Gil Dental Clinic Founding and History

The founding of the first Gil Dental Clinic 

The first Gil Dental Clinic was founded by Dr. Lucas Gil Jiménez in 1981 in the then posh San Jose neighborhood of Los Yoses, right behind the business known as “Rio” restaurant. This neighborhood with it's tree lined streets and the home to many foreign ambassadors from all over the world, was also to become the home to the first Gil Dental Clinic.

The focus at inception for the dental clinic was very different to the concept that is the currently underway for the Gil Dental Clinic on the East side of the city and the new West side clinic. This first clinic was modest and it's location was not always easy for patients to find.  The only identifying sign was a small metal plaque neatly placed on the front door which identified its location. These were other times, where no one thought of displaying high tech signs to attract potential patients. Despite these conditions, during these early years the clinic always had a steady stream of patients due to our superior services.

In 1976, Dr. Gil graduated at the age of 23 with a degree in general dentistry from the University of Costa Rica. Five years later he graduated as a specialist in Prosthodontics with a Masters from the University of Indiana in the United States. According to Dr. Gil, having specialized at a young age has provided him with a great advantage in his professional career, but it was not always an easy road.

During the first three years as a specialist, Dr. Gil practiced in his clinic during the day as a specialist and in the evenings he would work out of his own dental laboratory. Within a short time he was able to hire part time help and as the demand for laboratory work grew, he hired full time help for the lab. Presently, Dr. Gil's laboratory has three full time dental technicians on staff. Thanks to his early efforts and long days the Gil Dental Clinic does not have the need to outsource laboratory pieces.