Dental Tourism in Phnom Penh: I Saved $8,000 and Got Better Care

I'm a self-employed graphic designer with no dental insurance. After years of neglect (I know, I know), I needed serious work: four crowns, two root canals, and a dental implant for a tooth I'd lost years ago. My dentist in Portland quoted me $14,000. Even with a payment plan, it was going to wreck my finances for two years.

A friend who'd had dental work done in Thailand mentioned that Phnom Penh had even better prices with comparable quality. I spent three weeks researching online — reading expat forums, watching YouTube reviews, checking clinic credentials — and booked appointments at Roomchang Dental Hospital, one of the most reputable clinics in Cambodia.

Roomchang blew me away from the moment I walked in. The facility looks like something from a dental magazine — modern equipment, spotless treatment rooms, digital X-rays, a CT scanner. My primary dentist, Dr. Sopheaktra, trained in France and spoke perfect English. He reviewed my X-rays, created a comprehensive treatment plan, and quoted me... $5,800. For everything. Including the implant.

The root canals were done first — two sessions, about 90 minutes each. I'd had root canals in the US before and these were notably less painful. Dr. Sopheaktra used a microscope (which my Portland dentist didn't have) and was meticulous. Each session cost $250 per tooth — my Portland quote was $1,200 per tooth.

The crowns were next — all-porcelain, custom-made in Roomchang's in-house lab. They took impressions on day 3 and fitted the crowns on day 5. The fit was perfect, the color matching impeccable. Four crowns: $1,600 total. My Portland quote: $5,200.

The implant was the most complex procedure. They placed the titanium post on day 4, which requires healing time before the final crown. I planned for this — I spent the healing weeks exploring Siem Reap and enjoying Cambodia. I returned to Roomchang on day 16 for the final implant crown fitting. Total implant cost: $1,500. Portland quote: $4,500.

Final bill for everything: $5,800. I saved $8,200 compared to Portland prices. Even accounting for flights ($900), hotels ($540 for 18 days at $30/night), and food and activities ($600), I saved over $6,000 and had a fantastic vacation.

The aftercare was excellent — detailed instructions, medications included in the price, and Dr. Sopheaktra gave me his WhatsApp number for questions. Six months later, everything is perfect. My Portland dentist examined the work and said, "Whoever did this did an excellent job." When I told him the price, he went quiet for a very long time.