Your First Visit to Picasso Dental Clinic: What to Expect

A first dental appointment in another country sounds daunting, but at Picasso Dental Clinic it is designed to be calm, clear and unhurried. From the moment you arrive, the visit follows a predictable sequence: an English-speaking welcome at reception, a diagnostic exam, any imaging your case calls for, a sit-down consultation about the findings, and a written, itemised quote you can take away and think about. Picasso has served more than 70,000 patients from over 62 countries since 2013, so a nervous first-timer from abroad is exactly the kind of patient the team sees every day. This guide walks you through that first visit, step by step, so you know what to expect before you ever open the door, and for the days that follow it sits alongside a day-by-day Picasso Dental treatment itinerary.

What happens when you arrive at reception?

Your first visit begins at reception, and the single most reassuring thing for an international patient is that you will be greeted in English. Picasso delivers care in English and Vietnamese, so you are not left miming symptoms or relying on a translation app. You will be asked to complete a short medical and dental history — current medications, allergies, past treatments and the reason for your visit — which gives the dentist the context they need to treat you safely.

It is worth arriving a little early and allowing extra time for this first appointment so nothing feels rushed. Hanoi branches are open Monday to Sunday, 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM, which makes it easy to find a slot that fits around a travel itinerary. If you sent photographs or recent X-rays ahead of your trip, the team will already have a preliminary view of your case, which makes the in-person visit faster and calmer. Our guide to Picasso Dental's English-speaking care explains how language support runs through every stage of treatment, not just the welcome.

What does the diagnostic exam and imaging involve?

Once your history is taken, the dentist carries out a diagnostic exam. A standard consultation and exam is 200,000 VND (roughly US$8 / A$12), and children's exams are free. This is a clinical look at your teeth, gums and bite — the foundation for everything that follows. Crucially, nothing irreversible happens at this stage; the exam is about understanding your mouth, not committing you to a procedure, and the same instruments and surfaces are prepared to Picasso Dental's sterilization, safety and hygiene standards.

Depending on what the dentist sees, they may recommend imaging to get a clearer picture. Picasso's diagnostic tools are the kind a serious clinic should have, and each is priced separately so you only pay for what your case actually needs:

• Panoramic X-ray (OPG) — 300,000 VND (roughly US$12 / A$18). A single wide image of your whole jaw, useful for wisdom teeth, general assessment and spotting issues below the gum line.
• Conebeam CT (3D scan) — 600,000 VND (roughly US$24 / A$36). A three-dimensional scan that is especially valuable for planning implants and assessing bone.
• iTero digital scan — 2,000,000 VND (roughly US$78 / A$120). A digital scanner that captures your teeth without messy traditional impressions, supporting crowns, veneers and aligner planning.

These USD and AUD conversions are approximate and exchange rates fluctuate, so treat them as a guide rather than a fixed price. The point of imaging is accuracy: it lets the dentist plan precisely and show you the evidence behind any recommendation. For a fuller look at the equipment behind these scans, see our overview of Picasso Dental's technology and equipment standards.

What is the consultation conversation like?

After the exam and any imaging, you sit down with the dentist for the consultation — the heart of the first visit. This is where the findings are explained in plain language: what is healthy, what needs attention, and what your options are. Good clinicians present choices rather than ultimatums, and they should be happy to talk you through the trade-offs between different approaches, materials and timelines.

The measure of a good first visit is not how fast you are pushed toward treatment, but how clearly you understand your own mouth and your options by the time you leave.

This is the moment to ask questions — every question. How urgent is the work? What happens if you wait? Which option lasts longest? What does each appointment involve? Many of these come up so often that we have gathered them in Picasso Dental's treatment FAQ. The consultation is also where you raise practical concerns about being an overseas patient, such as how many visits a plan needs and whether anything must be finished before you fly home. Because Picasso treats a large international caseload, these are familiar conversations for the team rather than awkward ones.

You are under no obligation to decide on the spot. A first consultation is meant to inform, not pressure: you can take the findings away, weigh the options against your budget and travel dates, and come back with follow-up questions. If you want a second opinion on anything significant, a reputable clinic will respect that. The aim is for you to feel genuinely confident in the plan before any treatment begins.

How do you get a written itemised quote?

One of the most reassuring parts of the first visit is that you leave with a written, itemised quote in Vietnamese dong for the proposed treatment. Rather than a single lump sum, an itemised quote breaks the plan into individual items — each crown, filling, extraction or implant — so you can see exactly what you are paying for and why.

Picasso publishes prices for its main treatments, which means the quote is not pulled from thin air; it is built on a transparent price list. A few representative figures (approximate conversions; rates fluctuate) give a sense of the scale: a single zirconia crown is 7,000,000 VND (roughly US$275 / A$415) per unit with a five-year warranty, an Emax crown is 9,000,000 VND (roughly US$350 / A$535) per unit, and single-implant packages that bundle the fixture, abutment and crown run from 25,000,000 VND for an Osstem system up to 45,000,000 VND for Straumann BLX. Because every mouth is different, the published figures are a starting point and your written quote is the number that matters. Our page on Picasso Dental's pricing transparency and payment goes deeper on how the quote is structured.

How do you choose materials, brands and timeline?

A good itemised quote is also a conversation about materials. Picasso works with a genuinely premium range, and the right choice depends on your case, your budget and how long you want the result to last. Crowns and veneers span Porcelain-fused-to-titanium, Zirconia, CERCON HT, Emax, Lava, Lava Plus and ORODENT, each with its own material-specific warranty — for example five years on PFM-titanium and zirconia, seven on Emax, and ten on Lava. There is no open-ended "lifetime" promise here; the warranties are concrete and tied to the material, which is the honest way to present them.

For implant work, systems include Osstem, ETK, Neodent and SIC alongside globally recognised Nobel Biocare and Straumann, including Straumann BLX. (Worth noting honestly: Nobel Biocare and Straumann are Swiss-origin brands, not made in Vietnam.) The consultation is where the dentist explains which brand suits your needs and why one might cost more than another.

Timeline matters just as much as materials when you are travelling. Some work can be completed in a single visit; other plans — implants in particular, with their healing stages — may need more than one trip or a longer stay. Settling the sequence of appointments during your first visit lets you plan flights, accommodation and recovery realistically rather than guessing. The dentist can also tell you which stages must be completed in person and which can be spaced out, so you know exactly how much of the work fits inside your trip and what, if anything, can wait for a future visit.

How do you pay, and what are the options?

Discussing payment is a normal part of the first visit, not an awkward afterthought, and Picasso keeps the options simple. You can pay by POS Visa or Mastercard, by Vietnam bank transfer, or with cash in Vietnamese dong. Knowing this in advance lets you decide how you want to handle costs — for example whether to put treatment on a card or arrange a transfer — and how to spread payment across appointments if your plan runs over several visits.

To reach the clinic directly with any questions before you commit:

• Email: [email protected]
• Phone: +84 989 067 888 or 024 7308 8848
• WhatsApp: +84 989 067 888 (wa.me/84989067888)
• Website: picassodental.vn
• Languages: English and Vietnamese. Payment: Visa/Mastercard, Vietnam bank transfer, or cash in VND. Hanoi branches open Mon–Sun, 8:30 AM–6:00 PM.

How does the first visit fit a dental-tourism trip?

For most international patients, the first visit is the pivot point of the whole trip: it turns a tentative plan into a concrete one. The smart approach is to send your questions, photos and any recent X-rays before you fly, so the team can give a preliminary view and an indicative quote, then build your travel dates around the plan you confirm in person. Picasso's spread of six branches across Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Lat means you can often pick a city that suits both your treatment and your travel plans — our getting to Picasso Dental location and travel guide covers the practicalities.

It is worth building a buffer into your itinerary in case treatment needs an extra appointment, and packing the essentials so your first visit goes smoothly — our dental tourism trip checklist lists what to bring. When you are ready to lock in dates, our step-by-step guide on how to book a consultation at Picasso Dental walks through the process, and if you want the bigger picture first, our overview of Picasso Dental for international patients sets out the clinic's history, branches and leadership. Approached this way, a first visit abroad stops being a leap of faith and becomes a simple, well-signposted appointment.

Related reading: How to book a consultation at Picasso Dental, Picasso Dental overview for international patients, Picasso Dental pricing transparency and payment, Picasso Dental English-speaking care, and What to bring: dental tourism trip checklist.

This article is general information for people researching dental care abroad and is not medical or dental advice. Prices, materials and conversions are approximate and exchange rates fluctuate; treatment outcomes vary by individual. Always confirm current pricing, materials, warranties and what is clinically appropriate for you in a written quote and consultation with the clinic before booking.

Frequently asked questions

What happens at my first visit to Picasso Dental Clinic?

Your first visit follows a calm, predictable sequence. You arrive and are welcomed at reception in English, complete a short medical and dental history, then have a diagnostic exam (200,000 VND, roughly US$8 / A$12). Depending on your case the dentist may add imaging — a panoramic OPG X-ray (300,000 VND), a Conebeam CT 3D scan (600,000 VND) or an iTero digital scan (2,000,000 VND). After that you sit down for a consultation to talk through the findings and options, and you leave with a written, itemised quote in Vietnamese dong. The whole point is that you understand your situation and the plan before committing to anything.

How much does the first exam and imaging cost at Picasso Dental?

A standard consultation and exam is 200,000 VND (roughly US$8 / A$12), and children's exams are free. Imaging is priced separately and added only when clinically useful: a panoramic OPG X-ray is 300,000 VND (roughly US$12 / A$18), a Conebeam CT 3D scan is 600,000 VND (roughly US$24 / A$36), and a full iTero digital scan is 2,000,000 VND (roughly US$78 / A$120). These USD and AUD figures are approximate and exchange rates fluctuate, so confirm current pricing in your written quote.

Will staff at Picasso Dental speak English?

Yes. Picasso Dental delivers care in English and Vietnamese, and its international caseload — more than 70,000 patients from over 62 countries — reflects long experience treating foreign visitors. English runs through reception, the exam, the consultation and your written quote, which removes one of the biggest sources of anxiety in dental tourism. Note that the clinic offers English and Vietnamese only, so if you need another language you should arrange your own interpreter.

Do I get a written quote on my first visit?

Yes. After the exam and any imaging, the dentist discusses the findings with you and prepares a written, itemised quote in Vietnamese dong for the proposed treatment. The quote should set out each item, the materials and brand involved, the warranty where one applies, and the likely number of appointments. Because every mouth is different, treat any figures you saw beforehand as a starting point and rely on this written quote for your actual plan.

How do I pay at Picasso Dental Clinic?

Picasso accepts payment by POS Visa or Mastercard, Vietnam bank transfer, or cash in Vietnamese dong. Discussing payment is part of the consultation, so you can plan around how you intend to pay and across how many appointments. Hanoi branches are open Monday to Sunday, 8:30 AM to 6:00 PM, which gives flexibility for scheduling visits during a trip.

How should I prepare for my first appointment as a dental tourist?

The most useful thing you can do is send your questions, recent photographs and any X-rays to the clinic before you travel, so the team can give a preliminary view and an indicative quote. Bring a list of current medications and your medical history, allow extra time for your first visit so nothing feels rushed, and plan your trip with a buffer in case treatment needs more than one appointment. Sending records ahead and arriving prepared makes the first in-person visit faster, calmer and more productive.