Representatives of some dental clinics are learning new techniques at a launching ceremony of dental tourism in HCMC
At the launching ceremony jointly organized by the Vietnam Dental Tourism Organization and the HCMC Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, three service packages were introduced with cost from a mere VND1 million to VND70 million, providing visitors with general dental check-up, X-ray, teeth cleaning and whitening, and applying porcelain veneers to teeth.
There is also a high-quality permanent porcelain veneer service costing VND200 million.
“At first, we will focus on services which take less time, about 30 minutes, and will offer hi-tech services later,” said Vo Van Nhan, director of Nhan Tam Dental Clinic.
Clinics in HCMC can implement complicated operations such as gum and bone graft, and teeth implantation, Nhan added.
The Vietnam Dental Tourism Organization has 14 dental clinics attracting 250,000 patients a year with 25% of them being foreigners and Vietnamese living overseas. The organization’s membership will increase to 50 clinics able to serve 850,000 patients next year and 56 clinics with 3.5 million visitors in 2020.
In addition, the tourism sector has launched a dental tour combining teeth cleaning service and a visit to HCMC, another tour which offers the foresaid services and a visit to Tien Giang Province, and a tour including teeth cleaning service and sightseeing in HCMC, Mui Ne, Hanoi or Sapa.
Travel companies also want dental clinics to provide cost- and time-saving teeth cleaning services to tourists, especially those from Europe, who have much free time while waiting for hotel check-in.
Phan Kim Ngoc, head of the HCMC office of AMICA Travel Company, said the company has offered massage and nail services at no charge to their customers and expects to cooperate with clinics to provide low-cost dental services.
Dental tourism has been identified as one of HCMC’s main medical tourism products which the city is keen to develop to attract more tourists.
SGT
