Why this is important to Wisconsin businesses: Driven by a rise in dental tourism, dentists are investing in modern equipment, especially in urban areas–but lack of access to basic dental care is still a problem in rural areas.
In Mexico, there is not enough up-to-date information regarding dentistry professionals to generalize about trends in dental services in Mexico. However, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics, Geography, and Informatics (INEGI), in 2016 the country had a total of 156,622 dentists : 93 percent with a bachelor’s degree, 6 percent with a specialty degree, and less than 1 percent with a master’s or doctoral degree. The state with the largest number of dentists was the Federal District with 59,214 (39.05%), followed by Guadalajara and Monterrey.
The public sector accounts for less than one-tenth of 1 percent of Mexico’s dentists; the rest are in the private sector. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mexico is one of the countries that has a relatively low number of experts in dental care per 100,000 inhabitants.
In Mexico, at least 25 percent of the population has never used a toothbrush. Dental services are not equally available in rural areas as at the levels they are in urban areas. The majority of Mexicans do not regularly replace lost dental appliances, especially the rural population, because of a lack of economic resources.
The urban population is more concerned about aesthetics. Today, dental implants are in great demand in large cities, where the cheapest implant is offered for about $200. Crowns and bridges have higher demand among the senior population. However, the prices are an essential factor in the decision to replace dental pieces. The oral health of individuals and of the population is the result of the health care process, and according to the 2010 Global Burden of Disease study, of the 50 most prevalent and disabling diseases and disorders, three are in the field of oral health: dental caries, periodontal disease and edentulism (all recognized as public health problems). Treatment is very expensive, even in industrialized countries, and is not within the reach of the majority of the population in low- and middle-income countries.
Traditionally, stock abutments have been the preferred choice of many dentists, as they are relatively inexpensive and their titanium base is stable. However, CAD/CAM alternatives undoubtedly provide a better fit and an aesthetically appealing solution. Mexico has decent utilization rates of these advancements, resulting in higher income levels for Mexican dentists. The use of modern equipment has been further encouraged by the money dental tourists bring to the market. Dental tourism is a major attraction in Mexico, luring in customers with wider budget ranges and enhancing the proportion of premium product sales. Consequently, nearly 9 percent of final abutment unit sales in Mexico in 2016 were attributable to purchases of CAD/CAM abutments. This has enabled a larger proportion of dentists to adopt many of the new technological advancements to help further drive their implant business. As the technology becomes more affordable and developed, it is expected to grow within the respective regions. Similar to the trends observed within the CAD/CAM abutment market, Mexico also represents a high-growth market for computer-guided surgery.
