A woman in Ho Chi Minh City was assaulted by a dentist over concerns about complications from her braces. The 31-year-old patient, Tien Thao, filed a police report on Monday, alleging that Dr. Chinh, a dentist at the Xuezheng Dental Clinic, assaulted her during a heated argument.
According to Thao, the incident occurred on September 3rd, when Dr. Chinh struck her with a metal rod, strangled her, and verbally abused her.
Thao said that during the argument, Chinh stole her cell phone and glasses, valued at approximately 20 million Vietnamese dong (approximately US$800), and smashed them.
A friend who accompanied Thao to the clinic captured the incident on camera. Thao originally had braces installed at the clinic in 2021 for 22 million Vietnamese dong (approximately US$880).
In August 2025, when she returned to the clinic to have her braces removed, she experienced severe pain and was later diagnosed with bone damage at another clinic.
She claims she was assaulted when she returned to Chinh’s clinic to seek an explanation. Thao is currently being treated for a neck injury at Ha Mei Hospital, and police have launched an investigation into the incident.