Dental implants in Thailand or Vietnam: how to compare them

Dental implants in Thailand or Vietnam can both work well, and the right choice depends on the clinic more than the country. Both countries have clinics that treat international patients, and standards vary from clinic to clinic in each. What separates the two for an implant patient is practical: how easily you can make two trips, how long the entry rules let you stay, what the official advice says about healthcare and medicines, and who looks after the implant once you are home.

This guide compares Thailand and Vietnam on those points, using UK government travel advice for both, and lists the checks that matter in either country. It doesn't compare prices, because there is no reliable source for country averages and prices depend on the clinic and the treatment.

The short answer

• Choose the clinic first. Compare written plans from two or three clinics, in one country or both.
• Plan for two trips. Implants usually need a first trip to place the implant and a second, 3 to 6 months later, for the crown.
• Check entry rules for your passport. UK advice gives British citizens up to 30 days visa-free for tourism in Thailand, and up to 45 days visa-free or a 90-day e-visa in Vietnam.
• Check your medicines. Vietnam has a 7-day limit on some prescribed medicines.
• Agree follow-up care. Implants were among the treatments UK dentists most often had to follow up after treatment abroad.

Thailand and Vietnam compared

	Thailand	Vietnam
Entry for British citizens (UK advice)	Up to 30 days visa-free, for tourism only	Up to 45 days visa-free, or a 90-day e-visa with multiple entries
Before arrival	Digital arrival card, online, within 3 days before arrival	Apply for the e-visa if you need it; use the entry point you chose
Passport validity	At least 6 months from arrival, 1 blank page	At least 6 months from arrival, 2 blank pages
Ambulance	191 or 1669	115
UK advice on healthcare	Private hospitals of a high standard but can be expensive; public facilities don't always meet UK standards, especially outside Bangkok	Check your destination can provide the healthcare you may need; the FCDO lists providers where some staff speak English
Payment	Hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treating patients	Check your insurance covers full medical costs
Medicines	Rules on some medicines can differ from the UK's; avoid street-sold medicines	Illegal to have more than 7 days of prescribed addictive or psychotropic medicine; many medicines are fake
Where clinics are	Check each clinic's location	Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang and Nha Trang

Entry rules depend on your nationality and change from time to time. Check the official advice for your own passport before you book.

Two trips change the comparison

An implant is usually placed in one trip and given its crown in another, several months later, once it has healed into the bone. Dental implants explains each stage. That means the questions are:

• Can I reach this country twice without too much cost or time off?
• Does the entry rule cover the length of each trip? Thailand's 30-day visa exemption covers a typical implant trip for British citizens. Vietnam's 45 days visa-free, or a 90-day multiple-entry e-visa, also does.
• If I need a bone graft or several implants, will the first trip be longer?
• Will the same surgeon see me on the second trip?

Planning your visits shows how long each trip usually takes.

Checks that matter in either country

The clinic decides most of the outcome. The Oral Health Foundation suggests asking every clinic:

• Who will carry out my treatment, and what are their qualifications?
• Are they registered with a professional regulator?
• Is the treatment guaranteed, and for how long?
• Is follow-up care included in the price?
• Who pays for extra travel, accommodation or corrective work if something goes wrong?

For implants, also ask:

• Which implant system do you use, and can I have its details for my records?
• Will you take a 3D scan before planning the implant?
• How many trips will I need, and how long is each one?
• What happens if the implant doesn't heal, and who pays for the repeat treatment?

In Vietnam, a verified clinic on VietDentalTrip has shown us its operating licence, its lead dentist's practising certificate and its address. How we verify clinics explains each check, and choosing a clinic covers what to look for anywhere.

Follow-up care after you fly home

In a 2022 British Dental Association survey of 1,000 UK dentists, implants were the treatment second most likely to need follow-up work after treatment abroad, at 85 percent, just behind crowns at 87 percent. The Oral Health Foundation notes that being far from home makes problems harder to deal with.

Whichever country you choose:

• Take home your X-rays, scans, treatment notes and the implant details.
• Ask what the warranty covers, for how long, and how to claim from home.
• Ask who to contact if something goes wrong between trips.
• Tell your dentist at home about the treatment before you go.

Is dental tourism safe? covers the wider risks and how to reduce them.

Health, insurance and medicines

UK travel advice for both countries recommends travel insurance that covers local medical treatment and medical evacuation. For Thailand it notes that hospitals require a guarantee of payment before treating patients. For Vietnam it says the British Embassy doesn't pay medical bills.

If you take regular medicines, check the rules before you travel. UK advice says it's illegal to have more than 7 days of prescribed addictive or psychotropic medicine in Vietnam, and recommends carrying your prescription and a doctor's letter. For Thailand, it says the legal status of some medicines can differ from the UK and warns that street-sold medicines may be fake.

How to decide

1. Ask your dentist at home what treatment you need, and get copies of your X-rays.
2. Send the same X-rays to two or three clinics, in Thailand, Vietnam or both, and ask for itemised written plans.
3. Compare the plans, the surgeon's experience, the number of trips and the follow-up offer.
4. Check entry rules, flights and insurance for both trips.
5. Choose the clinic, then book flights around its treatment dates.

What is the best country for dental tourism? covers the same decision across more destinations. If Vietnam is on your list, plan your trip to get written quotes from up to three verified clinics.