Follow up care new zealand
Follow-up care in New Zealand after dental treatment in Vietnam
How Kiwi patients work with their local NZ dentist after Picasso treatment — records to bring home, the email template that works, what NZ dentists will do, and when to seek urgent care.
New Zealand patients should book a routine review and hygiene appointment with their local dentist within 2 to 4 weeks of returning from Picasso Dental Clinic in Vietnam. Bring a written treatment summary, invoice, implant brand card, OPG copies, shade prescription, warranty documents, and aftercare notes — all of which Picasso provides in English at treatment completion. Routine NZ follow-up costs roughly NZD 150 to NZD 250 per visit and operates alongside the SmileCare Global Warranty, not in competition with it.
The question most NZ patients ask quietly — and rarely type into a search engine — is: “Will my dentist at home actually see me after this?”
The answer is almost always yes. The outcome depends almost entirely on what records you bring home. This page covers what to carry from Vietnam, how to approach your first NZ appointment, and how the Picasso–NZ shared care model works in practice.
Why follow-up care in NZ matters
Dental work doesn’t end when you board the flight home. Veneers, crowns, implants, and full-arch prosthetics all need ongoing maintenance that Picasso — from 9,000km away — can’t provide.
Your NZ dentist handles:
- Routine hygiene cleans and scaling
- Gum health monitoring and peri-implant checks
- Bite reviews and minor occlusal adjustments
- Periodic X-rays around implants
- Early diagnosis of any issue before it becomes significant
- Emergency care and stabilisation
None of this replaces the Picasso warranty. It works alongside it. The goal is shared care, not a choice between your overseas clinic and your home dentist.
What to bring home from Vietnam
Before leaving your Picasso branch, request all of the following:
| Document | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Treatment summary | Tells your NZ dentist exactly what was done |
| Invoice (NZD and VND) | For any insurance claim you wish to lodge |
| Implant brand card / fixture label | Identifies the system for maintenance and warranty |
| OPG or CBCT imaging copies | Baseline X-ray for future comparison |
| Shade prescription / material names | Useful if a veneer or crown ever needs matching |
| Warranty documents | Defines your coverage terms and claim pathway |
| Aftercare instructions | Documents your responsibilities — affects warranty eligibility |
| Picasso coordinator contact | Email for your NZ dentist’s reference |
Digital copies on your phone or in cloud storage are enough. Physical paper is a bonus.
How to approach your NZ dentist
Some NZ dentists are enthusiastic about overseas dental work. Others are cautious. Caution is reasonable — they didn’t place the treatment and may be unfamiliar with the specific materials.
The approach that works best is direct, professional, and low-pressure.
Email template that actually works
Hi [Dentist name],
I had [veneers / dental implants / All-on-4 / crowns] at Picasso Dental Clinic in Vietnam on [dates]. I’m attaching my treatment summary, OPG, and implant brand documentation.
I’d like to book a review and hygiene appointment — I’m not expecting you to redo the work. My overseas coordinator is available by email at [email protected] if you have any clinical questions about materials or protocols.
Please let me know your availability.
Kind regards, [Your name]
A professional tone and realistic framing — review and hygiene, not repair — significantly increases your chance of a yes.
What your NZ dentist will and won’t do
| Service | Typical outcome |
|---|---|
| Oral examination | Yes — routine assessment |
| Hygiene clean (scaling and polishing) | Yes — standard maintenance |
| Bite check and minor occlusal adjustment | Often — if bite feels slightly off |
| X-ray to check bone levels (implants) | Yes — standard peri-implant protocol |
| Prescription for pain relief or antibiotics | Yes if clinically warranted |
| Temporary stabilisation of a loose restoration | Often — emergency management |
| Permanent replacement of Picasso restorations | Unlikely without Picasso coordination |
| Invisalign refinements or retainers | Yes — retainer fitting is routine |
If your NZ dentist has concerns about the work, encourage them to contact your Picasso coordinator directly. We provide written records and documentation to support collaborative care — no walls, no defensiveness.
The Picasso–NZ shared care model
Think of it as a division of responsibility.
Picasso in Vietnam handles the major restorative and prosthetic work — implant placement, veneer fabrication, crown fitting, full-arch prosthetics, orthodontic fitting, and all warranty-eligible remedial treatment.
Your NZ dentist at home handles the maintenance — hygiene, monitoring, emergency stabilisation, and general oral health around the Picasso work.
Picasso remotely handles warranty claims, remote review of concerns, written guidance for your NZ dentist, and coordination of any approved return visit.
When these three work together, the result is better than any one alone. The weakest link is usually missing records — which is exactly why what you carry home matters so much.
When to book your follow-up
Within 2 to 4 weeks of returning home — for a routine review and hygiene appointment. By this point swelling has resolved, temporaries have settled, and your bite has had time to adapt.
Within 1 to 3 days if you have:
- Pain that’s worsening rather than improving
- A temporary crown that has come off
- Any swelling of the jaw, cheek, or neck
- Bleeding that hasn’t stopped after 48 hours following implant surgery
Same day — urgent if you have:
- Fever above 38°C with facial swelling
- Difficulty opening your mouth, breathing, or swallowing
- Spreading swelling toward the neck or eye
- Severe uncontrolled pain not responding to over-the-counter analgesia
- Allergic reaction signs — rash, swelling of lips or tongue
Long-term maintenance after veneers, crowns, and implants
A warranty does not replace a maintenance routine. The following applies after all major dental work.
Veneers and crowns:
- Brush with a soft-bristle brush and non-abrasive paste
- Floss or use interdental brushes daily — including around veneer margins
- Wear a night guard if one was prescribed for grinding
- Avoid biting fingernails, pen lids, ice, or hard shells
- Six-monthly hygiene appointments
See veneer aftercare for the full guide.
Implants:
- Interdental brushes or a water flosser around implant crowns daily
- Hygiene visits every 6 months — implant-safe instruments required
- Annual X-ray to monitor bone levels
- Night guard if prescribed — implant crowns are vulnerable to grinding
See implant aftercare for the full guide.
Night guards:
If Picasso or your NZ dentist prescribes a night guard, wear it. Failure to wear a prescribed guard is one of the most common warranty exclusions on veneers and crowns. See night guards and bruxism.
ACC and dental treatment
ACC covers dental injury caused by a personal accident — a fall, a sports collision, or a vehicle accident that damages natural teeth or existing dental work. It does not cover:
- Elective cosmetic treatment such as veneers or whitening
- Ongoing maintenance after overseas dental work
- Complications from treatment you chose to have
If you experience a dental injury covered by ACC after returning from Vietnam, ACC may contribute to emergency repair costs — but coverage depends on whether the accident-related damage is separable from the pre-existing overseas work. Your NZ dentist and ACC case manager assess this case by case.
For more detail, read ACC and dental treatment.
If something seems wrong
Report concerns to Picasso before authorising any non-emergency repair in New Zealand. Minor stabilisation by a NZ dentist is fine and doesn’t void your warranty. Permanent replacement or alteration without prior approval can.
For the full triage and claims process:
Related reading
- SmileCare warranty
- What if something goes wrong
- Is dental tourism safe?
- Travel insurance and dental
- Aftercare guides
About this page
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Emily Nguyen, Founding Clinical Director
Clinical Reviewer, Picasso Dental Clinic
Picasso Dental Clinic clinical team
Frequently asked questions
Will my New Zealand dentist refuse to see me after overseas dental work?
Most NZ dentists will see you for routine hygiene, examination, and monitoring after overseas treatment — especially if you arrive with proper records. Bring your treatment summary, implant brand documentation, OPG copies, and aftercare instructions. A respectful message asking for a review and hygiene appointment (not a redo) makes scheduling easier. A small number of dentists may decline complex overseas work, but most will help with maintenance and monitoring.
What records should I bring back from Vietnam?
Bring a written treatment summary, invoice in NZD and VND, implant brand card or fixture label where relevant, OPG and CBCT copies where available, shade prescription or material names for any veneer or crown, warranty documents, and aftercare instructions. Save your Picasso coordinator's email address — it's your NZ dentist's reference point. Digital copies on your phone or cloud storage are enough.
How soon after returning to New Zealand should I see a dentist?
Book within 2 to 4 weeks of returning for a routine review and hygiene appointment. If you have pain, swelling, a loose temporary, uncontrolled bleeding, or any concern about healing, see a NZ dentist sooner — within 1 to 3 days — and notify your Picasso coordinator at the same time.
Can my NZ dentist do warranty work on Picasso treatment?
Some issues can be stabilised or monitored in NZ — a NZ dentist can take X-rays, prescribe medication, smooth a sharp edge, or temporarily stabilise a problem without affecting the warranty. Permanent repair, replacement, or significant alteration of Picasso restorations should be discussed with Picasso first unless it's a genuine emergency. Elective repair without prior approval can affect warranty eligibility.
What maintenance does my NZ dentist provide for dental implants after Vietnam treatment?
Your NZ dentist provides hygiene cleans, gum monitoring, peri-implant X-rays, and bite checks for implants placed at Picasso. Bring your implant brand card so they can identify the system. Standard implant maintenance is a hygiene appointment every 6 months and an annual X-ray to check bone levels. If your NZ dentist is unfamiliar with the specific brand, they can contact Picasso directly for documentation.
Is follow-up care in New Zealand free?
No. NZ dentist appointments are charged at standard NZ private rates. Routine hygiene and review appointments typically cost NZD 150 to NZD 250 depending on the practice and your location. These are normal ongoing maintenance costs, separate from any treatment in Vietnam and separate from ACC (which doesn't cover elective cosmetic dental treatment).
Does ACC cover any follow-up care after dental work in Vietnam?
ACC covers dental treatment from a personal injury accident in New Zealand — a fall, a sports collision, or a vehicle accident that damages teeth. It does not cover elective cosmetic treatment, routine maintenance after overseas dental work, or complications from treatment you chose to have overseas. If you experience an ACC-eligible accident, coverage depends on whether the damage is separable from the pre-existing work — your NZ dentist and ACC case manager assess individually.
What are the red flags that need urgent NZ care after Vietnam treatment?
Seek urgent NZ care — same day or within 24 hours — for facial swelling, fever above 38°C, severe or worsening pain, uncontrolled bleeding more than 48 hours after implant surgery, a temporary crown lost with significant pain, or signs of an allergic reaction such as a rash, difficulty swallowing, or breathing changes. Notify your Picasso coordinator at the same time. Dial 111 for life-threatening emergencies.