Vancouver, British Columbia to Tijuana
Tijuana dentists, coming from Vancouver
A fly-in trip, so the economics work differently from a drive down. Consolidate as much treatment as possible into each visit, and confirm how many separate trips the plan needs before booking anything.
Distance
About 1,300 miles to San Diego
Travel time
Roughly a 3 hour flight to San Diego, then 30 minutes to the border
Coming back
Budget a full travel day each way, plus the northbound crossing wait on top of your flight time.
Distances and times are approximate and change with traffic and with the wait at the crossing. Check the CBP border wait times page on the morning you travel.
Planning the trip
The thing that decides whether this is worth it is not the price of the procedure, it is how many trips the treatment needs. An implant is normally two visits several months apart. Orthodontics can be many more. Ask for the number of in-person visits in writing before you commit, and read how the crossing works before your first one.
Questions patients actually ask
How long does it take to get to a dentist in Tijuana from Vancouver?
About 1,300 miles to San Diego. Roughly a 3 hour flight to San Diego, then 30 minutes to the border. A fly-in trip, so the economics work differently from a drive down. Consolidate as much treatment as possible into each visit, and confirm how many separate trips the plan needs before booking anything.
Do I need a passport?
Yes. A Canadian passport for the flights, and it is also what you use crossing back out of Mexico. If your route takes you through the United States, check the current US entry requirements for Canadian citizens before you book, because those are separate from Mexico's.
How long is the wait coming back?
Budget a full travel day each way, plus the northbound crossing wait on top of your flight time. Pedestrian and vehicle lanes move at completely different speeds, which is why most patients park on the US side and walk.
Can I drive home the same day after treatment?
After a cleaning or a filling, yes. After surgery with sedation, no: you need someone else to drive, and for anything involving the upper jaw ask the dentist about flying before you book a flight home.