Vaccinations for Vietnam: what you need before a dental trip

For Vietnam, health agencies advise that your routine vaccines are up to date, including measles (MMR), tetanus and polio. The US CDC also recommends hepatitis A and hepatitis B for unvaccinated travellers and typhoid for most travellers. Japanese encephalitis and rabies vaccines depend on how long you'll stay and what you'll do. No vaccine certificate is required to enter, and yellow fever vaccine isn't recommended.

Book a travel health appointment at least 4 to 6 weeks before you fly, as the NHS advises. If you're having dental surgery, tell the vaccination clinic your treatment dates, and tell your dentist which vaccines you've had.

Vaccinations for Vietnam at a glance

This table summarises the CDC's advice for Vietnam. A travel health professional will decide what you need based on your health, your history and your plans.

Vaccine	CDC advice for Vietnam	Who it's for
Routine vaccines	Be up to date before every trip	Everyone
Measles (MMR)	All international travellers should be fully vaccinated	Everyone
Hepatitis A	Recommended	Unvaccinated travellers aged 1 and over
Hepatitis B	Recommended	Unvaccinated travellers of all ages
Typhoid	Recommended	Most travellers
Japanese encephalitis	Depends on stay and activities	Long stays, frequent visits, rural trips
Rabies	Depends on animal exposure and access to care	Some travellers
Chikungunya	Generally not recommended
Yellow fever	Not recommended, not required for entry

Routine vaccines

Both the CDC and the UK's TravelHealthPro say to check that your routine vaccinations are up to date before you travel. TravelHealthPro advises UK travellers to have completed tetanus and polio courses according to the UK schedule, and recommends a tetanus booster for travel to places with limited medical facilities if your last dose was more than ten years ago.

The CDC says all international travellers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the MMR vaccine.

Hepatitis A and hepatitis B

The CDC recommends hepatitis A vaccine for unvaccinated travellers aged one year or older going to Vietnam.

It also recommends hepatitis B vaccine for unvaccinated travellers of all ages. Separately from vaccines, check how your clinic sterilises its instruments; our guide to dental sterilisation explains what to look for.

Typhoid

The CDC recommends typhoid vaccine for most travellers to Vietnam. It notes the vaccine is not 100% effective, so careful food and water habits and handwashing still matter.

Japanese encephalitis

UK travel advice lists Japanese encephalitis among the mosquito-borne diseases in Vietnam. The CDC recommends the vaccine for travellers moving to an affected area, staying a month or more, or travelling there often. It suggests considering it for shorter trips with higher-risk activities, such as rural stays or camping, and says it isn't recommended for short trips to urban areas. Most dental trips are city stays, so many patients won't need it, but ask if you plan countryside trips.

Rabies

The CDC says rabid dogs are sometimes found in Vietnam, and that rabies vaccines for use after an exposure are usually available in most of the country. Whether to have the vaccine before you travel depends on how much contact you'll have with animals and how quickly you could reach care. If an animal bites or scratches you, get medical advice promptly.

What isn't needed

• Yellow fever: the CDC says the vaccine is not recommended and not required for entry to Vietnam.
• Chikungunya: the CDC says vaccination is generally not recommended.
• Entry certificates: UK travel advice doesn't list any vaccination certificate as an entry requirement. It notes that a health declaration may include proof of vaccinations, so carry your vaccine record.

Dengue and mosquito bites

There's no vaccine for travellers that prevents dengue, the CDC says, and the UK advice lists dengue, Zika and Japanese encephalitis among the mosquito-borne risks in Vietnam. To prevent bites, the CDC recommends:

• insect repellent with 20% or more DEET
• clothing and gear treated with permethrin (not applied to skin)
• air-conditioned or screened rooms

When to book

The NHS advises seeing a travel health professional at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel. Some vaccines need more than one dose or time to build protection, so leaving it late can mean you're not fully protected when you fly. TravelHealthPro advises booking earlier if you have a health problem.

Weeks before you fly	What to do
8 or more	Check travel advice and book a travel health appointment
4 to 6	Have your vaccines, earlier if you need more than one dose
2 to 4	Confirm your dental dates and tell your dentist what you've had
Last week	Pack your vaccine record, repellent and regular medicines

Fitting vaccines around dental treatment

There's no single rule for timing vaccines and dental work, so ask both professionals. Practical points:

• The NHS advises not having a travel vaccination while you're unwell, including with a high temperature.
• Tell the person vaccinating you about any health conditions, pregnancy and medicines you take, and bring the medicines with you.
• Tell your dentist which vaccines you've had and when, especially before surgery such as dental implants or extractions.
• Plan your vaccinations at home before you fly, so your time in Vietnam is free for treatment and recovery. Planning your visits shows how long each treatment takes.

Cost and where to get them

In the UK, the NHS says hepatitis A, typhoid, cholera and polio (in the combined vaccine) are free at a GP surgery after a risk assessment. Hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis and rabies are usually paid for at a private travel clinic or a pharmacy with a travel health service. Other countries have their own arrangements, so ask your doctor.

Checklist

• Travel health appointment booked at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead
• Routine vaccines, including MMR, tetanus and polio, checked
• Hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid discussed
• Japanese encephalitis and rabies discussed if you'll stay long or visit the countryside
• Vaccine record packed
• Dentist told about your vaccines, and vaccination clinic told about your treatment dates
• Insect repellent packed

For entry rules, see visas and travel to Vietnam, and for the clinical side of treatment abroad, read is dental tourism safe?.