Dr. Emily Nguyen
Nguyễn Thị Vân Anh
Founding Clinical Director, Picasso Dental Clinic
DDS · Founder and Clinical Director, Picasso Dental Clinic group · Picasso group lead 2013-present
Clinical focus: Cosmetic dentistry · Veneers · Smile design
Dr. Emily Nguyen founded what is now Picasso Dental Clinic in 2013 — originally opened as Serenity International Dental Clinic in Hanoi. After private equity investment, she led the group’s 2023 rebrand to the Picasso name, overseeing its expansion to six branches across Hanoi, Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Lat. She remains the Founding Clinical Director — a role she has held continuously for over a decade.
Clinical focus
Her clinical focus is cosmetic dentistry: porcelain veneer cases, smile design, and full-smile makeovers. Within porcelain veneers, the Picasso material list she has standardised covers Emax Press (her default for most New Zealand patient cases — 7-year warranty, 0.3 to 0.5mm preparation), Emax Press Plus, Non-prep Emax (for minimally-invasive cases where a 0.3mm reduction is too much), and Lisi. Composite veneers remain available as a budget alternative but are not her recommended choice for full-smile work because of the shorter warranty (6 months) and the long-term staining and edge-wear pattern.
She developed the clinic’s Portrait Sitting workflow — a pre-treatment consultation process that maps a patient’s facial proportions, lip line, smile arc, and aesthetic goals before any tooth preparation begins. The Portrait Sitting feeds the shade prescription written for the dental lab and informs the wax mock-up the patient approves in the mirror before anything irreversible happens. Her stated aim with the protocol is to minimise enamel reduction and to remove the common source of post-treatment regret: patients who approved a shade in a brochure rather than in their own mouth.
Role across the Picasso group
Dr. Nguyen sets the clinical protocols followed across all six Picasso branches. These cover:
- Material standards. The approved veneer material list, the approved crown material list, and the approved implant brand list — including warranty terms by tier, never lifetime, because no brand on her approved list offers one.
- Case acceptance criteria for cosmetic cases. Which combined-treatment cases the cosmetic team will take, which need to be staged with implants or orthodontics first, and which cases should be referred back to local care because they do not justify the trip.
- The patient review process for international patients. Photo and OPG submission, the written NZD plan format, the video consultation workflow, and the post-treatment records pack that patients take home for New Zealand follow-up care.
- Translator and English-language coordination. Picasso works with patients in English and Vietnamese only; Dr. Nguyen personally oversees the standard for clinician English-language proficiency in international patient consultations.
What this means for a New Zealand patient
If you are sending photos for a veneer, smile makeover, crown, or whitening quote, your case is being reviewed against the protocols Dr. Emily Nguyen has set. The written NZD plan you receive — itemised per tooth, with material brand and warranty period and recommended Picasso branch — is in the format she standardised. The cosmetic case acceptance decision (and any decision to recommend you stay in New Zealand because the trip does not make financial sense) is made against the criteria she signed off.
Direct treating responsibility for your case is assigned in the written NZD plan. Dr. Emily Nguyen may take the case herself for high-complexity full-smile makeovers or clinical-director sign-off cases; otherwise, the cosmetic team member best matched to your travel dates and case complexity is named in the plan. If you specifically want Dr. Emily Nguyen to review your case, note that in the free-quote message field.
Next step
For a free written NZD quote, send six phone photos and any OPG you have to [email protected], or use the free-quote form. To book a 20-minute video consultation with the cosmetic team, use the book-consultation page. All NZD figures are converted at 1 NZD = 15,000 VND as of May 2026 and are valid for 90 days at the quoted rate.
Free NZD quote · Book a video consultation · Veneers guide · Smile makeover guide · Meet the wider team
Frequently asked questions
When did Dr. Emily Nguyen found Picasso Dental Clinic?
Dr. Emily Nguyen founded what is now Picasso Dental Clinic in 2013 in Hanoi, originally opened as Serenity International Dental Clinic. After private equity investment, she led the group's 2023 rebrand to the Picasso name. She has been the Founding Clinical Director continuously since the clinic opened — over a decade of clinical leadership.
What is Dr. Emily Nguyen's clinical focus?
Dr. Emily Nguyen specialises in cosmetic dentistry: porcelain veneers (Emax Press, Non-prep Emax, Lisi), smile design, and full-smile makeovers. She personally developed the clinic's Portrait Sitting workflow — a pre-treatment consultation process that maps facial proportions and aesthetic goals before any tooth preparation. Her cosmetic protocols are followed across all six Picasso branches.
Will Dr. Emily Nguyen personally treat my case?
Dr. Emily Nguyen reviews the cosmetic protocols every New Zealand patient quote passes through, but treatment delivery is assigned to the cosmetic team member whose schedule and branch fit your travel dates. For high-complexity full-smile makeover cases or cases referred for clinical-director sign-off, Dr. Emily may take direct treating responsibility. You will see the named treating clinician in your written NZD plan before booking flights.
What is the Portrait Sitting workflow Dr. Nguyen developed?
The Portrait Sitting is a pre-treatment consultation step Dr. Emily Nguyen developed for veneer and smile makeover cases. It maps facial proportions, lip line, smile arc, and aesthetic goals against the patient's existing tooth structure before any preparation begins. The aim is to minimise irreversible enamel reduction and to improve long-term patient satisfaction with the final aesthetic. It runs before the wax mock-up stage and informs the shade prescription written for the dental lab.
Does Dr. Emily Nguyen speak English?
Yes. Dr. Emily Nguyen conducts video consultations with New Zealand patients in English. All Picasso clinicians providing video consultations to international patients speak English, and Dr. Emily personally oversees the English-language patient coordination process across all six branches.
How many Picasso branches does Dr. Nguyen oversee?
Dr. Emily Nguyen sets clinical protocols across all six Picasso Dental Clinic branches: Hanoi Old Quarter (flagship, 16 Phố Châu Long), Hanoi Westlake Square, Da Nang Hoàng Diệu, Da Nang Vinmec (hospital branch), Ho Chi Minh City Thảo Điền, and Da Lat Link General Hospital. The branches share the same materials, the same case acceptance criteria, and the same patient review process — all set by Dr. Nguyen's office.
What materials does Dr. Emily Nguyen specify for veneer cases?
Dr. Emily Nguyen has standardised the Picasso cosmetic material list to Emax Press, Emax Press Plus, Non-prep Emax, and Lisi for porcelain veneers, with composite veneer (3,000,000 VND, 6-month warranty) as a budget alternative she does not generally recommend for full-smile cases. Emax Press veneers are her default ceramic for most New Zealand patients — 7-year warranty, 0.3 to 0.5mm preparation. She does not specify lifetime warranty claims because no veneer material on her approved list offers one.
How do I book a consultation with Dr. Emily Nguyen?
Request a free 20-minute video consultation at /book-consultation/. The Picasso coordinator team will route your case to Dr. Emily Nguyen if your case fits her direct caseload (clinical-director sign-off cases or high-complexity smile design), or to the cosmetic team member best matched to your schedule and complexity. Note in the message field if you specifically want Dr. Emily Nguyen to review your case. Free NZD quote also available at /free-quote/.