Travelling solo for dental work

Plenty of people travel alone for dental treatment, whether for veneers (dán sứ veneer), whitening (tẩy trắng răng), Invisalign or implants (trồng răng implant). Travelling alone is very doable; it just needs a little more planning around transport, recovery and who to call if something goes wrong.

For reference, Picasso's published Hanoi prices include porcelain veneers from 9,000,000 VND (about US$350) per tooth, in-office whitening at 6,000,000 VND (about US$230) and a single implant with crown from 30,000,000 VND (about US$1,160). Compare with a written quote from your own dentist.

Staying safe in Hanoi as a solo woman

Check your government's current travel advice before you go. Then use the same habits you would in any big city:

Before you book, read our dental tourism scams and red flags guide.

Where the clinics are, and where to stay

Choose your clinic first, then stay nearby to keep journeys short on treatment days.

Grab, taxis and getting around at night

1. Use a ride-hailing app after dark. Grab shows the driver and plate before pickup. The clinic says Grab drivers know "16 Phố Châu Long" and "Westlake Square".
2. Take a car rather than a motorbike taxi at night, and always on treatment days.
3. Share your trip with someone each time you ride alone after dark.

Solo dental appointments: what to expect

• Language: Picasso says English and Vietnamese are spoken at every branch, with German on request. SmileJet can pass on messages in English, Russian or Vietnamese.
• Records first: expect your X-rays or scans to be reviewed and explained before treatment starts.
• Ask for a chaperone if you would like one present; it is a reasonable request anywhere.
• You control the pace. Agree a signal to pause before treatment begins.
• Payment: Picasso accepts VND cash, Vietnamese bank transfer, Visa and Mastercard, and offers international patients instalments across visits.

Sedation alone: what to know

Do not have sedation with nobody to take you back to your accommodation and check on you. That applies anywhere.

For Picasso specifically: its contact page sends "surgical implants and All-on-4 with sedation" to its Vinmec Da Nang branch, and nothing says either Hanoi branch sedates. If you want sedation, ask SmileJet to check with the clinic before you book. Most routine treatment, such as fillings, crowns and veneers, is done under local anaesthetic, which you can manage alone.

For after-hours contacts, see the Hanoi dental emergency guide.

Your cycle, medicines and timing surgery

When planning extractions, implants or other surgery, tell the dentist about your cycle and every medicine you take, including hormonal contraception, supplements and blood thinners. If you are or might be pregnant, say so before any X-ray. The dentist can then advise on timing for your case. If you are flying soon after surgery, ask your doctor about reducing the risk of blood clots on the flight.

Recovering alone: food, check-ins, pharmacy

Recovery days are where solo travel gets quietly hard. Set things up in advance.

Food

Food delivery apps make soft-food days easy. Soft local options include rice porridge (cháo) and noodle soup broth (phở). Follow your dentist's advice on what and when to eat, and on avoiding straws after an extraction.

Pharmacy

Pharmacies (nhà thuốc) are easy to find. Take only what your dentist prescribes or recommends.

Check-ins

Before a surgery day, ask your accommodation's front desk to call your room the next morning, and give them the clinic's phone number. Agree a daily message time with someone at home.

Rest

Plan nothing important on treatment days. Picasso's trip lengths give you some slack: 3 to 5 days for veneers or whitening, 5 to 7 days for crowns and bridges.

Cultural tips

• Temples and pagodas: cover shoulders and knees. Pack a light scarf.
• Greetings: a smile and a slight nod work well.
• Clinic clothing: wear something comfortable and skip heavy jewellery, which gets in the way of X-rays.

Emergency contact plan

1. Share your itinerary with someone at home: accommodation, clinic, flights.
2. Agree a daily check-in time. Silence is the signal to follow up.
3. Register with your government's travel registration service if it has one.
4. Check your travel insurance; many policies exclude complications of planned treatment. See our travel insurance guide.
5. Save these numbers: 115 (ambulance), 113 (police), your clinic, your accommodation, your embassy and your insurer's assistance line.
6. Carry a paper card with your accommodation, clinic and passport number, in case your phone is lost.

The two Hanoi clinics SmileJet lists

Both are branches of Picasso Dental Clinic (Nha khoa Picasso), and both are featured partners, a commercial listing relationship and not a clinical endorsement. Picasso no longer publishes its dentists' names; it says it assigns each case by procedure, so ask who will treat you.

Frequently asked questions