Au guide
How to Pay for Vietnam Dental Treatment in AUD
How Australians pay Picasso Dental in AUD: bank transfer, card or cash, the foreign-transaction and bank margin fees that actually cost you, and when to pay.
Picasso quotes and is paid in AUD, by bank transfer, card or cash. The AUD figure is the anchor; what costs you money is the fees around it — Australian cards add a foreign-transaction fee of roughly 1.5-3.5%, and banks add a margin on international transfers. Compare the all-in cost of each method before you pay, and never hand over a large sum before you have a written plan and a CBCT scan.
Paying in AUD, and the fees that hide around it
Picasso Dental publishes its prices in AUD and gives you a written, itemised AUD quote before you commit anything. That quote is provisional until a CBCT scan confirms the clinical picture, but the number you plan around is in your own currency from the start.
So the price isn’t the hard part. The fees wrapped around the payment are. An Australian card can add a foreign-transaction fee. A bank can add a margin to the exchange rate. Those costs are easy to miss and they come out of your pocket, not the clinic’s. This guide is about paying the quoted AUD figure without losing money on the way.
The four ways to pay, compared
Picasso accepts bank transfer, card, and cash, and lists AUD, USD and VND as accepted currencies. Here is the honest trade-off on each, including a travel card as a fourth option.
| Method | Pros | Cons | Typical fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bank transfer | No merchant surcharge; suits large amounts | Bank exchange margin can be poor; arrival takes days | Fixed transfer fee plus an exchange-rate margin baked into the rate |
| Card | Convenient; immediate; some buyer protection | Foreign-transaction fee on AU cards; possible merchant surcharge | ~1.5-3.5% foreign-transaction fee, plus any surcharge |
| Cash | No card surcharge | Carrying and declaring large sums; security; declaration limits | Currency-conversion spread when you buy the cash |
| Travel / multi-currency card (Wise, Revolut) | Often the tightest exchange rate; low or no foreign fee | Need to load and convert in advance; per-transaction limits | Small conversion fee, usually well below a standard AU card |
There is no single winner. For a large implant bill, a specialist transfer service often beats a bank’s transfer because the exchange margin is smaller. For convenience on a smaller amount, a no-foreign-fee card or a travel card can be cheaper than both. The rule that holds for everyone: ask for the all-in cost — fee plus margin — on your actual amount before you choose.
Exchange-rate timing
AUD/VND and AUD/USD move every day. The AUD price is your anchor, but if you pay in another currency, the amount you hand over depends on the rate on the day you pay.
That cuts both ways, and chasing it rarely helps. Don’t pay a deposit months early hoping to “lock in” a rate, unless the clinic has confirmed that the AUD figure itself is fixed. If the figure is fixed in AUD, the timing of when you convert is your call, not a reason to overcommit early.
The caveat worth repeating
Never pay a large sum before you have a written treatment plan and a CBCT scan. The scan can change the plan, and the plan sets the price. Paying ahead of both means paying for a number that might move.
Keep every receipt. If you ever need to make a warranty claim, the paperwork showing what you paid for, and when, is part of the claim. A confirmed AUD invoice plus your payment records is the documentation you want to file away, not throw out at the airport.
And budget for both stages of an implant case. Two-trip treatment usually means the payment is split across the two trips, months apart. Planning for the first payment only leaves you short for the second.
One thing this guide does not cover
How you fund the treatment is separate from how you pay the clinic. Medicare does not cover elective overseas dental, and most private health funds do not rebate it either. A small number of patients access their superannuation early on compassionate grounds. Those are covered on their own pages, linked below — this page is only about getting the agreed AUD figure to Picasso for the least cost.
Related pages
- Guide for Australian patients
- The complete Australia guide
- Full AUD pricing
- Private health fund rebates
- Super early release for dental
- Get a free AUD quote
Settle the AUD figure in writing first, then pick the payment method with the lowest all-in cost on that exact amount — that, not the headline price, is where Australians quietly save or lose money.
Frequently asked questions
How do I actually pay Picasso for my dental treatment?
You pay in AUD by bank transfer, card, or cash. Picasso publishes prices in AUD and gives you a written, itemised AUD quote before you commit, so you know the figure in advance. The quote is provisional until a CBCT scan confirms the clinical plan. The clinic also accepts USD and VND, but the AUD figure is what you plan around.
Is it better to pay by card or bank transfer?
It depends on the fees attached to each. Card payments are convenient but may carry a merchant surcharge plus your Australian card's foreign-transaction fee. A large international bank transfer avoids the card surcharge but can carry a fixed fee and a worse exchange-rate margin from the bank. Get the all-in cost of both, on your actual amount, before deciding.
What fees should I watch for?
Two main ones. On cards, an Australian-issued card typically adds a foreign-transaction fee of around 1.5-3.5%, sometimes plus a merchant surcharge. On bank transfers, the bank adds a margin to the exchange rate and often a fixed fee. A travel or multi-currency card such as Wise or Revolut, or a no-foreign-fee card, can reduce the card cost. Ask the bank for its all-in figure before you send a transfer.
Do I have to pay a deposit upfront?
You should never pay a large sum before you have a written treatment plan and a CBCT scan, because the plan can change once the scan is read. Any deposit should sit against a confirmed AUD figure. Do not prepay months early hoping to lock in an exchange rate unless the clinic confirms the AUD amount itself is fixed.
When do I pay for a two-trip implant case?
Implant cases usually run across two trips, months apart, and payment is normally split to match. Budget for both stages rather than the first one only, and keep every receipt — you will need them if you ever make a warranty claim. Confirm the split and the timing in writing with the clinic before your first trip.