Smile Please

On my second to last day in Thailand, my friends at the private hospital, Ekachai Hospital, scheduled me for a teeth cleaning at the hospital’s dentist office. I’d already experienced Thai health care, so I was curious about Thai dental care. The price was right: only about $23. I arrived early and watched some replays of the recent tennis match between Federer and Djokovic. I think my dad could beat them both!

I sat down in the dentist chair and they covered my face with a thick paper towel that had a square section cut out for my mouth. No sunglasses to protect against the bright light shining down, they just give you a towel. The dentist lady spoke great English, but she didn’t use it very often. There is no small talk in a Thai dentist office, at least for the foreigners. That was nice. I’m used to struggling to maintain a conversation with my mouth open when the American dentists ask a bunch of questions!

All the dentist really said to me was: “do you have any problems with your teeth?...Raise your left hand if you feel pain…ok this part will hurt a bit more…” and “you need to floss more.”

She did a great job and I left with a more beautiful smile than before. My teeth felt and looked clean. The entire procedure was no different than what I could have in America, except that they did not waste my time or my money on the mouth xrays. American dentists want me to do xrays every time I even look at a dentist office, but I really don’t enjoy biting the weird tooth pillow and smiling for the camera, and it can’t be necessary every time, two or three times a year, right? Plus, it adds expense to the visit. Sometimes in America, I request not to have xrays done. Well in Thailand, I didn’t have to ask!

I would recommend any travelers / expats / medical tourists in Thailand to feel comfortable and to trust in visiting the Thai dentists, especially those at private hospitals!