Vietnamese dental education follows a 6-year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) program – equivalent in structure to Australian and UK dental degrees. Specialist training (oral surgery, prosthodontics, orthodontics, endodontics) adds a further 2–3 year residency at a university hospital. Understanding this structure helps patients interpret the credentials they see on clinic websites and walls.
Vietnamese dental degree structure
The Bachelor of Dental Surgery from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Ho Chi Minh City (UMP HCMC) or Hanoi Medical University is a 6-year program following Vietnamese secondary education. Graduates receive a BDS equivalent and must register with the Vietnamese Ministry of Health to practice. The degree is recognised for graduate-level training by dental boards in Australia, France, and several other countries, though direct re-registration without additional training is jurisdiction-specific.
Specialist designations
In Vietnam, dental specialists hold either a Specialist Level II degree (the highest domestic level) or an international postgraduate qualification. The relevant specialities for dental tourism cases are:
- Oral Maxillofacial Surgery (OMS) – the surgical speciality for implant placement, bone grafts, sinus lifts, and extractions. Look for this credential for implant cases.
- Prosthodontics – the restorative speciality for crowns, bridges, dentures, and full-arch prosthetics. Look for this credential for All-on-4 / All-on-6 prosthetic planning and veneer cases.
- Endodontics – root canal specialists. Relevant if your case involves microscope-assisted root canal treatment.
International training at Da Nang clinics
Several Da Nang lead clinicians completed postgraduate training or observership periods at international centres – France (particularly Strasbourg for prosthodontics and implantology), South Korea (Osstem Training Institute), and Australia (RACDS-affiliated observership programs). SmileJet verifies the international training claims during the audit by reviewing certificates and confirming with the training institutions where possible.
What SmileJet verifies
For every Da Nang clinic in the verified network, SmileJet reviews: BDS degree certificate for lead general dentists, specialist degree or residency certificate for oral surgeons and prosthodontists, Vietnamese Ministry of Health registration (current), and case log discussion during the on-site audit covering treatment volume and case complexity. A prosthodontist with 50 All-on-4 cases has a materially different risk profile from a general dentist doing their fifth.
Questions to ask before booking
- Which clinician will perform my surgery? What is their speciality? (Oral surgeon for implant placement, prosthodontist for prosthetic planning)
- How many cases of my type have they performed in the past 12 months?
- Can I see a redacted case from a patient with similar anatomy and treatment scope?
- Do they have CBCT on-site for my implant case?
- Are they Vietnamese Ministry of Health registered? (All legitimate practitioners are.)
SmileJet answers all of these questions for every clinic in the verified network before the patient submits a quote request.