Do you need dental work? How about a vacation?? You can have both with this dental clinic in Cuenca!

For most people, taking a vacation and going to the dentist are mutually incompatible prospects. After all, the thought of sitting in a dentist’s chair with a drill in your month isn’t quite as appealing as sitting on a tropical beach sipping a piña colada.

Adam Altholtz, Dr. Andres Pacheco discuss dental procedures with a patient at the Find Health in Ecuador Dental Clinic.

Adam Altholtz, the American owner of the “Find Health in Ecuador Dental Clinic” (Find Health) in Cuenca and whose also American father was a U.S. dentist, is out to change that perception — at least a wee bit.

“Why not combine the two?”, Adam asks. “It’s true you usually don’t think of vacations and dental visits at the same time, but what if you can save enough money on your dental work to pay for a vacation to Cuenca and in Ecuador?”

Adam even challenges the notion that visiting the dentist should be unpleasant. “At Find Health, our focus is not only to provide world-class dental service, but to provide it with full consideration of the patient’s concerns, including their fears.” He adds: “There’s a reason our Head Dentist and Implantologist, Dr. Andres Pacheco, has affectionately earned the nickname of local expats, ‘Dr No Pain’.”

Adam, a pioneer in the field of dental tourism, decided to partner with Dr. Pacheco 10 years ago when he noticed the lack of English-speaking dentists in Cuenca. “This was a big problem, especially for new expats, and I also realized the tremendous savings for dental procedures in Ecuador compared to the U.S. I thought, why not combine great service with low costs.” Adding: “And after that, why not apply some of those savings to a delightful vacation here?”

Everyone has heard of medical tourism in places like southeast Asia and Mexico, Adam says. “We know the costs for surgery and other medical procedures in other countries is much less than in the U.S., and that the quality of the care and materials utilized are both just as good.”

“On the other hand,” he continues, “people have traditionally taken care of their dental needs close to home, even as the costs have skyrocketed.  Our idea was, why not offer the option in Cuenca with a highly skilled dentist, but where the costs are, on average, well less than half of what you would pay back home?”

A great place to vacation
Adam is as much a promoter of Cuenca and Ecuador as he is of dental health. “There’s a reason this city was named the best retirement destination in the world a few years ago – it’s why we have one the largest English-speaking expat communities in South America, about 10,000 foreign residents living here,” he says.

Dr. Andres Pacheco and his assistant examine a patient.

He points to Cuenca’s many attractions, such as good year-round weather, a full cultural agenda, great restaurants and opportunities for adventure sports, such as hiking and mountain-climbing, just to name a few.

Many Find Health dental patients come to Cuenca not only for a vacation, but also to check out the city as a retirement option. “Most of them have heard of us through the news media and have decided on combining their dental procedures with a scouting trip,” he says. “It’s a good way to explore both the city and the expat community.”

Another reason to visit Cuenca, Adam says, is that it is a safe city. “If you read about the drug-related gang violence on the Ecuadorian coast, it’s important to note that isn’t happening in Cuenca. We’re in the mountains, far away from the problem areas, and in fact, we were recently listed among the top five safest cities in Latin America, with levels of violent crime less to even far less than most cities of a comparable size in the U.S.”

Beyond Cuenca, Adam points out there are other excellent –and safe– destinations in Ecuador. “Take a cruise down an Amazon river, enjoy the big city attractions of Quito, or visit Cotacachi and Vilcabamba, two smaller mountain towns that are popular with expats”, he suggests.

“And don’t forget the Galapagos! For most folks, this is a bucket list destination, but from Cuenca, you can fly there very economically in a couple hours and take in the natural history as well as enjoy the fabulous beaches.”

The best dental care
What sets Find Health apart from most other dental services is not only the high quality of care, but the extra effort taken to make patients feel comfortable. “Besides our emphasis on calming patient fears, we speak English and provide other services for those unfamiliar with the culture.” He explains: “When you’re undergoing dental procedures, the last thing you need is a communication problem with the dentist. This is no time for language confusion and that’s why we make certain that there are no misunderstandings. People especially need to tell the doctor when they are feeling pain.”

Find Health operates under North American and European standards, Adam indicates.

Unlike many other Latin American dentists, Find Health offers a full range of pain relief. “There is a kind of grin-and-bear-it” attitude for Ecuadorian dental procedures, and national patients typically don’t take Novocain or other type pain medication,” Adam sighs. “That’s not our approach — unless a patient requests no anaesthesia.”

Among the most commonly requested procedures at Find Health are dental implants, bridges and veneers. “Of course, we offer a full-range of procedures, noting that Dr. Pacheco will recommend only the most advisable ones where he particularly sees the need on behalf of the patient.”

Dental implants, Adam points out, require additional scheduling, since the time between the implanted post and the placing of the crown is typically three to six months. For travelers who do not plan to spend an extended period of time in Ecuador, this will require an additional trip, so of course it helps if they enjoy and wish to be in or return to Cuenca and Ecuador.

Find Health will work with the dentist from your home country (i.e. the U.S. or Canada) to obtain records as necessary.  For those who haven’t been to the dentist in a while, or who cannot obtain their records, Find Health will arrange for x-rays in the lab facilities located on the first floor of its full service medical building in Cuenca.

The best-selling point of Find Health’s service, Adams says, is the dentist. Dr. Pacheco graduated at the top of his class at Cuenca’s Catholic University and is an expert in evaluating patients for treatment … and in making sure that the procedures are as painless as possible.

Adam Altholtz with a satisfied customer.

New patients can contact the clinic through their website, or call them at their U.S. phone number from the States or Canada, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Ecuador time, Eastern Standard time in the U.S.) – Adam also reminds that he answers emails and messages sent via the WhatsApp messaging application 7 days per week and even on both Ecuadorian and U.S. holidays.

There are daily flights from the U.S. and Canada into Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador’s two international airports. Coordinated connecting flights from New York and Miami, offered by Avianca and Latam, get travelers to Cuenca in as little as seven hours.

Once in Cuenca, patients can choose from inexpensive hotels and hostels in El Centro or fully furnished turn-key apartments (i.e. Airbnb). Find Health is happy to assist patients with information about travel, lodging or tourist options in Cuenca and Ecuador.

Full-time Cuenca expats need dental care too!
Find Health dental care is not just for tourists! Many of its patients are full-time Cuenca residents and Find Health hopes to add many more. “There’s a tendency to put off visits to the dentist, so our message is, please come in and check us out,” volunteers Adam. “You won’t believe how comfortable we’ll make you feel.”

For both local and tourist patients, the first dental cleaning and check-up is 100% free ($0.00).

Find Health in Ecuador Dental Clinic ‘Contact Information’:

Website: http://www.findhealthinecuador.com/
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/findhealthinecuador/
Clinic’s Phone/WhatsApp (Ecuador): +593 98.392.9606  
Phone (U.S.A.): 1-941-227-0114 
Clinic Address: Paseo de los Cañaris and Av. Pumapungo
in the Medimagen Building, 2nd Floor (any taxi in Cuenca knows it)
Google Maps: https://www.google.com.ec/maps/@-2.9094039,-78.993918,21z