HCMC Ring Road 4: $4.9 Billion Highway to Transform Regional Travel for Dental Tourists

A Highway That Circles the Entire Region

Ho Chi Minh City’s most ambitious road project is taking shape. Ring Road 4, a 200+ kilometer expressway connecting HCMC with five surrounding provinces, has been greenlit with a first-phase investment of VND 122,774 billion ($4.9 billion). Construction on various sections begins between early and mid-2026, with full completion targeted by 2028.

For dental tourists, this project represents a fundamental shift in how easy it will be to combine HCMC dental treatment with exploring southern Vietnam.

The Scale of the Project

Ring Road 4 is not just another city road — it is a regional expressway that will reshape how the entire southern Vietnam economic zone connects:

The ring road also includes over VND 7,050 billion worth of access roads and frontage roads within HCMC, ensuring smooth integration with the existing street network.

What This Means for Dental Tourists

Faster Airport Connections

With Long Thanh International Airport opening in 2026 and Ring Road 4 providing a direct expressway link, dental tourists arriving at the new airport will have a fast route to HCMC clinics without battling inner-city traffic. The combination of the new airport and the ring road will cut transfer times significantly.

Multi-Destination Dental Trips

Ring Road 4 makes it practical to combine dental treatment in HCMC with side trips to:

• Vung Tau beaches — A 90-minute drive instead of 2+ hours through congested routes
• Mekong Delta — Faster access to Can Tho and the floating markets
• Binh Duong — Emerging entertainment and golf destinations
• Cu Chi — Historical tunnels and countryside experiences

Reduced City Congestion

By diverting through-traffic around the city, Ring Road 4 will reduce congestion on HCMC’s inner roads. This means shorter taxi and Grab rides between your hotel in District 1 and dental clinics elsewhere in the city.

Timeline for Dental Tourist Planning

The ring road’s 2028 completion target means dental tourists visiting HCMC in the coming years will progressively benefit from improved connectivity. Even partial opening of segments will ease traffic on existing routes. If you are planning a dental trip for 2027 or 2028, the infrastructure improvements will be noticeable.

For patients visiting now, HCMC already has excellent clinic accessibility via metro, Grab, and existing expressways. Ring Road 4 simply makes a great situation even better.