Travelling to Costa Rica for treatment
How do I get there?
For the San José area, including Escazú and Santa Ana, consult Juan Santamaría International Airport. For the Guanacaste area, consult Guanacaste Airport.
Ask the clinic for its actual town and street address. Do not assume that an address described as “San José” is in the city centre.
Do I need a visa?
Costa Rica's official entry guidance and the Costa Rican embassy's nationality groups set out the short-visit rules:
- Canada: no tourist visa; up to 180 days may be granted.
- United States: no tourist visa; up to 180 days may be granted.
- United Kingdom: no tourist visa; up to 180 days may be granted.
- European Union: first-group EU passport holders can visit without a tourist visa for up to 180 days; check the passport-specific list before travel.
Immigration determines the actual period on entry. Carry the required onward or return travel evidence. For travel expressly for treatment or a stay beyond the permission granted, ask the Costa Rican consulate which category applies; do not assume a tourist extension is available.
Before departure, read Canada's travel advice for Costa Rica, US travel advice for Costa Rica, UK travel advice for Costa Rica and the European Commission's gateway to EU national travel advice.
How do clinics usually take payment?
Aesthetic Dental Care publishes US-dollar prices and a US$500 booking deposit applied to the treatment balance. For certain full-arch plans it describes 60% payment on the first trip and 40% on the second. Its FAQ lists cash in US dollars among payment methods.
Ask the clinic to confirm the methods accepted for your own balance, bank or card fees, deposit refund conditions, and whether tax and medicines are included. Do not apply one clinic's terms to every Costa Rican provider.
What language and documents do I need?
Aesthetic Dental Care's English FAQ and Costa Rica Dental's English implant page provide overseas-patient information. Confirm English-speaking staff for the clinical discussion and the records you will receive.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises patients to bring relevant medical records, test results, prescriptions and a medication list, and to tell the receiving team about allergies. It also advises obtaining complete records before returning home and arranging any necessary English translation.
Ask for a medical or dental report, an itemised invoice, prescriptions and a follow-up contact. If an implant or other device is used, request its identifying details and the operative record so your clinician at home knows what was placed.
Who can I complain to?
Costa Rica's Ministry of Health complaint guidance includes the operation of health establishments. Its health-services complaint form is online in Spanish and identifies local health-area and email routes. Ask whether English evidence needs translation and which route applies to your complaint.
How to check a doctor's licence in Costa Rica: our guide.
How long do people stay?
Aesthetic Dental Care describes implant treatment across two trips: 7–10 business days first, followed by about four months at home and 5–7 business days for the final restorations. Costa Rica Dental publishes a different example: about 5–7 days, then about 7–10 days after healing. Obtain your own written schedule.
The CDC's medical-travel guidance says flying after surgery can increase clot risk and discusses delaying air travel 10–14 days after major surgery, especially chest procedures. This is general official guidance; ask the treating team and airline about your own return journey.
What should I know about the place?
The Costa Rican Tourism Institute's 2022–2027 plan identifies medical and dental tourism as a tourism category encompassing diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. It does not rank individual clinics.
Checked on 24 October 2026.