Document:Q16236

Dentimundo investigates the flourishing practice of dentistry along the Mexico-U.S. border, focusing on towns such as Ojinaga, Ciudad Juárez, Nogales, Mexicali, and Tijuana. These locations have developed a symbiotic relationship with the U.S. economy, catering to American citizens seeking affordable dental care and a variety of other services. This net art piece examines the reasons behind the migration of patients to Mexico, where procedures are significantly cheaper—often a fraction of the costs in the U.S. Miranda Zúñiga addresses critical questions about the U.S. healthcare system, including the high number of uninsured individuals, which has remained steady at around 14.7% since 1999. For many Americans, dental care options are limited or non-existent, prompting them to seek treatment across the border.

Dentimundo provides a comprehensive directory of dental clinics, tips for navigating medical tourism, and insights into the relationship between U.S. and Mexican dental professionals—whether as competitors or collaborators. By reframing the discourse around border dentistry, Dentimundo advocates for a practical approach to healthcare that embraces the benefits of medical tourism while addressing underlying systemic issues in U.S. health insurance. Revisiting this artwork in 2024 is especially relevant in the current sociopolitical context, where the issues identified by Miranda Zúñiga nearly 20 years ago have intensified. Health crises—including dental, mental, and physical—have worsened, while the political climate continues to focus on oppressing and repressing those crossing the border into the U.S. Ironically, this approach overlooks the reality that the border is also crossed from North to South by individuals seeking more affordable living conditions, highlighting the complexity and duality of postborder dynamics.