Dr. Tran Thanh Phong — Head of Implantology at Picasso Dental Clinic

Dr. Tran Thanh Phong is the Head of Implantology at Picasso Dental Clinic, Ho Chi Minh City. For Australian patients flying to Vietnam for implant work — single implants, All-on-4, All-on-6, or full-arch rehabilitation — he is the named clinician leading the case.

This page sets out his clinical background, case volume, training, and what Australian patients can expect from treatment under his care. All figures on this page are documented at clinic level and can be confirmed in writing before you book.

Clinical profile at a glance

The case volume question Australian patients ask

The most common question from Australians researching implant treatment overseas is: “How do I know the surgeon has done enough of these to handle anything that comes up?”

Dr. Phong’s documented case volume answers that directly. Twenty-five years of continuous implant placement at approximately 600 per year produces the 15,000+ implants placed total. By comparison, a full-time implant specialist in a major Australian city may place 200–400 implants per year. A dentist running a mixed restorative practice in suburban Sydney or Melbourne may place 30–60 per year.

Volume alone is not a safety guarantee. What it does mean is that uncommon presentations — thin crestal bone, poor primary stability, immediate-load cases with compromised bone density — have been encountered and managed many times. The surgical instinct has been tested repeatedly.

The All-on-4 case count is the more specific indicator for Australians considering full-arch treatment. One thousand All-on-4 cases is a significant documented body of work. The immediate-loading variant of the protocol — where the prosthetic bridge goes on the same day as surgery — requires high precision in implant placement angles, confident primary stability assessment, and a same-day prosthetic workflow. Dr. Phong has been doing this since 2010.

Qualifications and training

Dr. Phong holds Vietnamese national dental qualifications and a postgraduate implantology qualification from Loma Linda University, California (2010). Loma Linda University is a US accredited dental school with a long history in implantology and oral surgery training. The postgraduate implantology programme there is a recognised international credential.

His Nobel Biocare clinical representative appointment in Vietnam, held continuously since 2007, involves both representing the brand to Vietnamese dental professionals and participation in Nobel Biocare’s ongoing clinical education and outcomes monitoring programme. This is a verifiable institutional relationship — not a marketing title.

All-on-4 and immediate loading

In 2010, Dr. Phong became the first Vietnamese dentist to perform All-on-4 immediate loading. The protocol places four implants in the jaw and attaches a fixed prosthetic bridge on the same day as surgery, rather than waiting 3–6 months for osseointegration before loading the implants.

For Australian patients, immediate loading is clinically significant because it removes the second trip to Vietnam. You arrive, have the assessment, have surgery, leave with fixed teeth — all within a planned trip. The protocol requires the implants to achieve sufficient primary stability at placement for the load to be safe. Dr. Phong determines this intra-operatively and confirms the loading protocol in your pre-operative written plan.

The 1,000+ All-on-4 cases completed since 2010 span both immediate-loading and staged-loading protocols. The written quote you receive will state which protocol is recommended for your bone anatomy and why.

Zygomatic implants

Zygomatic implants anchor into the cheekbone (the zygoma) rather than the upper jaw. They are used when patients have severe maxillary bone loss — typically from long-term denture wear, advanced periodontal disease, or previous failed implants — and conventional implants cannot achieve stable placement in the upper arch.

Dr. Phong has been performing zygomatic placements since 2017 and has placed 400+ zygomatic fixtures. This is a comparatively rare procedure globally. The case volume at Picasso HCMC reflects a deliberate clinical decision to accept full-arch upper arch cases that other clinics refer away.

For Australian patients who have been told they need extensive bone grafting and sinus augmentation before upper implants can be placed, zygomatic implants are sometimes a single-stage alternative. Your CBCT scan is required before this option can be assessed — Dr. Phong reviews the imaging personally before recommending the zygomatic approach.

Nobel Biocare clinical representative since 2007

Dr. Phong has been Nobel Biocare’s clinical representative in Vietnam since 2007. Nobel Biocare is one of the two leading Swiss implant manufacturers alongside Straumann. The clinical representative role is not honorary — it involves active participation in Nobel Biocare’s clinical education programme, evaluation of new fixture designs, and clinical outcomes involvement.

For Australian patients this has three practical implications. The materials supply chain from Nobel Biocare to Picasso is direct and traceable. Dr. Phong’s clinical involvement with the manufacturer means he evaluates new surgical protocols against patient outcomes before adopting them. Any warranty support relating to a Nobel Biocare fixture follows the same documented chain.

What a treatment plan from Dr. Phong looks like

Australian patients who submit an OPG X-ray and photos through /free-quote/ receive a written AUD plan within 24–48 hours. For full-arch and complex implant cases, the plan includes:

1. CBCT review. If you have a recent CBCT, it is used. If not, one is scheduled for day 1 of the trip (cost included in the written plan).
2. Implant brand and fixture reference named. The specific brand, model, and fixture size proposed — not a generic “premium implant” label.
3. Loading protocol stated. Immediate loading or staged loading, with the clinical rationale.
4. Surgical day, prosthetic day, and review day scheduled. A clinical itinerary, not a tourist itinerary.
5. Pre-travel video or WhatsApp call with Dr. Phong. Offered as standard for full-arch, zygomatic, and complex reconstruction cases.
6. Written warranty terms in English. Issued before you fly. No verbal assurances.

If your written plan does not include all of these elements, ask for the missing items before confirming travel.

Treatments Dr. Phong is lead clinician for

• Single dental implants (all complexity levels)
• All-on-4 full-arch restoration
• All-on-6 full-arch restoration
• Zygomatic implant cases
• Bone grafting and sinus augmentation
• Full mouth reconstruction involving implants
• Implant rescue cases (replacing failed implants placed elsewhere)

Cosmetic, veneer, and orthodontic cases are handled by Dr. Emily Nguyen and the Picasso cosmetic team — see /team/dr-emily-nguyen/.

What to verify before booking

Australian patients are encouraged to request the following in writing before paying a deposit:

• Named lead clinician for the case (Dr. Phong or another named team member with credentials)
• Implant brand and fixture reference proposed
• Loading protocol (immediate or staged) and the clinical reason
• Warranty document in English
• Pre-travel consultation schedule

These are standard requests. The written plan should answer all of them before you book flights.

Next step

For Australian patients considering implant or full-arch treatment in Vietnam, the first step is a written AUD plan against your actual X-rays.

Request a free AUD quote — send your OPG, photos, and any past treatment notes. The written response will name Dr. Phong as lead clinician, the implant brand proposed, the loading protocol, and the full AUD cost.

Related

• Dental implants
• All-on-4
• All-on-6
• Full mouth reconstruction
• Implant brands
• Dentist credentials
• Team overview
• Dr. Emily Nguyen — Cosmetic Dentist and Smile Design Specialist