Patient stories
Hema from Whangarei — 8 Non-prep Emax veneers, no enamel removed
Real patient story — a 45-54 Whangarei health worker travels to Picasso Dental Clinic in Da Nang for 8 Non-prep Emax veneers at the May 2026 NZD price. NZD 5,864 clinical cost.
Hema, 49, a Whangarei health worker, travelled to Picasso Dental Clinic in Da Nang for 8 Non-prep Emax veneers placed over healthy enamel with no drilling — NZD 5,864 total clinical cost (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND), a single 10-day trip with the design locked during the Portrait Sitting on day 2.
Real patient story, shared with permission. This patient has consented to Picasso Dental Clinic publishing their experience to help other New Zealand patients. Treatment, material, NZD price, and timeline are accurate to the case archive. Reviewed by Dr. Emily Nguyen, Founding Clinical Director.
Hema is in her late forties, a health worker in Whangarei who spends her days reassuring other people and very little time thinking about her own smile. Her front teeth were sound but worn flat at the edges and slightly grey from years of strong tea on long shifts. She wanted them brighter and a little younger — but she was clear about one thing: she did not want her healthy teeth filed down to stumps to get there. A Whangarei private clinic had quoted her in the region of NZD 1,800 to NZD 2,500 per tooth for 8 veneers — call it NZD 17,200 at the midpoint — and the plan involved meaningful enamel reduction.
She sent us a set of smile photos after a night shift. Because her teeth were well-aligned and structurally intact, she was a candidate for the no-prep approach. We returned a written, itemised NZD quote within 24 hours: 8 Non-prep Emax veneers at NZD 733 per tooth = NZD 5,864 (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND), with a 7-year warranty.
What mattered most to her before booking
From the post-trip survey: “I work in healthcare. I know that once you take enamel off a tooth, it never grows back. I did not want a quick cosmetic fix that meant my teeth depended on porcelain forever. If I was going to do this, the teeth underneath had to stay healthy.”
The pre-trip conversation centred on that single priority:
- Material: Non-prep Emax — the same lithium-disilicate ceramic as a standard Emax veneer, designed thin enough to bond over the tooth rather than into it.
- Preparation: little to no enamel reduction. We sent the Turkey teeth explained page so she could see exactly why aggressive crown-prep on healthy front teeth is the outcome she was right to avoid.
- Suitability: we were honest that no-prep only works when the teeth are not crowded or pushed forward. We confirmed hers were before she committed to a flight.
She booked about a month out and timed the trip for a quieter stretch between roster blocks.
The 10-day trip
| Day | What happened |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | WRE to Da Nang via Auckland and Singapore. Late arrival, hotel check-in, early night. |
| Day 2 | Consultation 10:00 — photographs, OPG, iTero digital scan. Portrait Sitting design session in the afternoon: shade, edge shape, length, and how much brightness would still read as natural for her age. |
| Day 3 | Fitting appointment 9:00 to 13:00. Because the case was no-prep, there was minimal preparation — surfaces cleaned and lightly conditioned, then trial placement. No temporaries were needed in the usual sense. |
| Days 4–7 | Trial-smile phase. She wore a try-in set so she could speak, eat, and photograph the look in daylight, then report back. She asked for one shade down from the first proposal. Beach and Marble Mountains in between. |
| Day 8 | Final bonding. 3.5 hours across 8 teeth, occlusion check, polish, photographs. |
| Day 9 | Review appointment, 30 minutes. Bite re-check and final polish. |
| Day 10 | Fly home to Whangarei. |
The trial-smile step is the one she rated highest. “Seeing them in my own mouth before anything was permanent — and being able to say ’too white, take it back a notch’ — that was the whole thing for me.”
What it cost end-to-end
| Line item | NZD |
|---|---|
| 8 Non-prep Emax veneers (clinical) | 5,864 |
| Consultation + OPG + iTero | included |
| Return flight Whangarei to Da Nang | 2,150 |
| Hotel — 10 nights, mid-range | 1,000 |
| Food and local transport | 550 |
| Total | 9,564 |
Against a Whangarei benchmark of NZD 14,400 to NZD 20,000 for 8 veneers, the gross saving was NZD 8,536 to NZD 14,136, and the net saving after travel was NZD 4,836 to NZD 10,436.
She used 6 days of annual leave, with the trip overlapping a weekend either side.
The thing she didn’t expect
In her words: “I assumed no-prep would feel bulky — like the teeth would suddenly be too thick. For the first afternoon there was a very slight fullness when I ran my tongue along them, and I caught myself over-pronouncing a couple of words. By the next morning I had completely stopped noticing. I’d braced for an adjustment that basically never came.”
We have added this note to the pre-trip pack for no-prep cases. The small surprises are exactly what these surveys are for.
What aftercare looked like back in Whangarei
Hema booked a check with her own NZ dentist before she flew, so it was confirmed and waiting. Her dentist reviewed the bonding and occlusion four weeks after the trip and signed the case off; we received a copy of that report and filed it with her records.
Because no enamel was removed, her home routine did not change much — normal brushing, flossing, and the usual six-monthly clean. She has had one check since, clean, with the next already scheduled.
Hema’s three pieces of advice
From her survey response:
- “Send your photos and ask straight out whether you’re a no-prep candidate. Not everyone is, and you want that answer before you spend a cent on a flight.”
- “Use the trial-smile days properly. Eat, talk, take photos in real light, and be honest if the shade is wrong. I sent mine back one notch and I’m so glad I spoke up.”
- “If keeping your natural teeth intact matters to you, say it loudly and early. Once they knew that was my line, everything they recommended worked around it.”
See also
- Veneers pillar — the protocol, materials, and NZD pricing.
- Veneer care tips — the home maintenance Hema was given.
- How long do veneers last — longevity by material.
- Whangarei to Vietnam dental travel page — local benchmark and route logistics.
Request your own free NZD veneer quote
About this page
Medically reviewed by
Dr. Emily Nguyen
Founding Clinical Director, Picasso Dental Clinic
DDS · Founder and Clinical Director, Picasso Dental Clinic group
Clinical focus: Cosmetic dentistry · Veneers · Smile design
Dr. Emily Nguyen founded Picasso Dental Clinic in 2013 (originally Serenity International Dental Clinic) and led its 2023 rebrand. She sets clinical standards across the group's six branches in Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Lat, and personally reviews cosmetic protocols including the Portrait Sitting workflow for veneers and smile makeovers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Hema a real patient?
Yes. Hema is a real Picasso Dental Clinic patient who has given written permission for us to share their experience with other New Zealand patients considering treatment. Treatment, material/brand, NZD price, and timeline are accurate to the case archive.
What did the 8 veneers cost in NZD?
8 Non-prep Emax veneers at NZD 733 per tooth = NZD 5,864 total clinical cost (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND). This excludes flights, accommodation, and any pre-trip work.
What does 'no-prep' actually mean?
Non-prep Emax veneers are bonded over the existing tooth with little or no enamel reduction. Because healthy enamel is preserved rather than ground down, the underlying tooth stays intact and the change is far less invasive than a crown. It suits cases where the teeth are well-aligned and structurally sound — which is why Hema's case was assessed for suitability from her photos before booking.
What warranty applies to Non-prep Emax veneers?
7-year warranty on Non-prep Emax veneers from Picasso. Manufacturer warranty applies in parallel. Warranty covers fracture or debonding not caused by trauma or untreated bruxism. See the full /warranty/ page for tier-by-tier terms.