Cambodia · Patient guidelines 2026

Cambodia dental tourism patient guidelines

By SmileJet Editorial Team · Updated May 2026 · Reviewed against published surgical protocols

Everything you need to know before, during, and after your Cambodia dental trip. Pre-travel checklist, medication rules, flying after surgery, soft food guidelines, insurance, records transfer, and what to do in an emergency.

Before you go During treatment After treatment FAQ

Before you go

Pre-travel checklist

Complete these steps before you book flights or confirm your clinic appointment.

Medical preparation

Get a current OPG X-ray from your home dentist

An OPG (panoramic X-ray) taken within the last 12 months is the most useful record to send in advance. Your Phnom Penh clinic will take a CBCT scan on arrival, but your home X-ray provides useful context on existing restorations and bone levels.
Disclose all medications to SmileJet at quote stage

Blood thinners, bisphosphonates, immunosuppressants, and diabetes medications all affect surgical timing or protocol. Disclose these early — not on arrival. Your clinic may need 2 weeks to liaise with your prescribing doctor.
Book a pre-travel dental check with your home dentist

Have any active infections or acute gum disease treated before travel. Cambodia clinics will decline elective treatment if active infection is present.
Arrange travel insurance with a dental tourism add-on

Standard travel insurance excludes planned dental treatment. Look for policies from Battleface or specialist medical tourism insurers that cover surgical complications.

Logistics preparation

Apply for your e-Visa 7 days before travel

Apply at the official Cambodian e-Visa portal (evisa.gov.kh) 7 days before departure. US$36, processed online. Australian, British, American, New Zealand, and Canadian passports are all eligible. Alternatively, Visa-on-Arrival is available at Phnom Penh International (US$30 cash + 1 photo).
Book flights with sufficient recovery time

For implant or All-on-4 surgery, do not book your return flight for fewer than 5 days after the surgical date. For veneers and crowns (no surgery), 1 day after final fitting is generally fine. When in doubt, book a flexible ticket and confirm the flight date with the clinic after treatment.
Confirm airport pickup with your clinic or coordinator

Most SmileJet Phnom Penh partner clinics offer complimentary airport pickup for international patients. Confirm this when you receive your booking confirmation. Your coordinator will send you a pick-up brief with a driver name and WhatsApp number before you land.
Carry USD cash or a low-fee travel card

Dental clinics in Cambodia invoice and accept payment in USD. Withdraw USD from ATMs in Phnom Penh or bring USD from home. Most partner clinics accept Mastercard and Visa with a 2–3% surcharge.

What to bring to Cambodia for dental treatment

Passport (valid 6+ months beyond travel dates)

Digital or printed OPG X-ray from your home dentist

List of all current medications with dosages

Travel insurance policy documents

USD cash and/or Mastercard/Visa

Soft toothbrush (for post-surgical use)

SmileJet confirmation documents and clinic address

Coordinator's WhatsApp number saved to your phone

Comfortable loose clothing (post-surgery, avoid tight collars)

During treatment

What to expect during your Phnom Penh appointment

At SmileJet partner clinics, every patient gets a written treatment plan before any procedure begins. Here is the standard flow.

Day 1: Consultation and imaging

Full clinical examination with your assigned dentist
CBCT cone beam scan (3D) and OPG panoramic X-ray
Review of records you brought from home
Written treatment plan with itemised costs — in USD
Discussion of timeline, number of visits, and what to expect
Ask for the implant brand, model, and batch number in writing

Surgery or treatment day

Arrive 15 minutes early — bring your passport
Confirm you have not eaten for 2 hours (local anaesthesia) or 6 hours (sedation)
Your coordinator waits with you and translates if needed
Do not drive after sedation — pre-book a Grab or PassApp
Accept the prescription medications given (antibiotics, analgesics)
Get the post-op instructions in writing before you leave

Days 2–5: Recovery in Phnom Penh

Use cold packs (wrapped) on the cheek for the first 24 hours
Soft cold foods for the first 48–72 hours
No rinsing vigorously or using a straw for 48 hours
Salt water rinse from day 2 (as instructed by clinic)
Attend the scheduled post-op check appointment
Contact coordinator immediately if bleeding does not stop or you have a fever above 38°C

Soft food guide for Phnom Penh recovery

Cambodia is an excellent recovery food destination. Below are foods widely available in Phnom Penh that are appropriate during post-surgical recovery, arranged by recovery phase.

Days 1–3 (cold / cold-soft only)

• Cold coconut water (anti-inflammatory)
• Cold smooth fruit smoothies
• Plain cold yoghurt
• Cold congee (jok)
• Cold tofu
• Chilled banana

Days 4–10 (warm-soft)

• Steamed fish amok (boneless)
• Warm congee with egg
• Soft rice porridge
• Scrambled eggs
• Soft mashed pumpkin
• Warm bone broth

Weeks 2–6 (semi-soft)

• Soft noodle soups (no hard toppings)
• Rice with soft protein
• Ripe tropical fruit (mango, papaya)
• Soft cooked vegetables
• Eggs any style
• Avoid: nuts, crusty bread, hard raw veg

After treatment

Going home: aftercare and follow-up

What to do when you return home, what records to hand to your home dentist, and what symptoms to watch for.

Records to bring home

Written treatment summary

Full description of all procedures performed, materials used, and post-operative instructions.
Implant brand, model and batch number

Critical for any future implant work or complication management at home. Keep this permanently.
Post-treatment X-rays

OPG and periapical X-rays taken at or after procedure. Brings your home dentist up to speed instantly.
Clinic contact details

English-speaking coordinator WhatsApp and clinic email for your home dentist to liaise with if needed.
Prescription and medication list

In case you need to reorder antibiotics or analgesics if complications arise after returning home.

Symptoms: when to act

Normal — do not be alarmed

•Mild swelling and bruising for 3–5 days
•Low-grade ache for 48–72 hours post-surgery
•Slight bleeding at the surgical site for up to 24 hours
•Mild sensitivity around adjacent teeth for 1–2 weeks

Contact coordinator immediately

•Bleeding that does not stop after applying firm pressure for 20 minutes
•Fever above 38°C (100.4°F) after day 2
•Severe, worsening pain after day 3 (may indicate dry socket)
•Visible implant exposure or loosening of a crown/prosthetic
•Pus or unusual discharge from the surgical site

Go to A&E immediately

•Difficulty breathing or swallowing
•Rapidly spreading facial swelling
•High fever with neck stiffness or confusion
•Signs of anaphylaxis (rash, throat tightness, collapse)

Follow-up schedule with your home dentist

2–4 weeks after return

Check-up appointment. Show your home dentist the Cambodia treatment summary and X-rays. They confirm healing and flag any concerns early.

3–4 months (implant cases)

Osseointegration check. Your home dentist takes a periapical X-ray to confirm bone integration. If satisfactory, you book the second Cambodia visit for crown placement.

Annual thereafter

Standard annual hygiene and implant check. Report your implant brand and batch number so it is recorded in your home dental records permanently.

Emergency contacts

Emergency contacts for Cambodia dental patients

First contact for all dental issues

SmileJet coordinator

WhatsApp (sent in booking confirmation)

8am–8pm Cambodia time. WhatsApp escalation after hours.

Emergency services

Cambodia ambulance

Call 119

Life-threatening emergencies only.

A&E / hospitalisation

Calmette Hospital

Phnom Penh (French-run)

Best emergency hospital for international patients. Boulevard Monivong.

A&E / hospitalisation

Royal Phnom Penh Hospital

Phnom Penh International

English-speaking staff. Samaki Blvd.

FAQ

Patient guidelines: common questions

When can I fly after dental implant surgery in Cambodia?

SmileJet guidelines and published surgical protocols recommend waiting a minimum of 48–72 hours after single implant placement before flying. For All-on-4 (full arch surgery), we recommend a minimum 5-day stay before your outbound flight. The reason is post-surgical pressure change risk: cabin pressure drops can aggravate swelling and, in rare cases, displace a blood clot. Your Phnom Penh clinic will give you a written clearance note specifying the minimum days before flight. Do not book outbound flights sooner than the clinic recommends.

What should I tell my home dentist before I leave?

Before leaving for Cambodia, inform your home dentist that you are having dental work abroad and ask them to make a current OPG X-ray available. This lets the Phnom Penh clinic baseline your bone levels and existing restorations. After treatment, bring home: (1) a full written treatment summary, (2) the implant brand name, model, and batch number for any implants placed, (3) post-operative X-rays, and (4) the clinic's contact details for follow-up. SmileJet partner clinics provide all of this in a printed and digital discharge pack.

What medications should I stop before dental surgery?

Tell your Phnom Penh clinic about ALL medications, supplements, and vitamins at consultation. Critical to disclose: blood thinners (warfarin, aspirin, clopidogrel, DOACs like apixaban/rivaroxaban) — these must typically be paused 5–7 days pre-surgery under your prescribing doctor's guidance. Also disclose: bisphosphonates (for osteoporosis), SSRI antidepressants, immunosuppressants, and diabetes medications. Do not self-discontinue prescription medications without your home GP's approval. Your Phnom Penh clinic will send you a pre-surgical questionnaire 2 weeks before your first appointment.

What is the soft food guideline after implants or All-on-4 in Cambodia?

After implant surgery or All-on-4 placement: days 1–3, cold soft foods only (yoghurt, smoothies, cold soup). Days 4–10, warm soft foods (scrambled eggs, fish, soft rice). Weeks 2–6, semi-soft foods — avoid biting hard or crunchy foods on the surgical side. No hard foods (nuts, hard bread, raw carrot) for the full osseointegration period. Cambodia is excellent for recovery food: fresh coconut water (cold, anti-inflammatory), congee, steamed fish amok, and ripe tropical fruit are all appropriate soft recovery foods widely available in Phnom Penh.

Is travel insurance required for dental tourism in Cambodia?

SmileJet strongly recommends it. Standard travel insurance policies do NOT cover planned dental treatment — you need a policy with a dental tourism or medical tourism add-on. Providers that cover dental tourism include: Battleface, SafetyWing (with dental add-on), and specialist medical tourism insurers. What you are covering: surgical complications requiring hospitalisation, anaphylaxis or anaesthesia reaction, and trip cancellation due to medical grounds. The SmileJet guarantee (re-treatment coordination at no platform fee) is not an insurance product and does not replace travel insurance.

How do I send my X-rays and records to a Phnom Penh clinic in advance?

SmileJet partner clinics accept digital X-rays by email (JPEG, TIFF, DICOM). The simplest method: ask your home dentist for a digital copy of your OPG (panoramic X-ray) and any periapical films on a USB or via email. Send these to SmileJet at the time of quote request — we forward them to the shortlisted clinic with your consent. For implant cases, the clinic will want at minimum a recent (within 12 months) OPG X-ray. A full CBCT scan will be taken in Phnom Penh at the first appointment; home X-rays are supplementary context, not a replacement.

What happens if I need emergency dental care in Cambodia?

Contact your SmileJet Phnom Penh coordinator first — they are available 8am–8pm local time with WhatsApp escalation for out-of-hours emergencies. Your coordinator will triage and book same-day emergency access at your partner clinic or an alternative partner if needed. For life-threatening emergencies (anaphylaxis, airway issues), go directly to Calmette Hospital (Phnom Penh, French-run), Royal Phnom Penh Hospital, or call 119 (Cambodia ambulance). SmileJet partner clinics all have emergency telephone lines available to their patients.

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