A Guide to Finding the Best Dentist in Chiang Mai

Thinking about seeing a dentist in Chiang Mai? Then this article is for you. 

In this guide, you will learn where to go for dental treatment in the capital city of Northern Thailand. 

You’ll also learn why you should see a dentist in Chiang Mai, how much you’ll spend, which clinics or dental hospitals are the best, and what you need to do when undergoing a dental procedure. 

If you need our personal advice on which dental clinic to choose, you can fill out this form here.

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The Overview of Dental Clinics in Chiang Mai

Being the largest city in the Northern part of Thailand, there are many great dental clinics in Chiang Mai.

No matter where you live in Chiang Mai, there’s bound to be a dental clinic in your area.

In the city’s main area alone, there are easily over 20 clinics. Some are standalone clinics found in various areas around the city, while others are located inside huge buildings and department stores.

Many of the clinics are also JCI-accredited, which simply means that the treatment quality you get here is comparable to that in the West.

So, if you plan to see a dentist in Chiang Mai, you are in good hands.

Dentist Qualifications

A majority of dentists in Chiang Mai graduated from Chiang Mai University, currently ranked among the top four universities in Thailand. 

What’s more, the Faculty of Dentistry at Chiang Mai University is considered one of the best dental schools in Thailand.

dentist student at Chiang Mai University.
The majority of dentists in Chiang Mai graduate from Chiang Mai University

After getting a bachelor’s degree, many dental students continue their studies abroad, usually at reputable medical schools in countries like Germany, United States, United Kingdom, and Australia, then go back home to practice dentistry in Chiang Mai.

The majority of dentists in Chiang Mai graduate from Chiang Mai University

So, the dentists’ qualifications in Chiang Mai are comparable to that of dentists in Bangkok and many parts of the world.

Facilities

Dental clinics in Chiang Mai utilize modern medical equipment.

Many clinics implement a full digital X-ray system in which X-ray results are sent digitally and automatically to a dental treatment room.

Some modern clinics, including CIDC, have their own 3D dental CT scan and dental laboratory.

Dental clinics in Chiang Mai also use similar dental technologies used in the West.

For example, All-on-4 treatment concept dental implants, which is one of the most popular dental implant technologies in the West, are widely used in Chiang Mai dental clinics.

However, in smaller clinics, there might be only a single dental room with a standard X-ray machine inside.

Dental Treatment You Can Get

You can get all types of dental treatment in Chiang Mai. 

In addition to general practice dentists, you can also find all kinds of dental specialists here including aesthetic dentists, endodontists, implantologists, oral surgeons, orthodontists, periodontists, and prosthodontists.

Here are the practice areas of these specialists:

  • Aesthetic dentists – crowns, whitening, veneers
  • Endodontists – root canal
  • Implantologists – teeth implants
  • Oral surgeons – oral surgery
  • Orthodontists – braces, retainers
  • Periodontists – periodontal disease and oral inflammation
  • Prosthodontists – replacing teeth\

Please note that these dental specialists are mainly available at larger clinics. 

So, for general treatments such as tooth filling or cleaning, you can visit any clinic that is most convenient for you. 

In case of complex treatments, such as root canals, crowns, wisdom tooth removal, braces, and implants, it might be a good idea to see a specialist at a larger clinic instead.

Price

Dental treatment costs in Chiang Mai aren’t that much different from dental practices in other parts of Thailand.

For example, the leading dental clinics in Chiang Mai and Bangkok charge exactly the same for Zoom™ teeth whitening at 9,000 baht. In the US, the cost of this procedure starts at 15,000 baht ($500 USD).

Or you can pay 45,000 baht ($1,500 USD) per tooth for composite veneers. But in Chiang Mai, you need to pay only 5,000 baht ($167 USD).

If you go to government hospitals in Chiang Mai, it will be even cheaper. But you need to be able to speak at least a little bit of Thai. And expect queues to be very long.

Costs of procedures in dental clinics tend to be more expensive compared to costs in government hospitals. People tend to get the wrong idea that international dental clinics must be more expensive than local clinics.

In fact, it isn’t always the case.

We know someone who got charged 4,000 baht for a tooth extraction procedure at a local clinic. International clinics charge 2,500 baht maximum for a similar procedure.

Dental services at private hospitals tend to be the most expensive.

Refer to the table below to see how much you need to pay to a dentist in Chiang Mai. The prices are in baht.

Please note that the cost of dental treatments varies. It depends on the complexity of your case, the types of materials used, and the nature of the procedures.

Dental ClinicTeeth WhiteningCrown (Standard Alloy)Veneer (Composite)Tooth Extraction
CIDC9,00010,0005,0001,000
Dental World Chiang Mai9,00010,0005,000500-2,000
Grace Dental Chiang Mai12,00010,0005,0001,500
Chiangmai Dental4You8,0008,0003,500500
Empress Dental Clinic10,0008,0006,000500
Chiang Mai University (Premium Clinic)10,00010,000N/A350

*Prices are in Thai baht

Best Dental Clinics in Chiang Mai

Here is a list of popular dental clinics in Chiang Mai recommended by expats. You might have seen their names often when you browsed for dentists online.

All of them have English-speaking staff and offer a full range of dental treatments.

CIDC

Chiang Mai International Dental Clinic (CIDC), located at Nimmanhaemin Road, is a large dental clinic in Chiang Mai. 

The clinic is managed and operated by Dental Corporation Public Co., Ltd, the biggest dental clinic company in Thailand.

advance dental technology from CIDC
CIDC has advanced technology for dental treatment.

Dental Corp PLC is the same company that runs Bangkok International Dental Clinic (BIDC), a leading dental clinic in Bangkok. 

You can expect to receive the same quality of treatment at CIDC as in BIDC

CIDC has many English-speaking specialist dentists and offers modern equipment and facilities, including digital X-ray equipment, intra-oral camera, and 3D CT scan. They also have their own in-house digital dental laboratory.

CIDC is one of the few dental clinics in Chiang Mai that offer all dental treatments from general dentistry, dental implants, root canal, prosthodontics to orthodontic braces, and cosmetic dentistry.

CIDC uses dental sterilization technologies to ensure the cleanliness of equipment and the environment. They are certified by JCI-compliant sterilization standards and ISO quality management controls.

Prices at CIDC are also competitive. They aren’t the cheapest options out there. But then again, there are dental clinics that are more expensive than them. 

Overall, if you don’t mind paying a bit more, you can visit CIDC for any type of treatment. 

We especially recommend them for complicated treatments such as implants, root canals, and crowns because of their experienced dental specialists and modern facilities. 

You can fill out this form to make an appointment with CIDC You will also get a free oral examination and consultation.

Dental World Chiang Mai

Dental World Chiang Mai is another well-known dental clinic in Chiang Mai, conveniently located near Tha Phae Gate and Pratu Chiang Mai.

Getting treatment at Dental World Chiang Mai
A dental treatment room inside Dental World Chiang Mai

Dental World Chiang Mai’s team of dentists is mainly composed of dental professors from Chiang Mai University.

They also have specialist dentists including orthodontists, oral surgeons, aesthetic dentists, and even pediatric dentists.

Dental World Chiang Mai is well equipped with modern facilities and equipment. 

They even provide laughing gas for those who fear having their teeth drilled and squeezed.

Dental World is known for braces, especially Invisalign.

When it comes to the treatment cost, Dental World prices are similar to CIDC. They are not the cheapest, but also not the most expensive, as well.

Grace Dental Care Clinic

Grace Dental Care Clinic, located in Nimmanhemin Road, is one of the most well-known dental clinics among expats in Chiang Mai as it was one of the first international dental clinics founded there in 2003.  

In addition, many considered it the most expensive dental clinic in Chiang Mai.

Grace Dental Care Clinic mainly targets expats or digital nomads who live in Chiang Mai.

Grace Dental Care Clinic dentists team
A team of dentists from Grace Dental Care Clinic

In fact, it’s the only dental clinic in this article that doesn’t have a website in Thai language — their website is in English.

Most of the reviews of their services on Google Maps and Facebook page were written by expats.

But what makes Grace Dental Care Clinic attractive to customers is the reputation of their dentists, especially Dr. Korakot. She’s a prosthodontist and also one of the co-founders of the clinic.

Grace Dental Care Clinic offers various kinds of dental treatment including implants, oral rehabilitation, root canal treatment, dental cleaning, dental surgery, and tooth replacement.

In terms of pricing, Grace Dental Care Clinic is more expensive than other clinics. For example, they charge 12,000 baht for Zoom teeth whitening while CIDC charges only 8,500 baht.

Chiang Mai Dental 4 You

Chiang Mai Dental 4 You definitely have the catchiest name among all the clinics. They offer a wide range of dental treatments… for you.

Their clinic is a two-story house located in Tha Prae Road, and it would be hard to miss their gigantic “Dental 4 You” signboard.

Chiang Mai Dental 4 you dental treatment room
A Chiang Mai Dental 4 You dental treatment room

Dental 4 You was founded by Dr. Warut Muttarak. He studied dentistry at Chiang Mai University, and completed the Masters in Implant Dentistry Program in the USA. He also used to work as a lecturer at Chiang Mai University.

In addition to dental implants, Chiang Mai Dental 4 You also offers cosmetic dentistry, oral surgery, periodontic dentistry, and prosthodontic dentistry.

Although it’s a small clinic compared to others mentioned in this article, the overall service is good.

Empress Dental Clinic

Dr. Jarunee, the founder of Empress Dental Clinic, is a favourite dentist among expats in Chiang Mai.

Empress Dental Clinic is a 4-story building located outside of the city area.

Dr. Jarunee practiced at Grace Dental Care Clinic before she opened her own clinic at Klong Chonlaprathan Road. It’s out of town, but it’s still a good location if you live near Chiang Mai Night Safari.

Now, Dr. Jarunee has a team of over 20 dentists working with her. Most of them graduated from Chiang Mai University. She’s quite in-demand, which is why if you go to her clinic, you will be treated by one of her associates instead.

Although Empress Dental Clinic’s dentists are good, the same group who deemed Dr. Jaruneed the best would rather go to a different dentist if she can’t do the work herself. 

Empress Dental Clinic prices are comparable to other dental clinics in Chiang Mai.

Dental Hospitals

In addition to dental clinics, your other option is to visit a dentist at hospitals. Many hospitals in Chiang Mai, both private and government hospitals, have a dental department.

In fact, there is no major difference between private hospitals and government hospitals when it comes to treatment quality and dentists’ expertise.

The main differences are waiting times, types of services, prices, and medications used and prescribed.

In government hospitals, you need to wait in a long queue. It can take you hours just for a dental cleaning appointment.

Depending on a complication of your case, you may need to wait for weeks, months, or even a year in order to get treatment.

On the other hand, you hardly need to wait for more than a week at private hospitals.

In addition, government hospitals do not always have English-speaking staff. Unless you know how to speak Thai, it’s better to go with someone who can.

That said, the prices you pay at government hospitals are much cheaper than private hospitals. And the medications you get are usually locally made.

With private hospitals, the medications are a combination of local and imported drugs.

Note that in Thailand, it is more common to visit dental clinics for dental treatment than to go to hospitals.

Unlike government hospitals, dental clinics have a short waiting time. And they are cheaper than private hospitals. 

But for cases that require a major operation such as a jaw surgery, it’s advisable to visit a hospital instead.

Let’s take a look at popular dental hospitals in Chiang Mai.

Dental Hospital at Chiang Mai University

You can visit a government-sponsored dental hospital at the Faculty of Dentistry of Chiang Mai University.

They can handle general dental treatments including cleaning, tooth extraction, tooth filling, braces, root treatment, and dental implants.

dental students at Chiang Mai University
You can get treatment from dental students at Chiang Mai University

You can choose between getting a treatment from dental students and lecturers. Treatments performed by dental students are very cheap. It can even be less than a hundred baht for a tooth extraction.

You don’t need to worry about the quality of treatment performed by students. All procedures are closely supervised by lecturers.

Just a warning: waiting times are very long. Some patients have reported that they had to wait for six months just to get a simple tooth filling.

If you want a shorter waiting time and get treated by lecturers, you can visit their premium clinic.

As for prices, they’re not that different from other dental clinics in Chiang Mai.

McCormick Hospital

McCormick Hospital is the first hospital in Chiang Mai founded by an American missionary back in 1867.

It is considered as one of the cheapest private hospitals in Chiang Mai.

McCormick Hospital dental treatment room
McCormick Hospital is the oldest hospital in Chiang Mai.

Because of their competitive costs and good treatment quality, their name often comes up in discussions about a hospital recommendation.

McCormick Hospital has a dental clinic that offers a wide range of dental treatments including check-ups, cleaning, tooth extraction, root canal, gum treatment, veneers, whitening, implants, and dental surgery.

In addition to McCormick, other private hospitals such as Bangkok Hospital in Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Ram Hospital, and Lanna Hospital also have dental departments. 

They are more modern than McCormick Hospital but are more expensive, as well.

How to Visit a Dentist in Chiang Mai

Visiting a dentist in Chiang Mai is very simple. You make an appointment, make a visit, pay the bill, and you’re done.

Making an Appointment

Making an appointment isn’t always necessary. You can just walk in at any dental clinic in Chiang Mai. If you are lucky, it’s possible to get treatment right away without having to wait in a long queue.

However, in many cases, you will need to wait.

So, it’s always a good idea to make an appointment in advance with the clinic you are planning to go to. This way, you can also see a dental specialist without having to wait.

To make an appointment, you can just call them, fill out an appointment form on their website, or contact them via a messaging app such as Line.

Getting a Treatment

On the appointment date, bring your passport with you. 

Once you are at the clinic, just go straight to the information counter, wait for a few minutes, and then meet with the dentist.

Dental treatment rooms in Thailand are the same as in many parts of the world. It’s a clean room with a dental chair in the middle and some other medical and dental equipment.

Depending on the treatment, a dentist might send you to another room for an X-ray or a dental CT scan.

In more modern clinics, the scan’s result will be sent digitally and automatically to the dental treatment room. Then, a dentist will give you the diagnosis and provide a further treatment plan.

You shouldn’t have a communication problem with a dentist in Chiang Mai. Many dentists can speak good English. 

A dentist or his/her assistant may talk to you during a treatment. Some may play relaxing music to keep you at ease.

Normal treatments don’t last more than an hour. Simple procedures like tooth extraction and tooth filling may even take less than ten minutes.

Paying the Bill

After the treatment, you will be sent back to a waiting area to settle your bill. Cash is the most common payment method.

If you have a Thai bank account, it’s becoming much more convenient to pay by mobile payment using a QR code. 

Please note that dental clinics in Chiang Mai and in other areas in Thailand rarely accept foreign currencies. You should exchange them to Thai baht at local banks or money exchangers.

You can read this article on how to get the best exchange rates.

Many clinics do accept credit cards, including Visa, Mastercard, Diners, and AmEx. Make sure your card is activated if you’re using it in Thailand.

For security reasons, many credit card companies may block overseas payments especially when paying a large sum of money.

Note also that paying by credit card is more expensive since credit card companies charge 2% for foreign transaction surcharges on average.

Follow-Up Treatment

Many dental treatments require a follow-up treatment or consultation.

For example, you need to visit a dentist two to three more (or more) times for dental implants, root canal treatments, and crowning.

For teeth replacement, you may need to see the dentist five more times.

Health Insurance

If you have health insurance that covers dental treatments, you may not need to pay the cost of treatment out of your own pocket. 

Please note that cosmetic dentistry is usually not covered by your health insurance policy. 

Normally, the insurance company will pay for routine treatment or dental treatment after you have an accident. 

So, check with your health insurance provider first.

Dental Insurance

There is specific insurance for dental coverage in Thailand.

It comes with coverage for your general dental needs, including teeth cleaning, fillings, extractions, and root canals.

The main limitation is the waiting period of 65 days, which means that after you purchase the dental insurance, you won’t be able to make claims for dental expenses for 65 days, with the exception of accidents.

It also doesn’t cover dental implants, braces, or cosmetic dentistry.

You can compare plans and buy dental insurance from Mister Prakan.

Social Security

If you are employed by a company in Thailand, you are entitled to social security. This means free dental coverage, including:

Thailand Social Security Office Logo
Social Security Thailand Logo
  • 900 baht a year for tooth extraction, tooth filling, cleaning, and wisdom tooth removal
  • Tooth replacement for up to 4,400 baht within 5 years

The amount isn’t a lot. Think of it as your annual free dental cleaning.

Social Security also gives you a free health check-up every year.

If you want to use your Social Security benefits, inform the dental clinic. Then, they will give you the Social Security form and a receipt.

Fill it out, attach a receipt, and send it to the Social Security office in your area.

It can be done by post. Or you can just visit the Social Security office.

Now, on to You

This is all you need to know about getting dental treatment in Chiang Mai. There are a lot of good clinics and dentists here. 

In case you are not sure which one you should go to, we personally recommend CIDC. They can handle all types of treatment. 

Their dentists, facilities, prices, and overall service are good. They are also located in a good location.

You can make an appointment with them directly through this form

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Saran Lhawpongwad is a Bangkokian by birth. He loves to share what he learns based on his insights living and running business in Thailand. While not at his desk, he likes to be outdoors exploring the world with his family. You can connect with him on his LinkedIn.

7 thoughts on “A Guide to Finding the Best Dentist in Chiang Mai”

  1. I have a question. I have had a lot of trauma regarding going to the dentist since I was a kid. I’ve heard that NO dentists in Chiang Mai use laughing gas I guess to put you out.
    My question is, what dentists here in Chiang Mai use it to knock you out for a simple tooth extraction and whats the pricing look like?

    Reply
    • I think CIDC should be able to do it since they are a part of the BIDH (Bangkok International Dental Hospital). And BIDH provides this service.

      Reply
  2. I wouldn’t use Elite Smile because they just refuse to end a procedure, sometimes it goes on for months while they try to pump money out you for other treatments. If any other clinic is connected with them stay away from them too. And they never did solve the problem .

    Reply
  3. I would recommend Dental World. Professional dentists and helpful staffs with fluent English. Competitive price. Easy to access since the clinic locates in city area.

    Reply
  4. I had several fillings done by a middle aged chinese professional in Ipoh, Malaysia for 20 bucks each.

    That seems like a more realistic price as the living cost in thailand and Malaysia are about 1/10th of Australia. and my local clinic would charge maybe $160 / filling.

    Reply
    • The times when cost of living in Thailand used to be a tenth of Australia is a few decades past. Nowadays, rents Bangkok are about half of what they are in Sydney, with overall costs of living being maybe 30% less. Of course Chiang Mai and other places are cheaper than the capital, but I think it’s important to keep in mind that Thailand’s low-cost image is true to a much more limited degree nowadays. On the other hand, the quality of available goods and services has increased a lot, meaning you nowadays can often find the same kind of quality here than back home and that also didn’t use to be a given.

      Reply
      • The Thai government protects local Thais from rich foreign investors coming in and driving up the price of real estate,
        but unfortunately, they don’t protect them from Thais who were born there, then made money overseas, and buying up local real estate. I feel sorry for the people on minimum wage being surrounded by increasing wealth and having to bear increasing costs while their wage goes up by pennies.

        Reply

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