Vietnamese dentistry is ready to enter the world medical tourism map

Vietnam's dental industry is entering a period of strong transformation when technology, materials and policy factors converge, opening up opportunities for comprehensive standardization, improving service quality and gradually affirming its position on the international medical tourism map.

Delegates attending the Seminar.

In the general development picture of the Vietnamese healthcare industry, dentistry has emerged as a potential field, not only because of the increasing demand for treatment but also because of the trend of shifting from simple treatment to comprehensive, aesthetic and personalized healthcare for each stage of life.

At the Professional Seminar “Biomaterial Application Restoration - An Inevitable Trend of Modern Dentistry. Zirconia Veneer: A Step of Medically Beautiful and Sustainable Technology from the Roots” recently organized by Detec Company, many leading experts have looked at the current situation and development orientation of the Vietnamese dental industry.

According to Dr. Pham Thanh Ha, Deputy Director in charge of professional affairs at the Hanoi Central Hospital of Odonto-Stomatology, the cosmetic dental restoration industry in Vietnam is developing rapidly thanks to timely access to advanced technology and materials.

However, this development is uneven. While some pioneering facilities have reached international standards, most clinics still operate on a manual model, lacking a quality control system from examination, diagnosis to treatment and post-prosthetic care.

The lack of standardization not only creates a large gap in service quality but also increases costs and narrows access for people, especially middle- and low-income groups.

Dr. Pham Thanh Ha believes that for the dental prosthetics industry to truly make a breakthrough, a comprehensive strategy is needed, including continuous training, technology updates, optimizing treatment costs, and most importantly, positioning Vietnamese dentistry as an important part of the national medical tourism strategy.

This direction was also emphasized by Associate Professor, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, Vice President of the Vietnam Association of Dentistry and Maxillofacial Surgery, former Vice President of the National Medical Council when citing Project 5628 "Improving the capacity of dental examination and treatment and preventing community oral diseases in the period 2021-2030" as a long-term policy pillar.

He said that the need for dental care today is not only focused on treating diseases but also expanding to aesthetics, restoration and maintenance of lifelong oral health. The project therefore requires the construction of a modern dental ecosystem, capable of connecting interdisciplinary, serving both domestically and internationally.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Luong Ngoc Khue, the key factor that helps Vietnamese dentistry integrate does not lie in individual equipment or materials, but in comprehensive standardization, from treatment processes, production, monitoring of clinical effectiveness to accumulation of scientific evidence.

This is the foundation for building international trust and enhancing the reputation of the Vietnamese dental industry. From the practice and analysis at the seminar, it is possible to identify three strategic pillars that need to be focused on synchronously to make Vietnamese dentistry a breakthrough: standardization, universalization and integration.

First of all, standardization is the foundation for sustainable development. When the quality gap between facilities is large, the lack of consistency in treatment processes makes people lack confidence and makes international integration difficult.

Building a clear treatment standard system, with consistent quality control and effectiveness evaluation based on scientific evidence is an inevitable step to bring Vietnamese dentistry to new heights.

In addition, universalizing quality services is an important task to ensure equity in oral health care. Currently, dental services are still out of reach for people in remote areas and low-income people, due to high costs and lack of standard infrastructure.

This leads to “uneven development”, causing pressure for late treatment and long-term impacts on public health. There is a need for supportive policies, promoting localization of materials and equipment, and expanding health insurance for dental services to reduce costs and increase accessibility.

Finally, international integration and association with the national medical tourism development strategy are great opportunities to position Vietnamese dentistry on the world map.

With competitive treatment costs, a team of highly skilled doctors and increasingly strong investment from the private sector, Vietnam can absolutely become a prestigious destination in the field of dental cosmetic restoration for international customers.

To realize this, close coordination between the health, tourism, media and diplomacy sectors is needed, while at the same time building a national brand in a systematic and consistent manner, associating dentistry with the image of a modern, high-quality and humane healthcare system.

Vietnam's dental industry is entering a period of reshaping its role, from a high-tech specialty to a health-care economic sector that contributes strategic value.

When the three pillars of “standardization - universalization - integration” are promoted synchronously, dentistry will not only contribute to improving the quality of life of the entire population but also become an important element in the medical tourism ecosystem, exporting medical services and building a national brand.

This is a golden time to transform and nationalize a potential healthcare sector that requires long-term thinking, interdisciplinary policies and decisive participation from the entire system.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/nha-khoa-viet-nam-san-sang-buoc-vao-ban-do-du-lich-y-khoa-the-gioi-d354575.html