What is dental tourism, and how does it work in Vietnam?

Dental tourism, sometimes called a dental holiday, is travelling to another country for dental treatment. People do it to pay less than they would at home, to avoid long waiting lists, or to combine treatment with a visit to family. Overseas Vietnamese often book treatment during a trip home.

The treatment itself is the same as at home. What changes is the planning: you choose a clinic you can't easily visit first, the work has to fit into the time you have, and follow-up care happens thousands of kilometres away.

How a dental trip to Vietnam usually works

1. You send records to a few clinics. Recent X-rays, photos of your teeth and a short note about what's bothering you. Clinics use these to suggest a plan.
2. Each clinic sends a written plan and quote. A good plan lists every tooth, what will be done to it, how many visits it takes and what it costs.
3. You choose a clinic and book the dates. Many clinics ask for a deposit to hold appointments. Book flights only once the dates are fixed.
4. First visit: examination and scans. The dentist checks your mouth in person and takes new X-rays or a 3D scan. The plan can change at this point, so ask for any change in writing.
5. Treatment visits. Crowns and veneers usually need a few appointments over about a week. Implants often need a second trip a few months later.
6. Final check before you fly. Leave a day or two after the last appointment so the clinic can adjust anything that doesn't feel right.
7. Aftercare at home. You take your records home and follow the clinic's aftercare advice. Your dentist at home can check the work later.

Our guide to planning your visits explains how to space the appointments, and flying after dental treatment covers the trip home.

Which treatments people travel for

Most visiting patients come for work that costs a lot at home and takes several visits: dental implants, crowns and porcelain veneers. Some come for root canal treatment, orthodontics or teeth whitening, often alongside other work.

Where in Vietnam

Most clinics that treat international patients are in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Da Nang. The travel hub compares the regions, from weather to things to do between appointments.

How to start

Decide what you want treated, then gather recent X-rays and photos. Compare two or three clinics using the same records, and check each one's licence before you pay anything. Our guide to choosing a clinic lists what to check, and the trip planner matches your treatment, budget and dates with verified clinics.