In a striking irony, Los Algodones' street promoters are almost all individuals deported from the U.S. Their fluent American English and cultural familiarity—traits from the country that rejected them—are leveraged as key assets to build rapport and trust with American dental tourists, making them ideal for their roles.

To bypass stringent Western regulations, medical pioneers are establishing operations in Special Economic Zones. By striking deals with governments for more flexible rules, these zones, like the one in Roatán, Honduras, become crucial testbeds for controversial interventions like gene therapy.

Instead of launching a marketing campaign to fix its poor reputation, Oklahoma City focused on fundamentally improving its quality of life. This demonstrates that authentic branding follows a superior product—a lesson applicable to cities and businesses alike.

To overcome tourist skepticism before formal oversight, Molar City's founders established an amateur judicial system: the "Office of Defense of the Tourists." This allowed patients to file complaints against dentists, who could be forced to issue refunds for bad work, thereby building a crucial reputation for accountability.

Los Algodones' success is a direct result of a systemic flaw in U.S. healthcare: the historical and ongoing separation of dentistry from general medicine. This division creates separate insurance and high costs, making dental care prohibitively expensive and creating a large market of "dental refugees" seeking affordable care abroad.

OKC transformed its economy by investing in quality of life amenities through a sales tax. This attracted residents first, proving that a city's livability is a primary driver of economic growth, rather than direct business incentives.

The business model of Los Algodones highlights a stark border reality. Americans cross into Mexico with ease to spend money, while local workers like Alberto, a deportee, can see their former U.S. homes but are permanently barred from crossing back. This illustrates a profoundly unequal, one-way economic and social flow.

Instead of creating a tech sector from scratch, the most effective path is to identify and invest in tech niches adjacent to a city's existing industries (e.g., Energy Tech for an oil town). This leverages existing talent, infrastructure, and supply chains, making the transition more natural and sustainable.

To combat American fears about Mexico, clinics in Los Algodones engage in "performative safety." This includes creating an overwhelming smell of sanitizer, hiring American English speakers to sit in waiting rooms, and ensuring a visible police presence—all to make foreign tourists feel comfortable and secure.