Hello, I'm Dr. Junghoon Choi, a Korean board-certified prosthodontist and the lead dentist of Seoul Crown Dental Clinic in Gangnam.
"I want to get dental work done while I'm in Seoul next month — what should I send you first?"
"I have some old X-rays from a while back. Is it worth attaching them to my first message, or should I wait until I arrive?"
Short answer: The most useful first email includes your dates in Seoul, the times you are free, what is bothering you, any past dental work you remember, and whatever recent X-rays or records you already have on hand. Records you send in advance help me prepare and review your schedule — every clinical decision, however, is made at the in-person examination, not before.
When you are fitting dental care into a trip, preparation time matters. A well-organized first message lets me match your available dates to the right appointment slots and prepare for your first visit. Some treatment takes more than one visit — a crown requires at least two visits, and an implant may involve a healing period — so your dates help us plan. None of that replaces the examination, but it does mean we spend the appointment on clinical decisions rather than on logistics.
I am not able to diagnose symptoms remotely from messages or photos. What I can do is use the information you send to make your first visit as productive as possible.
Tell me when you arrive, when you leave, and which days or times you are free. If weekday evenings or Saturdays work better for your schedule, say so — that helps me check the right slots from the start. For reference, the clinic is open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 9:30 AM to 6:30 PM; Wednesday from 9:30 AM to 8:30 PM; Thursday from 2:00 PM to 6:30 PM (Thursday morning is closed); and Saturday from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM. We are closed on Sundays and public holidays, and lunch runs from 1:00 to 2:00 PM on weekdays. Closures for major holidays and other temporary closures are announced separately.
If you are hoping to complete a multi-visit treatment during a single trip, sharing your exact dates early is especially important. As I explain in more detail in how long you need to stay in Seoul for dental treatment, what can fit within a stay depends on examination findings, lab fabrication time, and whether a healing stage is clinically necessary — not on the number of days alone.
Describe the concern in plain language: a tooth that aches, a crown that feels loose, sensitivity to cold, something that looks off, or treatment you have been putting off. You do not need dental vocabulary — your own words give me enough context to prepare. If there is nothing acutely wrong and you are coming for a planned procedure, say that too.
Note any crowns, implants, bridges, root canal treatments (a procedure that removes the nerve and inner tissue of a tooth), or extractions you have had, and roughly when. If you know the material — porcelain, zirconia, gold — include that. For an existing implant, any details you have (the system name, implant size, connection type, placement date) are useful, though compatibility is assessed at the examination rather than from records alone.
If you have a recent X-ray, a panoramic image (a wide-angle film showing all your teeth and jaw), or any written dental records, attach them to your first email. Older images can still provide useful background.
These records help me plan the appointment — they are not a substitute for a clinical examination, and I will not make treatment decisions from them in advance. Think of them as preparation, not pre-diagnosis. Bring the originals or the same files when you come in.
Mention any medical conditions that affect healing or medication — for example, blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants), bisphosphonate drugs taken for bone density, uncontrolled diabetes, a history of radiation to the head or neck, or a bleeding disorder. If you have had jaw surgery, orthognathic surgery (surgery to reposition the jaws), or any procedure involving the sinuses, note that as well. This is not a complete medical intake — that happens at the clinic — but flagging significant items early helps me prepare appropriately.
This is worth being direct about. From a first email, I can review your available dates, consider whether the appointment type you need can fit your schedule, and prepare relevant background. I cannot determine a diagnosis, confirm a treatment plan, or give a clinical timeline. Those depend on what I find when I examine you in person — your bite, the condition of surrounding teeth and gum tissue, and the imaging taken at the examination.
For treatment that spans more than one trip — such as implant surgery followed by a healing period and then the final crown — the return schedule is something we plan together before any procedure begins, so that continuity of care is built into the timeline from the start. You can read more about how that works in finishing treatment after flying home.
If you are coming for a straightforward consultation and have no records at hand, a simple email with your dates, your availability, and a brief description of your concern is enough to get started. Do not delay reaching out because you feel your information is incomplete — a short message is far more useful than no message at all.
Q. My X-rays are on a CD from a few years ago. Are they still worth sending?
Yes — older images can still provide useful background, even if updated images are taken at the examination. If the CD contains DICOM files (a standard radiographic format), attach them or describe the format, and I will let you know the easiest way to share them.
Q. I have an older implant. Should I include details about it?
If you already have them — the implant card, surgical note, or any detail about the system and size — include them. If you do not have them, that is fine; I will assess the implant at the examination. Compatibility with a crown made here is confirmed in person, not from records sent in advance.
Q. When will I hear back after I send my email?
We reply as soon as we can on business days (Korea time). If your travel dates are coming up quickly, mention that in your message so we can take your dates into account.
Q. Can I send a photo of my tooth instead of an X-ray?
A photo does not provide the structural information an X-ray does, and I am not able to diagnose symptoms remotely from photos. If a photo is all you have, you are welcome to include it as context — but an X-ray, if you have one, is considerably more useful for preparation.
To share your records and travel dates, email [email protected] or message us on WhatsApp: Chat with us on WhatsApp or search @seoulcrowndc.
Even a short first message helps me prepare for your visit. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
WhatsApp: Message us on WhatsApp · Email: [email protected] · Phone: +82-2-3444-2888
We reply as soon as we can on business days (Korea time). Treatment plans and schedules are discussed individually after an examination.