Vietnam aims to attract 750,000 international medical tourists by 2030, with oral diagnosis and treatment being one of the popular cross-border services.

Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)

DentalGoodNews｜Recently, the Vietnamese Ministry of Health disclosed the "Draft Plan for Medical Tourism Development 2026-2030" (hereinafter referred to as the "Draft Plan"), proposing a target of attracting approximately 750,000 international medical tourists by 2030. Currently, local oral aesthetics has been listed as one of the services favored by international medical tourists. The Draft Plan aims to expand service areas including modern medicine, traditional medicine and pharmacy, rehabilitation, comprehensive healthcare, and elderly care. The Vietnamese government intends to enhance industry competitiveness through establishing a national brand and forming a medical tourism association.

According to data disclosed by Ha Anh Duc, Director of the Medical Services Administration under the Vietnamese Ministry of Health, Vietnam's medical tourism currently attracts approximately 300,000 foreign residents and international visitors annually, with related total expenditure estimated at USD 1-2 billion per year. At present, Ho Chi Minh City receives about 40% of international medical tourists, followed by Hanoi. Cities such as Da Nang, Hue, and Khanh Hoa are gradually developing medical tourism products by leveraging their advantages in resort tourism and traditional medicine.

Within specific segments, dental treatment has become one of the popular service areas attracting international patients. According to a report by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on September 6, 2026, an increasing number of Australian patients are turning to Vietnam due to prohibitive local dental costs. Taking Adelaide resident Wendy Middleton as an example, her dental treatment quote in Australia was approximately AUD 40,000, while the full package in Vietnam, including surgery, airfare, accommodation, and visa, cost about one-third of the Australian quote.

Local dental institutions in Vietnam are also actively conducting targeted marketing toward overseas markets. The "Australian Dental Clinic," located in Hanoi and Da Nang, was established in 2006 and is one of the first local clinics serving foreigners and tourists. The clinic's manager, Nguyen Nam, stated that visitor traffic from Australia has been continuously increasing recently. Statistics from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health also list Australia as one of the major nationalities receiving medical services in Vietnam.

However, the surge in cross-border dental tourism has also raised concerns among professionals regarding quality and safety. Scott Davis, spokesperson for the Australian Dental Association (ADA), pointed out that patients undergoing surgery overseas often face risks such as complications, insufficient legal protection, and complex compensation procedures. Davis emphasized that cross-border treatment often attempts to compress a normal 3-6 month treatment course into two weeks, which violates biological principles.

Furthermore, the Draft Plan proposes expanding service areas including modern medicine, traditional medicine and pharmacy, rehabilitation, comprehensive healthcare, and elderly care, and plans to establish a national medical tourism brand and a medical tourism association. A specific phased timeline has not yet been disclosed.