Dental Tourism
Glowcation 2026:
Three Vietnam Dental Itineraries
with Full Pricing
A glowcation combines a holiday with cosmetic or dental upgrades you have been putting off because of home-country pricing. Vietnam works because dental is 70 to 85 percent cheaper and the surrounding trip is also low cost. Three itineraries, real numbers, no hype.
The short version
- A glowcation combines a holiday with a dental or wellness procedure, leveraging destination pricing that is 70 to 85 percent cheaper than home-country costs.
- Itinerary 1: 8 Emax veneers + 14 days in Da Nang, approximately AUD $8,000 total. Same veneers in Sydney alone cost AUD $20,000 to $24,000.
- Itinerary 2: 3 implants + Hanoi culture (10 days, return trip for crowns), approximately AUD $10,600 total across both trips.
- Itinerary 3: Whitening + cleaning + 7 days in Hoi An, approximately AUD $2,700 total, comparable to a domestic Australian short trip.
- Three filters to verify any clinic: written treatment plan before payment, branded materials by name, international Google reviews from the past two years.
What a glowcation actually is
The category is not new but the name is. Previously called "medical tourism" or "dental tourism," the rebrand to "glowcation" reflects a framing shift: you are not flying to a clinic, you are flying on a holiday that happens to include a procedure. Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, and Mexico are the four most common destinations. Vietnam is particularly well suited for dental because the savings are large (70 to 85 percent) and the surrounding trip is also cheap. Food, transport, and accommodation all cost one-third to half of Western prices.
Most cosmetic dental work fits a 10 to 14 day trip. Veneers require two visits over 5 to 8 days. Crown sets require two visits over 5 to 14 days. Single implant placement fits in a 10-day first trip, with crown placement on a return visit 4 to 6 months later. Procedures not suitable for a single trip are multi-tooth implant cases requiring osseointegration across multiple sites, which need two separate trips.
Itinerary 1: 8 veneers + Da Nang beach (14 days)
This is the most popular glowcation profile for cosmetic-focused patients. The dental phase fits comfortably into a beach holiday, with the laboratory fabrication phase (days 5 to 7) providing a natural window for tourism.
Dental timeline: Day 1-2, consultation and treatment plan. Day 3-4, veneer preparation and temporary veneers placed. Days 5-7, lab phase, no clinic visits. Day 8, try-in of permanent Emax veneers. Days 9-10, permanent cementation. Days 11-14, optional cleaning and lower whitening, final review, records exported.
Full per-person cost (Australian patient, 2026 rates): 8 Emax veneers plus whitening approximately AUD $4,800. Return flights approximately AUD $1,000. 14 nights accommodation (4-star beach hotel) approximately AUD $1,500. Meals, transport, and activities approximately AUD $700. Trip total: approximately AUD $8,000. Same 8 veneers in Sydney alone: AUD $20,000 to $24,000. Net saving: AUD $12,000 to $16,000, and the two-week holiday costs nothing net.
"Making the decision to go to Hanoi and have the dental treatment done by Picasso was one of the best decisions I have taken for a long time. I not only received top class dental care, it was so cost effective in comparison to having all this work undertaken at an Australian dental practice."
Gerald Mair, Hanoi Old Quarter
Itinerary 2: 3 implants + Hanoi culture (10 days, return visit)
For patients needing back-tooth replacement who want cultural immersion between appointments. Implant surgery takes approximately 90 minutes. The 4 to 6 month osseointegration period becomes a natural return trip to Vietnam for crown placement.
Trip 1 dental timeline: Day 1-2, consultation and CBCT 3D scan. Day 3, 3 Osstem implants placed with healing abutments and provisional teeth. Day 4 post-op review. Days 5-9, no clinic, tourism and recovery. Day 10, final review and fitness-to-fly note.
Trip 2 (4 to 6 months later, 5 to 7 days): Permanent crowns placed on integrated implants. Two visits one week apart. Many patients combine with a Halong Bay or Sapa side trip.
Full combined cost (both trips): 3 Osstem implants approximately AUD $4,800. 3 crowns on implants approximately AUD $1,300. Flights for two trips approximately AUD $2,000. Accommodation 17 nights total approximately AUD $1,500. Meals and transport approximately AUD $1,000. Total approximately AUD $10,600. Same 3 implants plus crowns in Sydney: AUD $18,000 to $24,000.
Itinerary 3: whitening + cleaning + Hoi An (7 days, short trip)
The lowest-effort glowcation profile for patients with no major dental needs who want a quick cosmetic boost. Picasso Da Nang is 30 minutes from Hoi An, making this a clean day-trip arrangement.
Dental timeline: Day 2, consultation and X-rays at Picasso Da Nang. Day 3, professional cleaning and scaling. Day 4, in-office Zoom laser whitening (90 minutes). Day 5, take-home whitening trays fitted. Day 6, final review and shade photos.
Full per-person cost: Cleaning plus Zoom whitening plus take-home kit approximately AUD $440. Return flights approximately AUD $1,000. 7 nights in Hoi An approximately AUD $700. Meals, transport, and activities approximately AUD $500. Trip total: approximately AUD $2,700. A comparable 7-day Australian domestic trip with whitening would cost AUD $3,000-plus. Vietnam is cost-comparable and you get Hoi An instead of a domestic destination.
Ready to plan your glowcation? Send your X-ray and a brief description of what you need. A licensed dentist replies within 24 hours with a personalised plan and confirmed appointment slots.
Contact Picasso Dental →How to plan a glowcation correctly
- Get the dental plan first, flights second. Send your X-ray 6 to 8 weeks before your intended travel date and get confirmed appointment slots in writing. Book flights only after receiving those slots. Booking flights first is the most common dental tourism mistake.
- Pick the destination by procedure, not vice versa. Da Nang suits veneer and crown patients wanting beach recovery. Hanoi suits implant patients wanting cultural immersion between visits. HCMC suits full-mouth or complex cases.
- Build a 2 to 3 day buffer for surgical procedures. If everything goes perfectly, the buffer is leisure time. If a complication develops, the buffer absorbs the extra visit without forcing a flight change. Picasso provides documentation for travel insurance if needed.
- Verify the clinic with three filters. Written treatment plan with itemised price before work starts. Branded materials by name. Google reviews from international patients in the past two years. Any clinic failing one of these is a clinic to avoid.
- Carry your dental records home. Picasso exports treatment notes, X-rays, material warranties, and photos in English at the end of every trip. Your home dentist needs these for 6-monthly recall without needing extra investigation.
Before
AfterFull rehabilitation, Hanoi Old Quarter
Before
AfterPorcelain crowns, Da Nang
Before
AfterCrown and implant, HCMC Thao Dien
Before
AfterCrown restoration, Hanoi Westlake
Before
AfterSmile restoration, Da Nang Flagship
Frequently asked questions
What is a glowcation?
A glowcation is a trip that combines a holiday with wellness or cosmetic upgrades you have been putting off at home because of cost or time. Vietnam is well suited for dental glowcations because dental work costs 70 to 85 percent less than in Australia, the UK, or the US, and the surrounding trip (flights, accommodation, food) is also substantially cheaper.
What dental procedures fit a single glowcation trip?
Procedures completable in 10 to 21 days: porcelain veneers (2 visits over 5 to 8 days), single crowns or crown sets, root canal plus crown sequence, single implant placement (crown on a return visit at 4 to 6 months). Procedures not suitable for a single trip: multi-tooth implant work requiring full osseointegration on multiple sites, which requires two trips.
How much can I save on a Vietnam dental glowcation?
For 8 Emax veneers: Picasso price approximately AUD $4,800. Sydney price AUD $20,000 to $24,000. Adding flights, accommodation, and meals for 14 nights brings total Vietnam trip cost to approximately AUD $8,000. Saving: AUD $12,000 to $16,000 and a two-week holiday at no net cost.
Which Vietnamese city is best for a dental glowcation?
Da Nang suits first-time dental tourists: beach recovery, Hoi An nearby, easy airport. Hanoi Old Quarter suits implant patients who want cultural immersion between appointments. Ho Chi Minh City suits full-mouth or complex cases with more metropolitan amenities.
How do I start planning a glowcation?
Send your most recent dental X-ray and a brief description of what you want done to the contact form at picassodental.vn/contact/. A licensed dentist replies within 24 hours with a written treatment plan, recommended trip length, branch recommendation, and confirmed appointment slots. Book flights only after receiving confirmed appointment slots.
Is dental glowcation safe?
At established clinics with verified standards, yes. Picasso Dental has treated 70,000-plus patients from 65-plus countries since 2013 using the same brand-name materials (Nobel Biocare, Straumann, Lava, Emax) used in Western private practice. Three filters to verify any clinic: written treatment plan before payment, branded materials by name on request, Google reviews from international patients in the past two years.
What happens if I need follow-up care after returning home?
For most glowcation procedures, only standard 6-monthly recall at your home dentist is needed. Picasso provides complete English treatment records (notes, X-rays, material warranties) for your home dentist. For implants requiring osseointegration, the second-stage crown visit happens on a return trip. Picasso warranties of 5 to 10 years are honoured at any branch.
How do I avoid bad dental tourism outcomes?
Three filters catch most problem clinics: 1) Written treatment plan with itemised price before work starts. 2) Branded materials specified by name (Nobel Biocare for implants, Lava/Emax for crowns). 3) Google reviews from international patients in the past two years. Any clinic that fails one of these three is one to avoid.
Start Here
Start with a brief.
Send your X-ray and what you want done. We plan the itinerary, confirm slots, and reply within 24 hours. No obligation.