New to San Diego... Few questions about traffic, healthcare, other incidentals! Any help is appreciated :-) (Vista: insurance)

[stuffany]

Hi! I just moved to San Diego (North Park) from Utah in February and am just starting to experience a few problems I can't find any solid answers to, so I'm hoping people here can help!

First of all, a question about traffic. I was just offered a job that I could do in either Vista or Carlsbad, and am concerned about the traffic. Yes, I DO understand the distance. I used to commute about the same distance when I lived in Salt Lake. I would need to be in Vista by 10:00 AM, and would leave to go back to North Park around 7:00 PM. If I took the Carlsbad job, I would need to be there at 10:00 AM and would leave around 4:30 or 5:00. I've heard two stories: That it will be awful going there and back, and that it won't be bad either times because I would be going the opposite of normal traffic? I would be taking the 163 and connecting to either I-15 or I-5 and am hoping (fingers crossed ) that since it's outside of what (I know to be) "normal rush hour" it won't be an issue. Is this true? Am I way off? What can I expect?

Secondly, I have a question about the different healthcare systems here. In Utah there was only one major healthcare system that was universally trusted, so having options is a new concept. My question is what is/are the major difference(s) between the SHARP and Scripps systems? Both are within my family's insurance, so that's not a problem. Is either one of them easier to work with? Have better options? More convenient? Have higher standards of care & of their providers? Which one has better mental health facilities and options? Either have better communication with patients? Opinions and/or experiences with both would be greatly appreciated!

Lastly, I have a semi healthcare related question. I've heard a LOT that there are good/cheap American dentists in Tijuana or near the border on the Mexico side? That doesn't seem very legitimate to me... But it caught my attention solely because my family needs quite a bit of dental work done fairly quickly, and the cheapest quote I've gotten here has been $14,000 and that's AFTER what our insurance pays. Is it true that there are legitimate, cheaper dentists in Tijuana/Mexico that would be trustworthy? And if not, does anyone know of a dentist that would be willing to take monthly payments outside of the usual 3 month payment plan that I've encountered?


Thank you SO SO SO SO SO much to anyone who would be willing and able to help with any of my questions. I've tried my hardest to figure out the ins and outs of San Diego, but after exhausting all of my resources, I'm in need of help. THANK YOU!!!

[cruitr]

There have been several threads about TJ dentists. Here's one of them:
Dental Work in TJ

[oddstray]

Scripps and Sharp are both quite highly regarded. I have only used Scripps, so I can't do any more comparison than that.

Why don't you try, yourself, to drive the commute one day? Unless it's unusual that day for some reason, it'll give you an idea of what it would be like.

[skeke]

You would be dealing with a better commute going North in the AM and South in the PM than the reverse, though there will still be traffic to deal with. With the Carlsbad commute you would take the 805 north to the 5 north. The 163 would not figure in to the trip from North Park to Carlsbad.

I have Sharp and am fine with it. I have also heard good things about Scripps so probably either would be fine.

Haven't tried Mexican dentists but I know there are many who swear by them. Same thing went on in AZ. People would cross the border for cheaper dental care.