Professional and technological development of dental tourismin Puerto Vallarta

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.59334/ROV.v2i43.652

Keywords:

technological development, professional development, dentists, medical tourism, Puerto Vallarta

Abstract

Introduction The Universal Medical Travel agency of the United States (USA), promotes Mexico, Costa Rica and Colombia, as Latin American countries with high quality in dental services. Other countries in Latin America that offer dental tourism are Argentina, Brazil and Chile. Objective The objective of this study is to describe the professional and technological development of dental practitioners in Puerto Vallarta. Method For the analysis, 21 semi-structured interviews were conducted with dentists practicing in Puerto Vallarta, selected from a total population of 176 professionals listed in the National Statistical Directory of Economic Units (DENUE), as of November 2023 (INEGI, 2024). These interviews provided insights into key trends and challenges related to specialization and the adoption of advanced technologies in the dental field. Results The results show a notable increase in the use of advanced technologies among dentists in Puerto Vallarta. Additionally, there is a marked rise in professional specialization, driven by the need to cater to an increasingly demanding international clientele as a result of the growth in medical tourism. Conclusions The professional and technological development of dentists in Puerto Vallarta largely depends on the ongoing training and updates that practitioners seek and finance with their own resources. Dentists contribute to local economic growth through the foreign tourism they serve and the services and materials they consume. The Puerto Vallarta Dental Association has played a crucial role in enhancing the professional skills of affiliated dentists and those willing to participate in the activities it offers.

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Author Biography

  • Dr. Maria del Carmen Anaya, Universidad de Guadalajara

    She is an Agronomist with a Master's degree in Social Anthropology and a PhD in Sciences, focusing on research in Cultural Anthropology. She has participated in both local and national projects, such as the Sierra de Manantlán Biosphere Reserve, the Territorial Planning of the Sierra de los Huicholes (National Institute of Indigenous Peoples), and the Research Center for the Teaching of Ecology (Upper Secondary System, University of Guadalajara). From 2003 to 2005, she coordinated the Master’s in Science Teaching program. She is the co-author of three textbooks: one on Ecology and Biodiversity Conservation for sixth-grade students, another on Ecology, and a third on Environmental Education for upper secondary education.

    She has also co-authored three scientific books: Maize-Peyote-Deer Culture, Cultural Sustainability of the Wixarika People (2007); Puerto Vallarta, Where Do You Come From, Where Are You Going (2009); and Puerto Vallarta and Its Satellites, Oscillations of Homeostasis in a Leisure Destination (2011). Additionally, she authored a chapter titled "2,600 Years of History and Cultural Evolution in Puerto Vallarta," which was included in the book Puerto Vallarta 2018, published to celebrate the municipality's centenary.

    Currently, she serves as a member of the Scientific and Editorial Committee for the international anthropology journal AIBR. She is a member of the Network of Researchers on Religious Phenomena in Mexico and Ibero-American Anthropologists in Network (AIBR), as well as an active member of the Benemérita Sociedad de Geografía y Estadística del Estado de Jalisco, North Coast Chapter. She is part of the Core Academic Group for the Master's and PhD programs in Sciences for Development, Sustainability, and Tourism. Her teaching responsibilities include courses on Research Methodology, Tourism Research, and Socio-Anthropology of Tourism.

    She has supervised postgraduate theses on local topics, including applied research in dentistry, social inequality, informal settlements, fishing cooperatives, violence against women, and violence against minors. She leads the Cultural Socio-Anthropology and Communication Academic Group. Currently, she coordinates the Technical Justification Study for the creation of the Río Los Horcones Protected Natural Area in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo Corrientes, Jalisco, Mexico. She is also a member of the Ecological Planning Committee for the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta, the Research Council of the Puerto Vallarta Botanical Garden, and leads the Citizens' Observatory for the Protection of Puerto Vallarta’s Natural and Cultural Heritage. Her current project, co-authored and in the process of publication by the Smithsonian Institution in the United States, focuses on the study of perennial wild teosintes, ancestors of modern corn.

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Published

2025-07-11

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 43 (23)

Section

Research Article

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Copyright (c) 2024 Graciela Chavez Trujillo, Dra. María del Carmen Anaya

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How to Cite

Professional and technological development of dental tourismin Puerto Vallarta. (2025). Odontología Vital, 2(43). https://doi.org/10.59334/ROV.v2i43.652

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