2027 Vietnam Dental Mission
Volunteer Registration
12 – 19 September 2027 · Departing from Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) · Registrations close Friday 16 April 2027
Join our team for a week of free dental care for children in Vietnam. Our volunteers come from all walks of life, not just dentistry. What matters most is a willingness to work hard in the heat and be part of a team.
About the mission
Once a year, Smile Outreach Foundation volunteers travel to provide free dental treatment in communities that would otherwise go without. We commit to returning to each site for three years, so the children we see get ongoing care. Dental supplies are funded by our volunteers and fundraising events.
What you'll do. Each morning the whole team helps set up the work stations, and the head nurse and dentist draw up a roster so everyone gets to try different roles:
Pre-operative: welcoming and preparing patients
Dental nurse: assisting the dentist chairside
Post-operative: caring for patients after treatment
Sterilisation: cleaning and sterilising equipment
Instruments: preparing and managing instruments
All treatment is carried out by appropriately qualified and insured dental practitioners.
Key dates & travel
Registrations close: Friday 16 April 2027
Arrive in Ho Chi Minh City: by Saturday 11 September 2027 (international volunteers)
Mission starts (group departs): Sunday 12 September 2027, on board the bus by 4am
Mission ends (group returns to HCMC): Sunday 19 September 2027
Flights: you book your own return flights to and from Ho Chi Minh City. Please don't book until your place is confirmed.
Arrive a day early: international volunteers should arrive the day before so we can all leave together early on the first morning.
Stay longer if you like: you're welcome to extend your trip and explore Vietnam before or after the mission.
Travel insurance is essential. Smile Outreach Foundation is only responsible for your wellbeing between the official mission dates.
How registration works
Registering doesn't guarantee a place, and there's nothing to pay today. Here's what happens:
Register by Friday 16 April 2027. Fill in the form below. Have your passport and emergency contact details handy.
Registrations close and places are allocated. Because we receive more applications than we have places, we allocate positions after registrations close.
You'll get an email if you've been offered a place. It will explain how to pay your $400 AUD deposit and give you a deadline for paying it.
Pay your deposit to secure your spot. If the deposit isn't received by the deadline, the place is offered to the next person on the waitlist.
Send us your documents. Once your place is confirmed, email a copy of your passport, Vietnamese tourist visa and flight details (once booked) to info@smileoutreach.org. Dentists, please also send your certificate of registration (Dental Practitioner – Dentist).
Pay the remaining trip costs before departure. We'll confirm the final amount closer to the mission (see Costs below).
Not offered a place this time? You'll stay on the waitlist and we'll contact you if a spot opens up.
Costs
Volunteers cover their own trip costs. Here's what to budget for:
Deposit (non-refundable*): $400 AUD, paid only once you've been offered a place; details come by email
Twin share room (estimate): 4,000,000 VND, paid before the mission starts
Private room (estimate): 8,000,000 VND, paid before the mission starts
Return flights to Ho Chi Minh City: you book your own travel to and from our starting location, after your place is confirmed
Travel insurance: you arrange directly, before you travel
The trip cost covers accommodation, meals and travel within Vietnam during the mission. Final amounts are confirmed before the start date, and we prefer this to be paid in VND.
*The deposit is non-refundable, except in extenuating circumstances, and goes directly to our charity project work, so please make sure you can attend before accepting a place. It is also tax deductible.
What to expect
Long, hot days. Clinics run roughly 7am to 5pm. Worksites usually have no air-conditioning; expect 25–35°C and high humidity.
Evenings to explore. After dinner, most evenings are free to look around the local area with the team.
No Vietnamese needed. Translators are on hand to help with patients and day-to-day communication.
Health. You'll need to be in reasonable health to cope with the conditions. Vaccinations against hepatitis A, hepatitis B and typhoid are recommended; please speak to your GP. Let us know about any allergies or medical conditions in the form.
Age. Volunteers aged 16 and over can join on their own; under-16s are welcome when accompanied by an adult guardian.
Uniform. You'll wear a mission uniform on clinic days; select your size in the form. It's included in your trip cost.
A team that becomes family. Many of our volunteers come back year after year for the early starts, shared meals and the smiles on the children's faces.
Before you register
Please check you can tick off everything below:
I'm available from Saturday 11 to Sunday 19 September 2027.
My passport will be valid for at least 6 months after I return home from the mission in September 2027.
I can cover my own flights, travel insurance and trip costs.
I understand the deposit is non-refundable once I accept a place, except in extenuating circumstances.
I'm in reasonable health for long days in hot, humid conditions.
Dentists: I have my certificate of registration ready to send.
Register now
Complete the form below by Friday 16 April 2027. We'll email you after registrations close to let you know if you've been offered a place. Questions? Email info@smileoutreach.org or see our FAQ.