Does anyone enjoy going to the dentist? I never have. So after a six week battle with a toothache, I finally relented and visited a local dentist. And was I pleasantly surprised. So much in fact that I had to write this post: “A Visit to the Best Dentist on Guimaras Province: Dr. Lezly Sarmiento Gonzaga.
I write about my negative and positive experiences as an American expat in the Philippines. I’ve been doing it over five years. So when I can survive a visitation to a dental facility and come out alive and pain-free, I have to share that with my readers though I suspect that the majority of you won’t be traveling thousands of miles to visit Dr. Gonzaga. Too bad. Aside from being one of the best dentists I have ever gone to in my whole life, “Doc,” is an attractive young woman, professional and works fast.
This female wonder physician had my aching tooth out in less than ten minutes! I went to a dentist at SM City in Iloilo years ago who took 90 minutes to extract a molar in multiple pieces and charged me double!
The SM City Dentist
Dr. Lezly Gonzaga, who cleaned my teeth first and used an anesthetic, only charged 1,050 pesos, not quite 24 bucks, and that included x-rays. Plus, I only had to wait about 15 minutes before the doctor and her assistant started to work on me.
The Gonzaga Dental Clinic is located on the Ground Floor, Mavikks Building, Guimaras Circumferential Road, San Miguel, Jordan, 5045, Guimaras. Now if you’re a college basketball fan from the States, you’ve heard of the Gonzaga Bulldogs. I don’t think “Doc” would even know of their existence, so I didn’t even bring Gonzaga’s name up.
BYU recently broke Gonzaga’s nation’s longest home win streak at 41 games, as well as their 36-game WCC home win streak and their 22-game overall win streak. But Dr. Gonzaga probably doesn’t have time to follow the Bulldogs or watch ESPN as her practice seems to be thriving.
My wife and I arrived at 8:15 am and by the time my tooth was pulled the office was full with about six or seven people waiting outside. I’m due to return next Monday to have a broken tooth pulled so the doctor can work on getting some dentures for me. I’m missing about six teeth now, three pulled in the Philippines. I look like a meth addict from Central Illinois.
OK, in full disclosure I’ve never been to any other dentist in Guimaras so I might be a bit prejudiced in crowning her the ”best dentist” on our mango province but until someone can provide me information to the contrary, I’ll be sticking with my pronouncement. And with a reasonable price tag of 600 pesos per tooth, almost 14 US Dollars, next time you’re in our neck of the woods, you might spot me with an almost full set of teeth!
dave you might end up looking like that guy jaws in the james bond film lol,
but you will be able to eat a nice t bone steak i have to go to see my dentist
this week keep putting it off, no pain but the tooth is broken but the old
saying no pain no gain if i leave it any longer it is going to get painfull.
derek in sunny pasig
Dave, there are two main types of cattle in Australia, the European breeds (Bos taurus) in the southern temperate areas, and Asian breeds (Bos indicus) and their cross breeds in the tropical northern areas. The Asian breeds have greater tolerances of tropical weather and diseases, but also have tougher meat. Likely the Australian beef cattle raised in the Philippines are the Asian breeds (Bos indicus) or a cross breed with the tougher meat, because the European breeds (Bos taurus) don’t do well in the tropics. So for a good steak, you’ll need to find beef that was raised in Australia, USA, Canada, etc.
Dave, I’m glad to hear you can get Angus Beef in the Philippines, it’s nice and tender. But Angus is a Bos taurus (temperate climate) breed of cattle, so maybe it is raised in Australia/USA/Canada/etc and exported to the Philippines. I imagine SM’s Angus Beef will be expensive, but if you have a craving it is still cheaper than a plane ticket to Vegas to get one there 😉
Dave
Is her English good? Can you give me her phone number?
Thanks
Maybe do some reading about dentures vs implants. When teeth are lost the jaw starts to shrink and dentures soon no longer fit. Implants are more expensive, though. I would guess she explained all this.
Dave
Send me her number. Wanna talk about some bridges needed.
Thanks
My wife’s getting a partial denture (2 teeth) here in the US. Even with my dental insurance, my charge is gonna be $1000. It’s almost worth it to go to Guimaras and have the work done there.
hi dave,never had a good steak here yet had one last year was the same local
beef ive give up on it ,had a nice beef sandwich and salad for lunch at the
french baker tasted very good ,first time to eat there will be going back.
derek in sunny pasig.
A story, Dave. I recently saw a dentist for the first time in . . . get this, 9 years. I have never had a cavity. I made the mistake of going on youtube to see all the horror stories of walking into the dentists and then back out with a list of work required that would add to $40,000. Well, I went in and the guy says, after a bunch of digital xrays, so how do you do it? What are you doing that after 6 decades no cavities. I had no answer. It just turned out this way.
There is no, repeat, no good US dental insurance. The insurance companies can’t make money on it — which tells you how common huge bills are. Most policies will cover only about $2000/yr. A ton of people need more work done than that.
There is a town just across the border from Yuma, Arizona that is nothing but Mexican dentist offices. Americans go there for just about everything. Fraction of US prices.
I brush everyday, of course. I have never had a cavity or anything decay relevant done in 60 years. I got frequent cleanings over the years, but none for 9 yrs. I grew up in the first area of the US to have fluoride in the water supply so maybe that did it, though of course many people grow up now with fluoride and still get decay. I have no answer.
But without question teeth can destroy finances. Dentists are trained to try to preserve teeth so each can get $500 cavities over and over.
Dave,
Your like me and don’t enjoy going to the dentist, but a good looking Filipina make it much easier to take. I had 2 teeth pulled last year. The dentist was very good. One of the teeth was absessed and he had a hard time getting it out. Had to put Novacane in a couple of times, but was impressed with his work. Cost was 1000p for both teeth.
As far as i’m concerned dental care is not only cheap in the philippines it is much better care. wife had teeth whitening done last year 500 peso’s and as far as all the stupid meth heads her in central illinois I think it gets worse everyday.
I’m sure your teeth our better then the meth heads here…..