How Himedi Vets Clinics in Korea — Dental Clinic: Gangnam Saero

Among our American customers, dental implants are one of the most frequently raised concerns. In the U.S., a single implant can cost upwards of $5,000 per tooth. The process takes four to six months. Most insurance plans do not fully cover the treatment. Many customers ask us whether Korea can offer a better path.

It can. But finding the right clinic was not simple.

In late 2025, we began searching for something specific: a clinic led by an outstanding prosthodontist, equipped for one-day implant programs, that could also meet Himedi's standards for American patients.

That search led us to Gangnam Saero.

 

 

Chief Director, Jae Wook jung

 

 

The interior focuses less on flash and more on showcasing their expertise. You’ll find profiles of the medical team along with their track record in implantology and digital guided surgery.

 

 

Medical Quality & Safety

Korea places 883 implants per 10,000 people. The United States places 207. (Straumann Group, 2024 Annual Report.) Over 80% of Korean dentists are qualified to perform implant surgery, compared with under 30% in the U.S. (Mirae Asset Securities, 2021.)

This volume produced an ecosystem. One-day implant programs became standard. Digitally guided surgery became routine. We needed a clinic that could represent this.

 

 

Straumann Group, 2024 Annual Report

 

 

Gangnam Saero is led by Chief Director Jung Jae-wook, a board-certified prosthodontist with 18 years of clinical experience. Eight dentists are on staff — including specialists in prosthodontics, orthodontics, conservative dentistry, and oral and maxillofacial surgery. The team graduated from Yonsei University and Seoul National University — the two dental schools that have driven Korea's global reputation in this field.

What stood out to us was their track record in implantology and digitally guided placement. For example, Gangnam Saero has been designated an "Excellent Implant Institution" by Astra Implants at their headquarters in Sweden. The clinic operates its own digital guided surgery equipment and in-house dental lab. In practice, this means a patient can have a tooth extracted, an implant placed in the optimal position, and a custom prosthetic fabricated and seated — on the same day.

 

 

Recognition from Osstem, a global dental implant manufacturer. Osstem is also a leading company showcasing Korean technology worldwide

 

 

Chief Director Jae Wook Jung receiving the RAY FACE Pioneer Award

 

 

RAY FACE by Raydent, a Korean tech company, captures a full 3D facial scan in just 0.5 seconds for smile design. It feels similar to the skin analysis devices in dermatology clinics.

 

 

Customer Experience

I first visited Gangnam Saero in early February 2026 and confirmed their implant capabilities firsthand. But it took time before we were ready to introduce this clinic to our customers.

The clinic occupies the 7th and 10th floors of a building in Gangnam. At the time, only the 7th floor was in operation — and it did not meet our customer experience standards. Gangnam Saero is popular enough among local Koreans that patients travel from other regions specifically for implant treatment. The 7th floor meant crossing paths with too many other patients.

Chief Director Jung explained that the 10th floor, opening in early April 2026, would be designed with international customers in mind — equipped with English-language service and multiple private treatment rooms. We agreed to begin introducing our customers once the 10th floor was operational.

On Friday, April 10th, I visited the newly opened 10th floor. Jakob Yung, a member of our U.S. team, experienced an actual oral checkup and cleaning in one of the private rooms. For reference, Jakob is Danish and speaks in English. 

 

 

Pre examination room: Jakob undergoing a checkup and dental cleaning

 

 

Operation Center – Private Rooms

 

 

The 10th floor satisfies Himedi's core customer experience standards(direct English communication, privacy by design, transparent pricing & clear ownership of international patients). Privacy by Design is reflected in the layout. Four private treatment rooms are available. Himedi's customers are always seen in a private room. In our experience across many clinics, private rooms change the dynamic — staff naturally focus on one patient and dedicate more time.

Clear Ownership of international patients starts at the top. Despite being a sizable clinic with eight dentists, the Chief Director is always on-site. He personally values international patients — and that attitude flows through to every member of the team.

 

 

On-the-Ground View

Until recently, the dental clinics in Korea that could meet our customer experience standards were cosmetic practices — focused on laminates and whitening. They were the first to offer fluent English service and the first to design their spaces around privacy. But a cosmetic-focused practice tends to steer patients toward laminates for a wide range of issues. In addition, given that implant treatments often require longer stays or repeat visits to Korea, many clinics have historically placed less emphasis on implant-based care. 

After working across both models, our view became clear: the clinic that can serve our customers best is one with integrated expertise across specialties.

Gangnam Saero is where implant capability meets breadth. An oral and maxillofacial surgery specialist is on staff. An orthodontist on the team holds Invisalign certification and has published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. If you evaluated it the way you might assess a professional athlete — using a hexagonal chart — it would score high across every category.

For American patients navigating dental care in Korea for the first time, that breadth matters. It means one clinic, one team, and a treatment plan built around what the patient actually needs.

 

 

Book Through Himedi

If you're considering dental treatment in Korea and want guidance based on Himedi's vetting framework, please contact Himedi.