Last Updated on June 3, 2023 by Ellen
As budget slow travelers since 2015, we have had many medical needs resulting in work done outside the United States, including dental care. Our experience with a particular dentist in Penang, Malaysia, gets a five-star rating.
Dentist in Penang
Our first visit at the K.K. Ong Dental Clinic just outside George Town was in 2018. We had a great experience with cleanings, and returned to this dentist in Penang in 2019. Now, with this new visit in 2022, Theo has decided: we have a new dentist. This is his favorite in the entire world.
We’ve seen dentists in Ohio, California, Mexico (all over Mexico), Croatia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
The doctors, assistants, and technology at KK Ong are all top notch. Our latest dental work at this dentist in Penang:
- 2 cleanings and consultations
- 2 sets of X-rays
- 1 bonding repair (Theo’s chipped tooth)
- 1 replacement filling (Ellen)
Total cost: $162 at the current exchange rate of ringgit to U.S. dollars.
It was easy to make an appointment. I simply stopped in since it’s near our apartment rental. We were in the chairs two days later.
Honest dentists
More important than the price, the modern equipment, and ease of appointment setting: the honesty. These are honest people — they won’t do work that doesn’t need to be done.
Back in 2019, Dr. Tan took X-rays of my teeth and told me she was concerned about a few fillings, and wasn’t sure how long they’d last. She told me to watch them.
In 2020 and 2021 during cleanings in the Philippines, the dentist on Boracay Island told me to watch the fillings as well, but she also didn’t push me to change them (she was another honest dentist).
Now, in 2022, Dr. Tan Ai Yong said only one needed to be replaced because decay had grown underneath it, which was revealed by X-rays.
I asked whether I should replace all three fillings now anyway, while here. After all, we hadn’t been to this dentist in Penang for nearly three years because of the pandemic. Who knows when we’ll be back.
She said no. Why “traumatize the teeth” when the work didn’t need to be done yet? Fair enough.
Theo had an equally great experience with Dr. Chong Yoh Thing.
How we found KK Ong
We found KK Ong through a recommendation by locals nearly four years ago. That’s always the best way to find a doctor as slow travelers – no matter the type of doctor.
Now that we have X-rays and dental records here, and a bit of history, we’ll be back one day when our slow travel takes us here again, eventually.
KK Ong gets five stars. We Earth Vagabonds recommend this dentist in Penang to any slow traveler in this part of Malaysia.