register on this forum and share my finding.

today:
2 RX > 6,000
(something) urgencia y trepanacion > 20,000

follow up procedure on Friday:
endodoncia y control con radiografia > 60,000

OH. and English speaking too.

-Dominiq

We are working on moving a U.S. dentist to Chile that wants to open a practice. So, we might have one for you next year.

We have some good German dentist in osorno.

So glad this forum is a fountain of info!

Thanks for the recommendation on Dra. Natalia Ananias - after hearing dentist horror stories (and having a husband experience it) I've been so adamant about not ever seeing a dentist here and only waiting to get back to the states to get any work done, even cleaning. I'm just not taking any chances with my spanish especially at the dental office ("oh you mean, it was the other tooth you wanted pulled?")...

So for all those looking (until that US dentist gets here ) This is what's good about her:
1. English-speaking (lived in San Diego)
2. Some studies done in the US (specializes in dental implants)
3. Price is GOOD! ($3000 for 1 xray, 1 area, $25.000 cleaning with ultrasound machine, $25.000 fix cavity and new filling)
4. Does what's on schedule (none of this "come back next time" crap)
5. Nice personality (she smiles and laughs. haha)
6. Convenient location, off Los Leones Metro Stop - walk past the bridge to the corner of Los Araucanos (?)
7. Does good work!

I'm sooo glad to finally find a dentist here. Thanks again!

What about La Serena? Anyone?

swdchile wrote:What about La Serena? Anyone?

I've been going to Dr. Vasconez at Ceodon on Huanhuali. He seems OK. I don't have much wrong with my teeth but he's done some minor intervention to stop them clashing and chipping at the front which seems to have worked out (our insurance doesn't pay for that though...). Cleaning is a bit uncomfortable but I don't think that's unusual. He doesn't speak English and it's possible he might retire before long, but if you're OK with those things you might want to give him a shot.

Cheers,

James.

jehturner wrote:I've been going to Dr. Vasconez at Ceodon on Huanhuali.

OK, so just FYI this guy is fired... Last time he charged me over the odds. This time he stopped cleaning my teeth half way and declared that he will clean the upper teeth next time, requiring a new appointment costing more than 30 lucas (actually, they wrote that I have paid an "abono" for the full amount of more than 60k). Last time the bill was for some minor orthodontic control work as well as cleaning... this time he wants to charge the same amount as previously (without the orthodontics) for the privilege of wasting my time with 2 appointments. He obviously thinks gringos are stupid...