Reliable Cm Dentists?

[wolf5370]

Adding to the wealth of dental reviews... My wife and I went to Kitcha Dental Clinic today. My wife had the male doctor (Kitcha Tungthangthum DDS. B.Sc.) and I had a female, but I'm not certain of her name so I won't post my guess. We both came in for a general checkup/cleaning/polishing. My wife said Dr. Kitcha was very gentle and she had a good experience.

My experience was vastly different and quite painful. My dr. was very rough and careless in my mouth. Multiple times her cleaning tool slipped and jabbed my gums as she cleaned. I yelped in pain and the nurses found it funny. The nurses helping kept the tool for sucking out saliva too far down my throat so much that I choked a couple times. It ended with about a 15 second speed polishing and no fluoride cleaning. If you look in my mouth, you can see the cuts where she jabbed my gums. I also had a tooth drilled and filled without novacaine which was rather painful though I'm told that's the norm in Thailand so I was ready for that. What made it worse, I was next to the lobby where they had a horror Thai movie playing so I got to listen to someone being chopped up with an axe while my dentist was chopping at my teeth. I like to think I take good care of my teeth and have seen many dentists and orthodontists over my short 26 year life to know quality work when I get it, but I've never experienced carelessness even remotely close to this. I will NEVER go back to this clinic and recommend you request the male doctor or go somewhere else.

Having said that, the staff was friendly and welcoming despite my opinion of shoddy work. It cost 1500b for 2 cleanings and one filling.

Just got back from Kitcha today (about 7 hrs ago). I had to have a broken and infected mollar removed. It had to be removed in pieces that took over an hour - the roots were very long and curved (I was shown the pieces afterwards). I had the Thai lady (looks very young), she was very gentle with me and very dilligent. I might add a dentist in the UK had tried to remove it and only suceeded in breaking it up more. The price was very reasonable given the time and effort required as 800Baht plus 140Baht for medicines (Antibiotics (strong and specific not Amoxicillin), pain killer that knocked me out! (but this always happens to me with strong pain killers), mouth wash for tomorrow and extra swabs for packing in the hole). I'm goping back on Monday for some cosmetics. I was a bit worried given some of the posts above, but they were great with me - I might also add that I asked for today and they squeezed me in at 4pm - I git there at 3 and they took me straight in!

I also contacted Grace for an appointment (stating I was in pain) and was offered 4 days later.

[rawjade420]

Need a new crown, maybe a bridge. Last time I've got some minor treatment at Ram, but was not impressed. Now looking for a private clinic -- though it doesn't mean that I don't care about the costs. Any recommendations ?

Korakot use to be with CM Dental Clinic for years. Great place. Her and Juranee moved when

Korakot took over her family's land. Now Juranee has an excellent clinic of her own. Empress

on the canal heading south towards Hang Dong. Cheaper than Grace. Any normal work can

easily be done at the clinic on the super highway.

[hmficc]

I went to Grace clinic today. They wanted to do a root canal before they took an x-ray. I told them that I had just broken the enamel off an old molar, and that the tooth had no sensitivity to cold. They take the xray, and there was no problem on the root. Then they wanted to do an ceramic overlay(9000B), but after I enquired as to the strength of this material, the dentist admitted that it probably would not be strong enough for the molar. Then the 15000B crown is suggested, but I tell them that for a rear tooth, I will be satisfied with the 7000B(not including posts) metallic crown. I tell her that I am leaving town on Tuesday,but It takes me five minutes to find out that "maybe" it would not be ready by then-despite the fact that there web site advertises 3-5 days completion time for crowns. Finally I ask for a temporary filling that will last until I arrive in Jomtien on the 12th. She does a slap dash job- no prep work- just slapped it in, and got me out of the chair. I went upstairs to wait for my bill, and the filling fell out. I only paid for the xray, and I left.

Granted, she was not the dentist the many seem to favor so highly, but this pattern of behaviour strongly suggests that this place is an over priced Farang trap. They could not make money from an informed consumer, so they did shoddy work. If I had blindly agreed to there treatment program, I would be out 15000-25000, instead of 5-8, which is the proper price for a metallic crown inclusive of all preps and posts. How do I know this/ I just had four gold- alloy/porcelain crowns done in Patong beach(one of the most expensive cities in Thailand) for 24000B all inclusive.

Fore warned is fore armed, and I am grateful for the members who posted warnings about this place.

I have used Chiang Mai Dental Clinic for many years, but had to change because of incompetence.

Moved to grace, while they seemed much more professional. I felt they did treatement that was not neccessary. They removed a perfectly good upper molar because the lower one needed to be removed (or did it) On another tooth they recommened that I redo a root canal that had previously been done because it might not be deep enough before I cover it with an overlay.

Was disapointed with Grace, so a few month later when a peice of a tooth broke, I tried Y and B clinic, which has a Brazilian Dentist. Same trap, part of my tooth broke off and they wanted to do a root cannal and ceramic overlay for about 20k instead of just putting a simple filling to cover it as I did not have any pain.

The hot blooded Brazillian dentist got mad when I suggested that I only wanted the tooth filled.

Didn't know who to go to next and Grace had a very long waiing list to fill my tooth so went back to Chiang Mai Dental Clinic and the dentist there simply filled the tooth without recommending a root cannal and ceramic overlay.

No problem ever since.

I think because we are considered rich farangs there is a scam to recommend treatment that is not neccessary as they can make much more money from a 20k root cannal and ceramic overlays then from a simple 800 baht filling.

Have to agree with you about Grace. I tried them a few years ago and was recommended 70,000 bahts worth of treatment which was well over the top. If you've got the money and don't mind paying their silly prices it's your choice, bit not mine.

I started using Chiang mai Dental Hospital but they've jumped on the band wagon in recent months with silly prices..........and the quality of the dental work has gone down at the same time.

So I'm on the look out for a good realistic dental practise that doesn't get $ signs as soon as you walk through the door.

I am the retired owner of a dental lab. We made what the dentist puts in your mouth. I have seen a lot of bad work and some good in the USA. I like gold for a very rear tooth that you can not see. Some etnic groups like to flash the gold. Ok, but not for me and mine. High % gold not gold and lots of a less expensive metal. The properties of gold are perfect for a restoration. A cheap base metal-not for me, my family, or anyone who wants a 30 year fix.

The new ceramics are more than strong enough. Our lab would replace any that broke, for life. I can not remember ever having to. All ceramic is perfect for a tooth that can be seen. As with most things, one can always buy cheaper and think you are getting a deal.

I am not a dentist but if you lost a good section of tooth a root canal is in your future. It is cheaper to do before the new crown so you do not end up buying 2 crowns.

Dr Korakot, Clinical Manager, is the finest crown and bridge, dentist to work on me. Her expert work would be priced at about 40,000 bt per tooth in the USA. Any work she does on you is priced as a near gift. She has more than once talked me out of work I wanted done as not needed. NEVER happen in the USA. My living depended on it. I have had 2 root canals and my wife had one "made in the USA $$$" root canal fixed at Grace. Perfect. Our teeth are cleaned and checked by a periodondest not a dental assiatant trained to clean your teeth and warm you up for the big sale soon to come.

My sons wife on a visit consulted with grace. The USA dentist $$$ wanted to replace 11 fillings and had put on a crown. Grace found the fillings to be sound but the painful crown needed to be replace as it was a poor fit.

As to when work will be completed by the lab the dentist picks the best most dependable lab they can find. Sometimes the lab is backed up or needs to do a remake as the work failed a quality check during the 35 steps it takes to make a crown. It is art and science.

I have not worked with every Doc at Grace and my mouth is my own. All the work I and my family have had done has been world class best and cheap for the quality.

[hmficc]

Adding to the wealth of dental reviews... My wife and I went to Kitcha Dental Clinic today. My wife had the male doctor (Kitcha Tungthangthum DDS. B.Sc.) and I had a female, but I'm not certain of her name so I won't post my guess. We both came in for a general checkup/cleaning/polishing. My wife said Dr. Kitcha was very gentle and she had a good experience.

My experience was vastly different and quite painful. My dr. was very rough and careless in my mouth. Multiple times her cleaning tool slipped and jabbed my gums as she cleaned. I yelped in pain and the nurses found it funny. The nurses helping kept the tool for sucking out saliva too far down my throat so much that I choked a couple times. It ended with about a 15 second speed polishing and no fluoride cleaning. If you look in my mouth, you can see the cuts where she jabbed my gums. I also had a tooth drilled and filled without novacaine which was rather painful though I'm told that's the norm in Thailand so I was ready for that. What made it worse, I was next to the lobby where they had a horror Thai movie playing so I got to listen to someone being chopped up with an axe while my dentist was chopping at my teeth. I like to think I take good care of my teeth and have seen many dentists and orthodontists over my short 26 year life to know quality work when I get it, but I've never experienced carelessness even remotely close to this. I will NEVER go back to this clinic and recommend you request the male doctor or go somewhere else.

Having said that, the staff was friendly and welcoming despite my opinion of shoddy work. It cost 1500b for 2 cleanings and one filling.

FYI more than enough flouride in Chiang Mai water unless you are drinking RO water. All those Thai smiles! except those with excess flouride staining.

aside; My wife fractures a tooth with a 3/4 crown in Guilin, China. The dental office was a open store front, one dental chair and people sitting around it wathcing TV along with the dentist who was smoking as well while working. A women was spitting blood in to a hand washing sink. Extractions seemed to be the most of his work. He wanted $100 to cement the crown back on.. We talked him down but not to a fair price. He had us, seemed to be the best the town had to offer. He was so interested in my wife's western dental work the everyone in the room was invited to have a look in her mouth. We were in that beautifulk place for 1 awful month waiting for the smoke to clear in April.

[elektrified]

I too have had very good results at Kitcha. Their prices are very reasonable and the doctors are totally competent. I also like Dr. Jarunee very much as well. Not only is she a wonderful person but I would have to say that for cleaning, she is the best of the best. But she has limited her practice to periodontics since so many patients come to her for cleaning. She refers patients to her colleagues for other dental work. For fillings and other things we liked the work at Kitcha better than the work of the doctors' colleagues.

[uptheos]

Need a new crown, maybe a bridge. Last time I've got some minor treatment at Ram, but was not impressed. Now looking for a private clinic -- though it doesn't mean that I don't care about the costs. Any recommendations ?

Korakot use to be with CM Dental Clinic for years. Great place. Her and Juranee moved when

Korakot took over her family's land. Now Juranee has an excellent clinic of her own. Empress

on the canal heading south towards Hang Dong. Cheaper than Grace. Any normal work can

easily be done at the clinic on the super highway.

I have too followed Jarunee to Empress. She is first class, gentle and has good German qualifications. The Empress place is small, intimate and very friendly and I have found that Jarunee has trained her assistants in a gentle manner too. For complicated work, Korakot would probably be better, but for general work I think Jarunee is great and much cheaper.

[Steve2UK]

By coincidence, I returned home just an hour ago from a session to complete root canal treatment at Grace - the permanent filling of the treated tooth. By my count this was the 9th or 10th appointment for this one tooth (the dentist - Dr Kassara, I think? - wanted to be 100% thorough and certain that any infection was gone). Multiple x-rays at various stages to monitor progress. Total cost 6,000 baht - as originally quoted; when I went to the reception desk after this final session, I was fully expecting extra costs because of the extra appointments - not a bit of it. Incidentally, she also pointed out to me that she had used a sub-core to the top filling material that would be easier to remove if ever I might need a crown for that tooth.

As always in my many experiences at Grace - whether it's cleaning, whitening, bridges, crowns, extractions (I've had both a large molar and an impacted wisdom tooth extracted there) - the treatment was flawless, gentle and 100% professional. We have discussed options at length - to enable me to make an informed decision. With "professional", I include getting solid and honest information/advice - without a trace of any pressure whatsoever to get me to go for a more expensive (presumably more profitable for them) option. Good example - I had one lower incisor that was very loose and a neighbouring incisor going the same way. I imagined that I was inevitably in for some seriously expensive bridgework to replace them. No, they said, no need for that for a long time to come because we can support the loose teeth with a simple (and cheap) splint cemented in place across the rear of the incisors........ and maybe the bone and gum tissue can regenerate enough to make the loose teeth more secure. That is proving to be the case; probably won't ever be "good as new" but still very good and workable. After a year, one end of the splint worked loose; appointment to remedy that - no charge.

If all of that sounds to some like a "farang trap" aimed at getting you to spend more than is necessary, then the inspired ingenuity of it totally escapes me. Of course, people's mileage will vary....... but I've discussed Grace treatment/handling in detail with others who use them on a long-standing basis - and who are extremely alert to "creative" proposals for more expensive (presumed unnecessary) treatments; the picture that emerges very clearly is that Grace are dependably professional. Given the importance of reputation to their business (and, of course, it is a business) - this seems entirely logical. Incidentally, I notice many Thai also go there - particularly for late afternoon/evening and weekend appointments - and not many look like "hi-so" mega rich (just middle class working people going there out of working hours, I assume).

BTW, I think comparisons with home country pricing are fairly pointless - though comparisons of standard are obviously both valid and important. That said, my comparison would have to be with the UK state-subsidised scheme (NHS) charges - which make Grace prices look bargain basement. It presumably goes without saying that there is simply no comparison in terms of quality of work, latest technology etc.............. Compare with other CM resources by all means. I have been monitoring these "which dentist" topics for nearly 5 years now - and have yet to see any reason for me to change my view that Grace offers the best/right resource for me and what appears to be a majority of other discerning users who (like me) don't appear to be the kind to throw their money around

PS - just saw the references to Dr Jarunee whom I know well from her time at Grace. I did consider following her, but in the end felt that the range and complexity of my issues were still better continuing to be dealt with at Grace. I agree with Uptheos' thinking.

Edited July 4, 2009 by Steve2UK

[uptoyoumyfriend]

the best is

dental 4 u

i believe they have a website too but the office is on tha phae road right side just before tp-gate.the guy is just excellent,i have a few crowns and a root canal done there.

i sent a number of my american friends there and they all swear by it.

i had work done at kitcha-chiang mai gate too,but got pissed off as they always quoted 300 for the cleaning and then charged 600 reasoning my teeth were dirty.the dental work was very good though.

had some minor work done at funsabai on loi kroh rd,also very good.

i am very worried about not having a dentist at hand at any given time that is why i try new ones all the time ,cleaning and little stuff first.

dental 4 u is the best but a little more money than the others.but still cheap ,especially compared to some of your quotes....

[Tywais]

Is it easy to find a parking place near Grace? Need to figure out how much time to give myself to get there.

[uptheos]

Is it easy to find a parking place near Grace? Need to figure out how much time to give myself to get there.

They have a small car park with an attendant - I've never had a problem and you can park on the road if you like.

[Tywais]

Is it easy to find a parking place near Grace? Need to figure out how much time to give myself to get there.

They have a small car park with an attendant - I've never had a problem and you can park on the road if you like.

Thanks for the info uptheos. It's only a few minutes from where I work but didn't want to find out after I got there I needed 30 minutes to park.

[gatorhead333]

grace is great but you need to ask for the good doctors there is a big differance,I got my teeth smashed had a very loose lower tooth was a wiggling wobbling ,doc save it with root canal i believe the same lady doctor mentioned above.she be very cool indeed.

she was unbelieveble! she spent 5 months seeing me every few weeks spending 30-45 minutes taking off temp patch, shooting stuff into this tooth.at least 12 times ! I never asked what the cost was going to be and expected to pay 5X what they charged. the doc that cleans my teeth that was at grace opened a clinic on canal hong dong across from emperor housing estate . she spends 1 hour cleaning my teeth.she be the best at that .once i got some other girl at grace that cleaned my teeth she be bad medicine,not the same.so you must who be the good before you go!

the root canal doc is as good as anywhere in the world maybe better. my tooth is still with me working great .

[Tywais]

the root canal doc is as good as anywhere in the world maybe better. my tooth is still with me working great .

That's my main purpose for going to Grace in that I have broken a molar and need a specialist to see if it is recoverable. I will probably try the other one mentioned that is on the canal road for general dentistry, after hearing the recommendations, since I pass by it on the way home everyday.

[caf]

Perhaps because they see what other dentists are charging farangs, practices seem incapable of keeping to a fair and reasonable pricing structure once they get a clientele in place.

There have been some good recomendations in this thread of which I have made a note for future reference

Must be careful of libel laws but let's just say Elite Smile is no longer on my list.

[wolf5370]

My father came for a visit in Feb. He needed some dental work so we looked around. He tried my usual clinic first, but anted a second oppinion. We did the rounds. race was very much more expensive than anyone else (didn't bother with Ram) as I expected. In the end he used the one next door to Panthip Plaza - price was good, work was excellent (and they even arranged it all around him as he had trips planned - like dentists coming in early or staying late to cover him). All looks very flashy and state of he art, but good detistry too. He had two pins put in to support a tooth bridge (one tooth needed to be removed) and some rot canal and fillings. He chose gold base (the cheaper of the two gold - they did (from cheapest) steel, some other white metal I can't remember the name of, gold (70% I think) and gold (90% I think) - he paid a total of 85k and included 6 visits, various xrays (including a large one), two pins, 2 root canals, one tooth removal, two fillings and a gold 4 tooth bridge. The reason he didn't use my clinic (which was the same price like-for-like) was because they were not going to pin the rotton tooth (that was removed) but use it as a support for the bridge and the new dentist took an xray (mine didn't at this stage) and said it would not tak the pressure of the large gap.

[elektrified]

Perhaps because they see what other dentists are charging farangs, practices seem incapable of keeping to a fair and reasonable pricing structure once they get a clientele in place.

There have been some good recomendations in this thread of which I have made a note for future reference

Must be careful of libel laws but let's just say Elite Smile is no longer on my list.

You are right about that. The Kitcha Clinic used to offer high-quality dental care with a very fair Thai pricing structure, but now they advertise in all the free farang publications and of course they have raised their prices.

[wadsy]

Hi,

For what its worth myself, a friend and my daughter had some work done recently at Fun sabai next to the Kasikorn Bank at Som Phet Market, just up from Thapha Gate is professional and well priced. I had a metal molar crown done for 6,000 baht, fillings are 500 baht each, cleaning the same. My daughter had fissure sealing done on her back teeth for 500 baht a tooth. X Rays only a couple of hundred baht. There is no way that I would pay 1000 odd baht for a filling when there are many capable dentists around for half of that.

[Thighlander]

Hi,

For what its worth myself, a friend and my daughter had some work done recently at Fun sabai next to the Kasikorn Bank at Som Phet Market, just up from Thapha Gate is professional and well priced. I had a metal molar crown done for 6,000 baht, fillings are 500 baht each, cleaning the same. My daughter had fissure sealing done on her back teeth for 500 baht a tooth. X Rays only a couple of hundred baht. There is no way that I would pay 1000 odd baht for a filling when there are many capable dentists around for half of that.

I had great luck with them, also. I was there in 2006 and 2008. My newest Dentists are Tooth and Gum Dental Clinic, located at 75 Huay Kaew. I believe Dr. Jack is a Peridontist, as he does the deep cleaning after novacaine, and the lady does great work, also. The deep cleaning was 300 per section x six. She charged me 900 to do a double front filling that required fine craftwork. Could have easily been a crown, but she said the compounds get better all the time and we should try. Two years later, it's excellent. The abundance of natural light in the treatment room is nice, too.

I did have a bad experience by Chiang Mai Gate with a cleaning. I'm not sure exactly wich place, but it was close to that 7-11. They told me 500 and tried to charge me 600; strike 1, the lady was not gentle, in a hurry, and I believe was filipino; strike three. Lady at Sabai Dee was perfectly gentle. If you already have pretty good teeth and gums; go there--super clean too. She had a mask on, but I'll bet she is an 8 or a 9 in the looks department.

Edited August 24, 2010 by Thighlander

[jdinasia]

bump for Nash