# Dental Care in Chiang Mai: Clinics & Prices > A guide to dental treatment in Chiang Mai for expats and visitors — recommended clinics, typical prices, dental-tourism notes and what to expect. URL: https://chiangmaibrief.com/guide/dental-care-chiang-mai/ Last-Modified: 2026-09-07 Author: The Chiang Mai Brief ## Why people fly here for this Dental care is one of the few areas where Chiang Mai isn’t just cheaper than the West but competitive on quality too. The city has a dense cluster of well-equipped clinics, a large foreign patient base, and dentists who are entirely used to explaining treatment plans in English. The result is that a six-month cleaning becomes something you actually do rather than something you postpone, and work you’d been putting off for years suddenly becomes affordable. This guide sits under our healthcare hub [/healthcare-and-hospitals/ →](/healthcare-and-hospitals/) , alongside the hospital and insurance coverage. ![A dental chair and equipment in a clean clinic treatment room](/images/content/dental-chair-and-clean-equipment-in-a-treatment-ro.webp) ## What things cost Approximate ranges at established Chiang Mai clinics. Prices vary by clinic and complexity. | Treatment | Typical price (THB) | | --- | --- | | Consultation and X-ray | 300–800 | | Scale and polish | 800–1,500 | | Composite filling | 800–2,000 | | Root canal | 6,000–15,000 | | Porcelain crown | 10,000–20,000 | | Implant (post + crown) | 45,000–90,000 | | Whitening | 6,000–15,000 | | Extraction | 1,000–3,000 | Compare a crown at 15,000 THB here against several times that in the UK, US or Australia and the arithmetic of dental tourism becomes obvious. Most policies treat dental as an optional extra, which our guide to expat health insurance [/guide/expat-health-insurance-chiang-mai/ →](/guide/expat-health-insurance-chiang-mai/) covers in more detail. ## Choosing a clinic Chiang Mai has three broad types: **Hospital dental departments.** Bangkok Hospital and Chiangmai Ram both have dental units. Highest prices, most institutional environment, easiest if you want everything under one medical roof. **Established private clinics.** The sweet spot for most residents and visitors. Modern equipment, English-speaking dentists, transparent price lists, and enough foreign patients that the process is smooth. **Neighbourhood practices.** Cheapest, often excellent for simple work, less likely to have English-language support or online booking. What to look for when choosing: - Clear, published pricing rather than quotes given verbally - Digital X-ray and modern equipment - A dentist who will explain options rather than only recommend the most expensive one - Willingness to give you a written treatment plan before starting - Recent, specific feedback from other patients rather than generic reviews ![The reception desk of a Chiang Mai dental clinic with a price list](/images/content/reception-desk-of-a-chiang-mai-dental-clinic-with-.webp) ## Planning a dental trip If you’re coming specifically for treatment, plan the timeline backwards from the lab work. - **Cleanings and simple fillings:** a single visit - **Root canal:** typically two to three visits over one to two weeks - **Crown:** two visits, usually a week or so apart - **Implants:** multiple visits over several months, with healing time between stages - **Full-mouth work:** discuss the schedule before booking flights The common mistake is arriving with ten days and an implant plan. Get an initial consultation and a written plan first, ideally by email with X-rays sent ahead, then book the trip around it. > **Get the treatment plan in writing** > > A written plan listing each procedure and its price protects you from scope creep and gives you something to compare between clinics. Reputable Chiang Mai clinics provide this as standard. ## For residents If you live here, the practical routine is simple: a scale and polish every six months, X-rays annually, and deal with anything flagged immediately rather than waiting. At these prices there’s no financial reason to defer dental work, which is genuinely one of the better quality-of-life differences between living in Chiang Mai and living somewhere expensive. Got questions? ## Common questions Is dental work in Chiang Mai really cheaper? Substantially. A cleaning, a filling, a crown or an implant all cost a fraction of UK, US or Australian prices — often a quarter or less. The gap is large enough that people fly here specifically for treatment and still come out ahead after flights and accommodation. Are Chiang Mai dentists any good? The established clinics are very good. Many dentists trained internationally or hold overseas qualifications, equipment at the better clinics is current, and English is widely spoken. As anywhere, quality varies — choose on reputation and a consultation rather than on the lowest quoted price. Do I need an appointment? Recommended, and essential at the popular clinics. Some smaller neighbourhood practices take walk-ins for simple work. For anything involving lab work — crowns, bridges, dentures — you'll need multiple appointments booked in sequence. More in this area ## Related guides Explainer ### Best International Hospitals in Chiang Mai Chiang Mai's main expat-friendly hospitals — Bangkok Hospital, Chiangmai Ram and Maharaj/Suan Dok compared, with pricing and accreditation notes. 6 min read [Best International Hospitals in Chiang Mai →](/guide/best-international-hospitals-chiang-mai/) Do you qualify? ### Expat Health Insurance in Chiang Mai Health insurance options for foreigners in Chiang Mai — local vs international insurers, nomad insurance, what to check and typical costs. 6 min read [Expat Health Insurance in Chiang Mai →](/guide/expat-health-insurance-chiang-mai/)