Minish Dental Hospital

Executive Summary

A large-scale 14-story dental hospital in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. Specializes in aesthetic treatment and oral health restoration using its unique 'Minish' solution.

Rep. Director Haesung Kwak

Integrated Dentistry specialist (Ministry of Health and Welfare certified). Oversees hospital treatments and is a key speaker for the Minish Academy, advancing the Minish solution based on extensive clinical experience.

Minish Solution

A biomimetic technology that minimizes tooth reduction, addressing laminate drawbacks. Utilizes specialized blocks developed in cooperation with VITA (Germany), focusing on preserving natural tooth structure.

Reputation & Costs

High celebrity-driven public awareness, but faces controversy over high costs (750k-1.5M KRW per tooth) and overtreatment concerns. Hospital offers a '10-year warranty' and 'genuine certification system' as reassurance.

Representative Director Haesung Kwak Profile

Education & Qualifications

Master of Dentistry, Chosun University
Specialist in Integrated Dentistry certified by the Ministry of Health and Welfare

Major Career

Current: Representative Director, Minish Dental Hospital
Former: Director, Apgujeong Today Dental

Expertise & External Activities

Minish Academy Speaker, leading technology standardization.
Digital Dentistry Leader, proficient in Dentsply Sirona's Primescan.
Clinical Philosophy: Prioritizes preserving teeth and trains juniors through externships.
Academic Activities: Regular member of the Korean Academy of Integrated Dentistry, member of the Korean Academy of Esthetic Dentistry, and speaker for the Korean Academy of Biomimetic Dentistry.

Minish Dental Hospital Information

Location & Philosophy

Minish Dental Hospital is strategically located on Eonju-ro (Nonhyeon-dong), Gangnam-gu, Seoul, situated at a transportation hub near Sinnonhyeon Station and Gangnam-gu Office Station. It is one of Korea's largest dental hospitals, occupying an entire 14-story building. Its core philosophy is 'Tooth Restoration', emphasizing biomimetics and personalized care.

Facilities & Scale

**Treatment Space:** Operates 1:1 private treatment rooms to ensure patient privacy and comfort.
**Minish Dental Lab:** An advanced in-house lab with about 20 researchers (average 15 years of experience) and state-of-the-art equipment, including 9 milling machines and 6 scanners, crucial for the One-Day treatment system.
**Operation System:** Provides year-round treatment (363 days) including weekdays and weekends, enhancing accessibility for busy office workers and patients residing overseas.

Relationship with Minish Technology

The hospital maintains a close relationship with Minish Technology Co., Ltd., a medical tech company established in 2021 by CEO Jungho Kang. Minish Technology develops and supplies materials (blocks), equipment, and IT solutions required for the Minish solution. Minish Dental Hospital serves as the 'flagship store' and clinical research base for Minish Technology, as well as the central hub for nationwide 'Minish Members Clinics (MMC)' that adopt the Minish solution.

Core Technology: MINISH Solution

Definition and Principles of Minish

Minish stands for 'Minimal Invasive', 'Natural Image', and 'Successful Health'. It is a treatment method that restores damaged teeth based on biomimetics, covering the tooth like a coating using a material with physical properties most similar to enamel, the outermost layer of the tooth.

Core Technological Competence

**Minish Block:** Uses blocks exclusively supplied through a partnership with VITA Zahnfabrik, a German dental material company with 100 years of tradition. This material has physical properties such as abrasion resistance, transparency, and thermal expansion coefficient most similar to natural teeth.
**Ultra-precision Processing:** Secured ultra-precision milling technology capable of processing down to 0.1mm thickness through collaboration with semiconductor equipment companies.
**Bonding Technology:** Bonding know-how to perfectly adhere thin restorations to teeth is key, preventing secondary caries by eliminating gaps between teeth and restorations.

Procedure Process (One-Day System)

Minish advocates a 'One-Day System'. It is a process of conducting consultation and diagnosis (3D scan) in the morning, immediately designing and manufacturing (milling) the restoration at the in-house lab, and completing setting and attachment in the afternoon.

Difference from Laminate (Veneers)

Category	Laminate (Veneers)	Minish
Purpose	Mainly aesthetic improvement (Tooth reshaping)	Tooth health recovery and aesthetic improvement (Tooth restoration)
Reduction Amount	Significant reduction of tooth surface (0.5~0.7mm or more)	Minimize unnecessary reduction, Enamel preservation (0.1mm~ ultra-thin)
Material	General Porcelain, Ceramic	Minish Block: Feldspar-based ceramic co-developed with VITA, Germany
Application Scope	Mainly front teeth reshaping	Can restore full arch including front teeth, molars, worn teeth, teeth with receding gums, etc.
Bonding Method	Mechanical bonding focus	Chemical bonding (Realization of physical properties where tooth and restoration become one unit)

Reputation and Market Analysis

Positive Reputation and Achievements

**Celebrity Marketing:** Known for attracting numerous top stars and celebrities such as Blackpink's Lisa, Girls' Generation's Tiffany, and actor Ma Dong-seok, which has greatly contributed to increasing the hospital's reliability and brand value.
**Global Expansion:** Considered a success story of 'K-Medical', with dentists from overseas such as Japan, Vietnam, and the US completing the Minish Academy and adopting the technology.
**Technical Satisfaction:** Patient satisfaction is high because natural teeth are barely ground down and daily life is possible on the day of the procedure.

Controversies and Critical Perspectives

**High Cost:** The cost of Minish treatment is formed at around 750,000 KRW to a maximum of over 1.5 million KRW per tooth (varying by practitioner's grade), leading to a perception that it is expensive compared to general laminates.
**Wariness of Overtreatment Controversy:** There are some critical views regarding aggressive marketing and recommendations for expensive procedures by large dental hospitals, continuing from the days of 'Today Dental' operated by Director Jungho Kang in the past. However, the Minish side defends this with the philosophy of 'natural tooth preservation' and emphasizes that it is a technology that overcomes the side effects of laminates (tooth sensitivity, fracture).
**Confusion of Terms:** Consumers need to be careful as some other dental clinics promote general laminates with names similar to 'Minish' or disparage Minish as just a type of laminate. In response, Minish Dental Hospital is stepping up brand protection through the issuance of 'Genuine Certificates' and the 'Minish Members Clinic (MMC)' certification system.

Consumer Reaction

According to patient reviews, while aesthetic satisfaction after the procedure is very high, the opinion that the price burden is significant is dominant. In addition, regarding post-procedure maintenance, trust is built by providing a 10-year warranty program (varying by grade).

Conclusion

Minish Dental Hospital and Representative Director Haesung Kwak occupy a unique position in the Korean dental market by presenting a new paradigm of 'Tooth Restoration'. The Minish Solution has evolved into medical technology applying biomimetics beyond simple aesthetic molding, and has built technical entry barriers through cooperation with VITA and operation of its own dental lab. Although there are some concerns about high costs and aggressive marketing, the expansion into the global market with **natural tooth preservation** as a core value is noteworthy. Director Haesung Kwak is analyzed to be playing a key role in improving clinical completeness and standardizing technology through education within this system.

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Natural Tooth Preservation

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Biomimetic Technology

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Clinical Excellence