There's always been a shroud of fear when it comes to dentists. Maybe it's the pain or the sound of the drill or the sight of a massive needle entering your precious mouth. Who knows. Either way, when you add a language barrier to that existing, wide-spread stigma, the result is that many foreigners living in Beijing put off going to the dentist for as long as possible/forever.

Of course there are fantastic international dental hospitals in Beijing, but the price difference between international and local clinics are jarring. If you've got good insurance or are simply loaded, by all means, go to an international hospital. Otherwise, go to a local clinic and treat it as a way to learn a bunch of new vocabulary.

Your local options

There are two types of local treatment centers that you can visit in Beijing when the teeth hurt: local hospitals or local private clinics. If you've been to a local hospital in Beijing, then you'll be familiar with the process; it involves a lot of queuing and being passed back and forth. Local hospitals are the cheapest option, but hygiene is not their best suit and the doctors won't coddle you since they have an unending line of patients. The second option is a local private clinic, which we highly recommend. They are affordable, cleaner than local hospitals, and there's no queuing involved. Costs vary depending on the clinic, but are still significantly cheaper than at international dental hospitals.

Making an appointment and procedures

If you're going to a local hospital to seek dental treatment, there's usually appointment required. Simply go to the hospital, take a number, and wait in line. On the contrary, if you're going to a local private hospital, the process is the same as going to any dentist in the world: you have to make an appointment ahead of time. You can do so by calling ahead or stopping by the clinic yourself. Look for a clinic outside of large hospitals with the words 口腔醫院 (kǒu qiāng yī yuàn), simply meaning 'dental hospital.'

I would like to make a dental appointment.
我想預約看牙。
Wǒ xiǎng yù yuē kàn yá.

If you already know which procedure you need, it's best to let the receptionist know and ask for an approximate quote (How much is it? 價格多少錢？Jià gé duō shǎo qián?) instead of going into the appointment blindly. Here is how to say some basic dental procedures:

I want to get an oral check up.
我想做口腔檢查。
Wǒ xiǎng zuò kǒu qiāng jiǎn chá.

I have a cavity.
我有蟲牙。
Wǒ yǒu chóng yá.

I need to get a tooth filling.
我需要補牙。
Wǒ xū yào bǔ yá.

I need a root canal.
我想要做根管治療。
Wǒ xiǎng yào zuò gēn guǎn zhì liáo.

I need a tooth extraction/wisdom tooth extraction.
我需要拔牙/拔智齒 。
Wǒ xū yào bá yá/ bá zhì chǐ.

I need to get braces.
我需要戴牙套。
Wǒ xū yào dài yá tào.

I want to get my teeth cleaned.
我想要清潔牙齒 。
Wǒ xiǎng yào qīng jié yá chǐ.

I want to get my teeth whitened.
我想要牙齒美白。
Wǒ xiǎng yào yá chǐ měi bái.

I need veneers.
我需要牙貼。
Wǒ xū yào yá tiē.

Source: The Beijinger
Editor: wanwan