Dental Checkup in Singapore?! JAP EPISODE シンガポールでの歯科検診 | #THEBITEANGLE EP27

In this episode of The Bite Angle, Dr Nicholas Ng and Katsuya (Master Ceramist) from Dental Designs Clinic, join Kaoru Terashita, a Japanese mother of two living in Singapore, to share their experiences navigating dental care. Conducted entirely in Japanese, the podcast focuses on how communication and cultural expectations influence their approach to dental care.

About The Video

In this all-Japanese episode, Dr Nicholas and Katsuya join Kaoru Terashita, a Japanese mother of two living in Singapore, to discuss their experiences with dental care in Singapore. They explore how language barriers, cultural expectations, and differences in clinical practice influence how Japanese expats make decisions about where to seek treatment.

The conversation also looks at how dental experiences extend beyond clinical treatment into daily life, especially for families. Kaoru-san shares insights on raising children in Singapore’s healthcare system, while Katsuya explains the role of dental laboratory work and communication in shaping patient trust. Together, they reflect on how expats adapt to a different dental environment while maintaining expectations shaped by Japan.

This episode highlights how dental decision-making among Japanese expats in Singapore is influenced by more than just clinical need. Communication challenges, cultural expectations, and familiarity with treatment processes all play a role in shaping patient trust. Katsuya explains how dental prosthetics involve multiple stages of laboratory work, some of which may be completed locally or overseas, a process that is often not visible to patients during routine visits.

Kaoru-san shares a family perspective, describing how navigating a foreign healthcare system can feel uncertain, especially when language barriers limit full understanding of treatment options. The discussion also touches on why some patients prefer returning to Japan for more complex procedures, where communication and system familiarity feel more predictable. Overall, the episode explores how transparency, trust, and cultural comfort influence healthcare choices in a cross-border context.