Tucson, Arizona to Tijuana
Tijuana dentists, coming from Tucson
A long drive, so most patients make it a two-night trip and consolidate as much treatment as possible into each visit.
Distance
About 410 miles to San Diego
Travel time
6 to 7 hours by road
Coming back
Ask your dentist to sequence treatment for the fewest trips.
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 Tucson?
About 410 miles to San Diego. 6 to 7 hours by road. A long drive, so most patients make it a two-night trip and consolidate as much treatment as possible into each visit.
Do I need a passport?
To come back into the United States, yes. A US passport, passport card, or an enhanced driver's licence from a state that issues them. Walking into Mexico is easy; the document you need is for the return leg.
How long is the wait coming back?
Ask your dentist to sequence treatment for the fewest trips. 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.