Just to add to the adventure, I had a filling fall out and ended up needing a root canal. Given my long history with dentists and local anaesthetics not playing nice, we tried the first attempt locally, but the numbing just wouldn’t take no matter what they did. After a few tries they threw in the towel and suggested I head to a proper hospital for anything under general anaesthetic.
In the meantime I figured I’d just get the tooth pulled to keep things simple, but the orthodontist got in touch and strongly advised against it. He said it would be way too painful and risky—if we got halfway through and I couldn’t handle it, they couldn’t exactly leave the tooth in that state. So he recommended giving the root canal another proper go at their hospital instead. I was genuinely impressed—he wasn’t just trying to squeeze more money out of me. That level of honesty stood out.
I contacted them again, put my trust in the team, and said let’s do it. They absolutely rolled out the red carpet. I rocked up on a Saturday morning at 8 a.m. and they put me straight into the VIP suite with a full squad: the orthodontist, two dental assistants, and a dedicated nurse whose only job was to keep an eye on my blood pressure. It was total overkill in the best possible way. One of the assistants basically played support, while the other spent the entire four-and-a-half hours right beside me, leaning in close and singing softly in my ear with this beautiful, calming voice. I had no idea what the songs were about, but it was incredibly soothing and helped me through the rough patches.
We had to try six different injections before we even started because the anaesthetic still wasn’t reaching right down to the bottom of the root. In the end we just pushed on, taking breaks whenever the pain spiked, but the whole team was so professional and patient. They got it done, and honestly, the care was next-level—really personable, attentive, and skilled.
The bill came in higher than I expected—around 8.5 million dong, which is about AUD$500. Still a fraction of what it would cost back in Australia, but definitely on the expensive side for Vietnam. Next week I go back for the crown, which I’m sure won’t be cheap either, but at this point there’s no turning back. Overall though, it was such a positive experience. The professionalism and genuine care blew me away. I can’t recommend them enough.