During our last tour one of the attendees, Lucy, got a really bad tooth ache on Sunday. Luckily we had a doctor on the tour and he recommended a pain medication. When we pulled in to Las Tablas for lunch Lucy and her husband James went to the pharmacy to get the pain medications. Because the pain pills are not a narcotic, Lucy was able to buy the pills without a prescription.
On Monday the tour group arrived in Bouqete. Lucy, James and I went to one of the local dentists. They saw Lucy right away. No appointment necessary. It was $20 for the exam and x-ray. They recommended that Lucy get a root canal. After the tour, Lucy got the root canal for $330. And James got his teeth cleaned for $30.
A few years ago my daughter got a root canal in Texas, it was $1350!  When she was in Panama last year she her teeth cleaned, 3 fillings and a crown for $590.
My neighbor recently got an implant for $1500
The prices for dental care are much more affordable in Panama. But the QUALITY of care is usually much better too! The first time I got my teeth cleaned in Panama, I was surprised that the dentist does the teeth cleaning, not a dental hygenist. The office was spotless. They had the latest equipment. It was the most thorough teeth cleaning I had ever had – total costs, with x-rays was only $40.