Would You Send Your Wife Here? How One Question Led Carol to TRYBE
Editor’s Note: This interview has been lightly edited for clarity while preserving the patient’s authentic voice and story.
Carol is 61 years old. She lives in Iowa. And for most of her life, her experience with dentistry looked the same as most Americans’: pain shows up, the dentist says root canal, and that’s the end of the conversation.
She had six root canals over the years. Not once did anyone ask about her oral health in a broader sense.
“In the United States, when you go to the dentist and you have pain, they just say you need a root canal,” Carol says. “There’s no discussion. So I did that six times.”
Eventually, Carol found a biological dentist in Iowa. He removed all six root canals and placed ceramic implants. She also needed a sinus lift. On December 22nd, she learned it had failed. There wasn’t enough bone.
Her dentist, Dr. Kriegel, told her she needed to go to Costa Rica.
“After about two weeks I called Dr. Kriegel back and said, okay, if you’re telling me Costa Rica is the place to go, I 100% trust you,” Carol recalls. “But here’s my question. If this is your wife, your mother, your sister, or your daughter, where would you send them?”
His answer was immediate.
“He said 100% to Dr. Fernández in Costa Rica. I said, okay, that’s all I needed to hear. And then the rest is history.”
Carol arrived at TRYBE and was met by the full team. She mentions Tatiana, Dr. Sofía, Dr. Mónica, and Fabi by name, all with the same word: fantastic.
“All I can say is from the front desk to Dr. Fernández and everything in between. Everyone has been kind.”
Once Dr. Fernández examined her, he found additional issues beyond the original plan. A gum graft was needed. A filling had gone bad. Two procedures were added to the original scope, things that had been missed or left unaddressed before.
“He’s like, you have a filling that’s gone bad. We need to fix that. So we did actually two other things that weren’t planned.”
Her biggest fear going in was pain.
“My biggest fear was the level of pain I would experience. He assured me, he said, your pain will be on a scale of 1 to 10, a 2 or 3. I can guarantee that.”
He was right.
“I have been about a 2, maybe at 3 at the most. And I have not really taken that much pain medication.”
Carol asked Dr. Fernández how complex her case was. He told her that 50% of his cases are extremely complicated, and hers was about a 2 out of 10. That gave her confidence.
“That made me feel better that he’s done this procedure many, many times successfully. And so that put my mind at ease.”
Before making the trip, Carol did her homework. She spoke to three former TRYBE patients. All three told her the same thing.
“All three of them said to me, best medical experience they have ever had.”
Now, having gone through it herself, Carol says the same.
“Hands down, from my perspective, best medical experience I have. Without a doubt.”
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Disclaimer: All content shared by TRYBE is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Everybody is unique—and so is every health journey. Decisions regarding your care should always be made in consultation with a qualified healthcare professional who understands your individual needs. TRYBE provides research, insights, and wellness tools to support informed decision-making, but these resources are not a substitute for personalized medical guidance. Always speak with your physician before initiating, modifying, or discontinuing any treatment.
