Nz guide
IRD and tax deductions for dental treatment abroad
Can New Zealand patients claim dental tourism costs to IRD? Honest tax guidance for Kiwis.
Elective dental treatment in Vietnam is generally not tax-deductible for New Zealand patients - IRD does not allow personal cosmetic dentistry as a standard deduction; business travellers should seek accountant advice for legitimate expense rules.
We state this plainly because false tax hope pollutes dental tourism forums.
Personal patients
- Veneers, implants for aesthetics to not deductible
- Keep invoices for personal records only
Self-employed
- Only if genuinely work-related (e.g. traumatic injury restoration tied to income) - accountant required
GST
- Overseas treatment not NZ GST - different from local dentist invoices
Official direction
Check ird.govt.nz or your accountant - this page is not tax advice.