Med/Dental+Kochi+Kerala???

JjInCt

Ok, First time India, Arriving Kochi and staying in Fort Cochin, Have my room reservations near the fort somewhere.
My question is which direction should I go looking to start my search for a Dentist/Oral surgen? I made several appointments online but Im sure I won't be able to space and time appointments apart. This meaning I would like to consult with about 10 Dentist. I will need two dental implants, with
in a fair price. I was quoted 750$US for two including the tooth. I also have additional medical and dental work on top of the 2 implants. Are their private office building together, maybe on a main road or block??. I really don't want to criss cross town all day. I have 3 -4 months in India Any and All Idears welcome,
over and out,,Jim

Nick-H

Dentists are all over, just like the people they serve! Why would they be clustered together?

Try private hospitals?

In my experience of implants, 3-4 months is not really long enough to finsih the job. The implant needs six months to take properly before fixing the crown and applying biting pressure.

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JjInCt

Hi Nick, Here in the USA we have office buildings, 1-100 floors, In these buildings maybe 1/3 will be doctors, 1/3 denist, 1/3 anyhing related or unrealated. Some are medical or buisness like lawyers, tax people and so on. What you are telling me basically is that there is a doctor or dentist on every street corner, at the end of every street and maybe every third home.
Im just looking for cluster areas of these experts and map them out. I have checked out the hospitals also and will pay a visit their.
I read up on the implants, 3-4-6 months so I bought a one way ticket into COCHIN.
This is why I need to find a dentist/oral surgen that I feel confortable with ASAP after arriving.
Please understand this is my first trip to India,

Nick-H

Ahh, I understand. It isn't like that in UK, so I was wonderring...

Yes, I think you need to be very comfortable with the dentist you select; implants are a fairly major thing, and should hopefuly last a lifetime.

But (and perhaps you ask yourself the same question) --- how will you judge?

Yes, I remember your earlier thread now.

Perhaps one of our Keralan members will provide more useful information for you...

JjInCt

How would I judge ? Nick

How would I not?

Would you just go to the first doctor/dentist and say here I am, you have the job.

If you have no idear what to look for in the medical field, even with the wealth of information on the web. I am sure thankful that you could not answer my question in the first place?
maybe goadentist can help you with your question Nick
over and out,

Nick-H

Yes, I know, I've read all those very interesting threads, and been through my own decision on where to have implants done.

Just --- I would hate to visit, say five or ten, dentists and then try to rate them one against the other, particularly for a treatment where you are not going to know if it was done well (never mind the hygiene, the chat, and other external signs that you can see in a five-minute visit).

When I came here for dental treatment my idea was to head to the biggest, most famous private hospital --- I was advised by a doctor I know here to go to a different practice.

Please don't misunderstand: I'm not crticising your plan: I'm seriously interested and hope you will tell us more --- as well as keeping us informed when you come for the treatment.

JjInCt

I have done many searches on medical care both inside and out. Now I see it like this. The big international hospitals have the finest doctors money can buy in India. They will also charge you much more. Going to a smaller clinic might be just as good but without the high class treatment and polished facilities from places like Apollo, etc.
For the couple dollars I will pay for a consultation, I would listen to what the doctor's has to say and along with his mannerism in how he would handle the implant procedure and fixing up the rest of my mouth. After I have done enough consultations, I should have a better idear who to pick.
And lastly, this thing called medical tourism seems like some glorified travel agents hooking up with certain medical institutions in order to make big profits. Well I guess if you have the big bucks its ok.

mahidesai

i am DR mahi desai from Goa. Your concern seems genuine. For dental treatment i could suggest you come to Goa. We have excellent Dentists and good clinics too.Myself and my husband we run a state of art dental clinic with a attached laboratory for dental prosthetic work and you could drop in to see for yourself.THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT. i am just trying to help . for other details visit www.goadentalstudio.com. the site never the less is undergiong some corrections and changes . bye

TimMakins

My advice to travellers anywhere in the world needing medical or dental work is to ring the US or UK embassy. They keep a list of recommended doctors and dentists. I did this once, and got an excellent dentist in Delhi.

Alternatively, find a local person who is well off, and ask for a recommendation.

Alternatively, here is another option. I was in Tiruvananathapuram, so went to the British Council Library, and asked to have a word with the Director. I asked him which dentist he used: not only was he pleased to help, but sent me with one of his staff to make sure I found it OK. The treatment received was excellent.

I might add that I didn't 'shop around' in either case, and would have felt embarassed doing that, but always received faultless treatment that was many many times better than anything I've had in Britain or Ireland.

Tim in England

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Nick-H

Whilst I'm sure there are excellent dentists in Goa, I'me equally sure that that there are excellent dentists in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and ...well, name a few states!

I could make a personal recomendation (but it would only be personal: I'm not a pro, just a patient) for a Chennai dentist. Others might recommend for their cities.

JjInCt has decided that Kochi is the place that he wants to be --- so that's where he's looking for a dentist!

I think Tim's advice would be worth a try. At least it would put sopme names on your list to begin with.

I also think it is worth asking a doctor what dentist he uses.

Trouble with recommendations that the recommender should understand that implants is such a specialized treatment.

JjInCt

Since I have recieved a PM message from a senior member claiming my post should be binned because its a sourse of amusement, I am a bit disturbed.
I just would like to say I am very serious about what Im asking in terms of medical and dental treatment.
I am flying into kochi (cochin)on Nov 30 and staying in fort cochin where it would be quiet for rest and recuperation. I have a oneway ticket because I want to make sure all medical has been taken care of. I do hope to return home by Easter. The absolute first thing I need is to seach for a professional, fairy qualified in dental implant surgey (oral surgen I am told). Within a week I will have picked the doctor I feel I can most relate too. Just like any other human, doctors can double talk you and make you think they are the best. When I get all different opions, listen to the professions and weed out the ones that don't come together with the other medical professional.
After I get the first stage of the implants and several weeks have gone by with no problems, I can now do my traveling farther out into India.
Since I have a one way ticket, I could probably have the second stage, (crown) done by another dentist up into the middle of India. Maybe GOA or Bombay. Then buy my ticket back to NYC. Theres so many ways I can go about it.
I also know about checking the embassy but their is not one in Kerala. I will check with the India Dental Association

haritha

It seems to be in the outskirts of Cochin

Thripunithura

Nick-H

If we deleated every post because it might be a source of amusement --- we'd have a pretty blank and empty archive here, instead of a huge range of information coupled with a huge dose of humanity.

I belive that is how most members feel: others are, I guess, entitled to their opinion.

Sensi

i'm guessing the OP has not been to india before?

he he, i don't know about you all but Indias not the place i'd like to get dental work done. Thailand, now there's an idea.

one thing to mention about any medical/dental/mental work etc. you get done in India or abraod: it's not insured. You might forget becasue in your country there is the fear of being sued and being held responsible for when things go wrong..... humm many things could go wrong. so your bargin price may not be such a bargin after all.
On the other hand, i'm guess it is a money issue since you have waited this long. Might as well just go for it then. After all there are over a billion sets of teeth in India, so those dentists sure get alot of practice at what they do. Like 50 root canals a day! And it will be like anything else in India, a wild experience for a tourist.
I'd go for Goa. I've heard good report for dentist in Panjim or Margoa. And then you can get the stuff you love and relaz on the beech..

JjInCt

Of course cost is a matter and I would like my dollars distributed fairly to medical profesional that could benifit by giving a price somewhere between what the Indian citizen would pay, but less than the medical tourism sites they want you to pay.
Here is a example, I searched out MANY medical tourism site and the average complete implant for 1 tooth was $800, half the price of the usa.
I then emailed several dentist with average medical practices and was given a average price of 750$us for 2-TWO complete
Now I still have alot of other work to be done afterward, including small medical procedures.

As I have said before, whos making the most money here
.
I would rather use some of my cash to help out with the disadvantage I come across, whatever that might be when I get there. I am not a poor person and can well afford this trip on a middle class budget, but I choose not to spent it on any gold digging doctors or glorified Travel agents. . sorry if I am ticking anyone off but its all part of the real world to me.