DentaRica Travel joins Greensboro (NC) Chamber of Commerce

DentaRica, LLC, is very pleased to announce that we have joined the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce in Greensboro, NC, a metropolitan area near Clemmons, NC, where their office is. We have joined as "NC Medical Travel to Costa Rica" to better explain who we are and what we do. Our website is listed as ncmedicaltravel.com although both websites function well and are just designed to meet different needs.

This memberships adds credibility to the rather new DentaRica business, and the resources provided as part of membership are going to add many new opportunities for our business to grow. Along with their new office space, this is a measure designed to make our customers feel more comfortable.

Additionally, this is part of an effort we are making to reach out to small businesses to let them know of our out-of-the-box solutions. With the new ObamaCare landscape, we know our services won't work for everybody. However, especially for certain medical needs not provided by insurance, our services meet a substantial need. Cosmetic surgery, or procedures that insurance companies decide are optional, are almost always going to leave employers and their employees in a lurch. Dental care is very often a source of unfilled needs (no pun intended). And we are here to help.
Please visit the Chamber website at greensboro.com

The Chamber has frequent meetings, and DentaRica staff plans to make the most of them.

One of the difficulties of any new business, or even an old one that is expanding, it convincing new customers that they are trustworthy and legitimate. DentaRica encourages smart shoppers. And unlike many businesses who try to 'trick' even a smart shopper with gimmicks and false advertising, their goal is to be the obvious best choice in value, quality, and service.

Announcing our New Office in Clemmons, NC !

I haven't been posting much lately, but I have been busy with many projects and making valuable business contacts...and setting up our new office!

And I have photos! We'd love for you to drop by and see us. If you do, our experienced and well-traveled staff will be thrilled to explain how all this works.

Since my last posts, we have had many successful travellers save money...sometimes an unbelievable amount! We calculated that one particular gentleman saved over $13,000 on his costly procedures. Yes, he spent money too, but he didn't have to break the bank.

We have made agreements with the website MediBid.com,, operated out of the USA, and we invite you to use their resource. Basically, it applies the convenience of eBay to medical care, except in reverse. You say what you need, and doctors make offers. We at DentaRica (that's more convenient to say than MC Medical Travel) assist our partner doctors in making their bids to patients in the USA.

We expect people to have questions, and we even encourage it. The more we can show you, the more you'll have confidence in us. And that's the way we do business: with personal assistance at no extra charge...before, (especially important!) during, and after your trip.

Our new office is located in Clemmons, NC, 10 minutes from Winston-Salem, NC. We are easily located right off a major highway in an elegant restored historic building, among various other office suites. We are in Suite 128, so come on down to sunny Costa Rica!

News Article: Costa Rica ranked best Central Amer. country for retirees

I strongly encourage you to read this recent article I found, even if you are only considering a visit to beautiful Costa Rica. It gives you a good idea of the conditions there!

http://www.ticotimes.net/More-news/News-Briefs/Costa-Rica-ranked-best-Central-American-country-for-elderly-retirees-new-report-says_Tuesday-October-08-2013

When you read this article, please keep a few things in mind that they don't mention.
Mostly, these tips I have all boil down to:  moving isn't for everybody, and certainly should not be undertaken without a good amount of personal research first, including a few trips there!

DentaRica is pleased we can offer "trial run" trips to Costa Rica as simple vacations, plus perhaps a doctor consultation or a tour of a hospital (on days when you are not visiting a rain forest or museum). This is a great resource, whether you are considering a move or merely wanting to see medical and dental facilities before you decide.

According to AARP, most Americans who move to Costa Rica move back home within one year, but for those willing to adapt to a change in climate and culture and lifestyle, it can be a very beneficial move (in terms of health, happiness, low stress, and even public safety).  In my travels around Costa Rica as a tourism destination specialist and medical tourism facilitator, I have met people from the USA (even from my hometown area) trying to "escape" to Costa Rica for a variety of reasons  --bad debt, bad marriages, lack of retirement savings, lack of health coverage, etc. 

People who are irresponsible and who have poor family relationships in the USA are not likely to have a greater level of personal happiness or improved health in Costa Rica, or anywhere else for that matter. 

People who have never traveled to an under-developed county in the past may be dissatisfied. The electrical service goes off at times, and some services such as mail are virtually non existent.  The roads are congested and in ill repair partly because of the heavy rains and runoff, and the pedestrian does not have the right of way.  The desserts are not sweet, the language is different, and the country is not handicap friendly.   Consumer goods (such as appliances) are very expensive, nearly twice the price as in the USA.  Real estate is very expensive. 

People who have a  low degree of mobility or some existing health issues may not be comfortable. As I said, the country in general is not especially handicap friendly. Getting around may be tricky. The health care system there in not entirely free for residents, and most citizens in the USA will have lower payments under the Affordable Care Act if they have a low income.  Advantages are the fresh fruit and vegetables, but my local supermarket sells Costa Rica pineapples and bananas, in addition to the locally grown collard greens and cool weather crops.  There is a lot of hype about moving to Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil, Spain, and any number of countries. 

This all being said, one can have a good life in Costa Rica, but no one should read an article and sell their home and move there, as did one senior I recently met from Oregon when I was last there.  She needed mobility devices like a scooter, and had health issues,  did not speak Spanish and had no family for support.  Basic activities for her were extremely difficult while there.  These types of people read online articles and then leap into a change of lifestyle with false assumptions and information.  Some tour companies will capitalize on someone's ignorance and charge fees to "show them around; introduce them to Costa Rica" and "help them find housing and move"  through seminars that cost thousands of dollars.  

What needs to be remembered here is that the Tico Times article is addressing which of the Central American countries is best for retirees, and is not looking at the entire spectrum that compares it to elsewhere in the world.  I often have to be brutally honest in my business of DentaRica, explaining to people that if they live in the USA, then they are better off living in America  and traveling to Costa Rica as a tourist to take advantage of their high quality, low cost healthcare and dental treatments, and to tour around and enjoy Costa Rica as a tropical paradise destination, then go home.  The country of Costa Rica also does not need gringos that are fleeing bad debts,  bad relationships or criminal backgrounds.  

Would you try medical tourism for 10 THOUSAND dollars?

I just updated the "Prices" link above to link to our newest price guide, which reflect a discount plan we have negotiated on behalf of our customers. Check it out and prepare to be in for a shock.

I realize a lot of people are extremely hesitant to try something like this.
But let me ask you.
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get on a plane (by a reputable airline of your choice)
and fly 4 to 6 hours internationally?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you go to the trouble of getting a passport?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you stay at a fine hotel in a luxurious exotic setting?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get world-class, high-tech, healthcare by U.S. certified doctors and dentists?
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you get better recovery healthcare than in the U.S. (with a better nurse ratio and better healthcare system)
For 10 THOUSAND dollars, would you go on an unforgettable tour to, say, a waterfall garden, a volcano, or a rain forest?

We are not offering a ten thousand dollar bonus for people who'll try our service. We are simply saying that these are the probable savings for a person with a $12,000 medical bill in the U.S. (which is sadly very realistic, or even a low estimate).

$12,0000 U.S. or $2,000*  in Costa Rica?
It's your choice.
That's generically $600 flight + $400 hotel + $800 medical/dental + $200 tours/expenses
*All prices of course vary for many reasons. Traveller preferences and medical needs are the biggest variables.

What about a smaller U.S. bill?
The same idea applies, with savings all the way to the $2,000 level.
$8000 U.S. or $2000 in Costa Rica?
$5000 U.S. or $1,800 in Costa Rica?
$3000 U.S. or $1,600 in Costa Rica?

Just a few cosmetic procedures (which are not usually covered by insurace) can quickly add up. And often, and tragically, "cosmetic" healthcare is actually a matter of actual health and well-being. But the insurance companies doen't care. That's why we are here to help.

The prices I imply here are not the same for everybody, and I encourage everyone to take responsibilty for their health, whether they are a traveller with DentaRica, someone else, or someone who chooses medical care here in the U.S.

Ongoing professionalism: SHRM 2013 Annual Conference

http://annual.shrm.org/

DentaRica staff (myself included) visited the 2013 SHRM Annual Conference in Chicago last weekend (June 2013) as part of our continuing commitment to professional conduct and making our staff even more valuable to our travelers. We joined the Costa Rican delegation, and greeted Human Resource Managers and attendees at the PROCOMER booth (Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica).

I am very disappointed I did not get to meet Hillary Clinton, the keynote speaker. A photo with her would look great alongside my photo with the former president of Costa Rica taken at the PROMED Summit this past spring. But I had obligations to attend to.

DentaRica was a vender also, and was actively promoting our business-to-business sales program, the DentaRica Discount Card. We are very excited about it, as it is already running strong in Costa Rica itself, with over 25,000 already sold to companies there.

The DentaRica Card, closely associated with Dr. Retana and Salud-Dent, offers discounted services only available with membership in the Card program. These are discounted prices on top of the already unbelievably low Costa Rican regular prices.

The Card is also available to individuals (with plans including dependents) , and offers the same discounts. Our original business model still applies, but we have added to the options we offer.

Unibe Hospital in Costa Rica also sent delegates from Costa Rica, and I was able, as CEO of DentaRica Travel, to negotiate incredible discounts for DentaRica Card Holders for medical treatments at Unibe Hospital.  $10 for an EKG!  I got one here in the states for $300 not too long ago.  Since the hospital in Costa Rica meets USA standards and has the same equipment, it is easy to see why going to Costa Rica makes sense, or should I say "cents."

useful links - exchange rates and holidays in Costa Rica

Please follow this useful link for exchange rates vesus the U.S.
http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/indicadores.asp

The Costa Rican money is the colón. 
Our DentaRica staff have discovered what most Costa Ricans seem to know without talking about. It is easiest to think of the currency for everyday use the Mil, which is a bill for 1,000 colones. One MIL is about $2 at current rates, making 10 MIL about $20. Be careful you do not accidently reverse this doubling rule-of-thumb the way I have once or twice!

Also, while I am here please check out the Happy Planet Index, which is an independent survey and listing of the Happiest Places on Earth factoring in quality of life, environmental health, and prospects for a healthy future. Costa Rica is first on the list! And the U.S. wasn't even high enough on the list for a mention....

Here is a list of holidays for Costa Rica. Their festivals are a sight to behold! Maybe your trip could be planned so you are in Costa Rica at these times, or maybe you want to avoid all the hubub and confusion!

Mi Cafe Arena

This is one of my favorite places to visit when I am in Escazu. It's a lovely little restaurant located very near our partner DentaVac and many of our partner hotels. It's also a lovely little restaurant with amazing homestyle food served with authentic Costa Rican spirit. And they now have a website besides their Facebook account!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mi-Cafe-Arena/134760853244248

http://www.micafearena.com/

It's not a very big cafe, and their internet presence isn't the fanciest, but you go there for the quality, not the advertising. They are more of a "mom and pop" type of business, like a huge number you'll find in Costa Rica, and you'll be very happy when you go there,

To share a story of mine, before I went to Costa Rica for the first time I read extensively in various travel books, and once I even read one published just a few months before my trip. They recommended this one restaurant for amazing food and authentic fun atmosphere. It was awful. I don't know why the book recommended them. Perhaps the restaurant owners found out the reviewer was coming, and staged impressive festivities. Maybe he was paid somehow, I don't know.

In any case, I've learned to trust those travel books only but so far. This wasn't the only time they led me astray. In this day and age, you can e-mail and speak to someone with personal experience and then compare to what others have also told you. At DentaRica, we pride ourselves on personal experience and our advice is part of our service. But my advice is also free.