Patient stories
Sophie from Christchurch — 6 Non-prep Emax veneers, no drilling
Real patient story — a Christchurch optician travels to Picasso Dental Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City for 6 Non-prep Emax veneers with zero drilling. NZD 4,398, May 2026 prices.
Sophie, 34, a Christchurch optician, travelled to Picasso Dental Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City for 6 Non-prep Emax veneers bonded with no tooth reduction — NZD 4,398 total clinical cost (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND), a single 10-day trip with design completed during the Portrait Sitting step 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.
Sophie is 34, an optician in Christchurch who spends her working days a few inches from other people’s faces — which made her acutely aware of her own. Her front teeth had thin enamel, two small gaps, and a greyish cast that no amount of whitening would shift. She wanted them corrected, but she had one non-negotiable: she did not want healthy teeth ground down. A Christchurch private clinic had quoted her between NZD 10,800 and NZD 15,000 for six veneers, and most of those quotes still involved prepping the teeth.
She found us after reading about no-prep veneers and sent us close-up smile photographs. We returned a written, itemised NZD quote within 24 hours: 6 Non-prep Emax veneers at NZD 733 per tooth = NZD 4,398 (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND), with a 7-year warranty.
What she was actually worried about before booking
In her words from the post-trip survey: “I’d talked myself out of veneers three times because every quote meant drilling. I didn’t want to trade enamel I’d never get back for a brighter smile.”
The pre-trip conversation focused on whether non-prep was realistic for her case, not just affordable:
- Candidacy: Dr. Emily reviewed her photos and scans and confirmed her tooth position and enamel made her a genuine non-prep candidate — ultra-thin Emax shells bonded onto the existing surface, no reduction.
- Material: Non-prep Emax, the same pressed ceramic used for conventional Emax veneers, just milled thinner.
- Reversibility: because nothing is filed away, the underlying teeth stay intact. We sent the Turkey teeth explained page so she could see why aggressive crown-prep on healthy teeth is the thing to avoid.
She booked her flights about a month out.
The 10-day trip
She was treated at our Thao Dien clinic in District 2, the leafier expat side of Ho Chi Minh City.
| Day | What happened |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | CHC to SGN via Sydney. Evening arrival, hotel check-in. |
| Day 2 | Consultation 10:00. Photographs, OPG, iTero digital scan. Portrait Sitting design session in the afternoon — shade, length, edge shape, and midline, with extra time spent on how the shells would sit against her face. |
| Day 3 | Try-in mock-up of the proposed shape in her own mouth. She asked for slightly less length; we adjusted before anything was finalised. |
| Days 4–7 | Veneers milled and finished. Rest days — she explored the District 2 cafes and the city. |
| Day 8 | Bonding day. No anaesthetic and no drilling — the surfaces were cleaned and etched, then each shell bonded. Occlusion check and photographs. |
| Day 9 | Review appointment. Final polish and bite re-check. |
| Day 10 | Fly home, CHC via Sydney. |
The mock-up on day 3 was the step she rated highest. “I got to see the shape in my own mouth and change my mind once before it became permanent. That’s what I’d been missing at home.”
What it cost end-to-end
| Line item | NZD |
|---|---|
| 6 Non-prep Emax veneers (clinical) | 4,398 |
| Consultation + OPG + iTero | included |
| Return flight Christchurch to Ho Chi Minh City | 1,950 |
| Hotel — 10 nights, mid-range | 1,000 |
| Food and local transport | 550 |
| Total | 7,898 |
Against a Christchurch benchmark of NZD 10,800 to NZD 15,000 for six veneers, the gross saving was NZD 6,402 to NZD 10,602, and the net saving after travel was NZD 2,902 to NZD 7,102.
She used 4 days of annual leave; the trip overlapped two weekends.
The thing she didn’t expect
In her words: “I’d braced for sensitivity for weeks afterwards — everyone warned me. There was none. Because my own enamel was left alone, the veneers felt like they belonged from the first day rather than like something stuck on top. The strangest part was how normal it felt, not how dramatic.”
We have added that note to our pre-trip pack for non-prep cases. Real patient stories like this one are how we find what patients aren’t told.
What aftercare looked like back in Christchurch
Sophie booked her own NZ dentist for a check before she flew, so it was confirmed. Her dentist reviewed the bonding and occlusion at the four-week mark and signed off the case; we received a copy and added it to her file.
She has had one 6-monthly check since, clean, with the next scheduled.
Sophie’s three pieces of advice
From her survey response:
- “Ask specifically whether you need prep at all. Not everyone is a non-prep candidate, but if your enamel is healthy it’s worth asking before you let anyone file your teeth.”
- “Send proper close-up photos before you book anything. My candidacy and shade were sorted before I’d spent a cent on flights, so there were no surprises when I arrived.”
- “Plan real rest days into the trip. The milling takes time regardless, so I used it to actually enjoy the city instead of pacing the hotel.”
See also
- Veneers pillar — the protocol, materials, and NZD pricing.
- Veneer care tips — what Sophie was told for home maintenance.
- How long do veneers last — longevity by material.
- Christchurch 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 Sophie a real patient?
Yes. Sophie 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 6 veneers cost in NZD?
6 Non-prep Emax veneers at NZD 733 per tooth = NZD 4,398 total clinical cost (May 2026 Picasso price list, 1 NZD = 15,000 VND). This excludes flights, accommodation, and any pre-trip work.
What does non-prep mean — were her teeth drilled?
No. Non-prep Emax veneers are ultra-thin shells bonded directly onto existing enamel with no tooth reduction. Candidacy depends on tooth position, enamel health, and bite; not everyone is suitable, which is confirmed at consultation before any treatment begins.
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.