Five years ago, Richard Dziurda discovered he needed thousands of dollars in dental work - but didn't think he could afford to follow through with his dentist's advice.
The predicament led the now-56-year-old high school teacher-turned adjunct college professor to get the job done for thousands of dollars less than expected. He also helped create a patient-to-dentist website that assists consumers in reducing their dentistry costs. The site, mydentaltrip.com, allows those seeking dental work to seek bids from dentists.
Dziurda says his experience helped him identify a growing trend in which U.S. residents venture outside the country to score a better deal on dental work. He spent months researching Costa Rican dentists before he settled on one.
A two-week vacation later, the dental work was done.
