Dental Services Through Dental Schools

[augam]

My area has an excellent dental school which offers dental services through the students. Has anyone taken advantage of their local universties providing theses services and did you save any money compared to your typical private run practices.

Also if you have gone this route and have dental insurance how does that result in savings?

Thanks

 

[MRG]

My BIL is a recently retired dentist and he told stories about finding patients for practice, and boards.

Later a coworker had beautiful looking teeth and never had dental care till her thirties and found she needed many thousands in dental work. I mentioned dental college to her. She found a great guy she really liked, she was his patient for boards. He's an established dentist in her area today but she and her husband get the friends and family discount for life. Not sure how insurance would work.

 

[RE2Boys]

About 20 years ago I had some gum issues and after a deep cleaning, the periodontists wanted to cut down the gums at a significant cost. On the advice of a friend, he mentioned getting a second opinion at the state dental school about 100 miles away. They did not recommend a cut down but said I had two pockets of concern and treated them with deep cleaning every three months for a year and that resolved the issue at a significant cost savings. They also addressed some old fillings and replaced a crown. Costs were about half what my dentist would have charged. Never went back to the local private practices but moved away about 2 years later. They did take my medical insurance coverage which only provided preventive care at the time (cleaning, exam, bitewings). You must first be accepted as a suitable patient for the students and you must have the luxury of plenty of time. In my case, a dental appointment would typically be a two+ hour affair not counting the travel time required.

Several years ago the nearby College of Osteopathic Medicine started a dental school and I have been tempted to try them out but I'm very happy with my current dentist and have no major dental issues. If I need implants in the future, I most definitely would visit the dental school.

 

[pacergal]

There is an excellent dental school near us, but the wait list to be seen is several months long, good for twice yearly cleaning, but not urgent matters.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I'm currently getting treatment at Loma Linda University Dental School in Riverside California. They are very thorough so will probably want to correct items that your previous dentist may have ignored as in my case. I just started so can't really comment on quality but here is pricing I've been quoted.
Crowns $570,
Amalgam fillings 1 surface $61, 3 surface $80, 4 surface $102
Composite fillings 1 surface $89, 3 surface $198, 4 surface-$230
They do take insurance but only PPO and they are considered out of network which usually pays 90/70/50
You do have to have a lot of time on your hands because everything they do is checked and verified. Put aside about 4 hours for each appointment. They have to wait for an available instructor to check each procedure before moving on but they're really nice kids and the place is spotless.

 

[OldShooter]

I am a believer in the dental school clinic approach, but saving money is my third priority in making that choice.

1. A dentist in a solo or small practice is essentially a commissioned salesperson who really believes in their product. This is called an "agency problem" or a "moral hazard."

Last year DW's dentist wanted to sell her a crown, but she declined. A few weeks ago at the school clinic, her student dentist had a long conversation with the attending professor and they concluded that the (more expensive) crown was unnecessary. IOW, when the professors at the clinic recommend something, they have no economic interest and I have high confidence in even an expensive recommendation.

2. At the usual dental office there is essentially no quality control. The dentist does whatever the dentist does and sends you on your way. You (and I) have no way to judge the work; good, bad, or indifferent. At the clinic, the professors monitor and approve every step.

3. Prices are lower. My sense is that the range is from 1/3 to 2/3 of "street prices." The higher prices are where they have to purchase work, like crowns, from commercial labs. Our insurance, which is fairly weak, has paid some the bills. I am happy when they do and unsurprised when they don’t'.

The main negative, and it is not a big deal for me, is that appointments take a long time. Two hours maybe minimum. This is due to the professors being called for consultations and the consultations themselves plus, of course, speed is not (and should not be) a priority. Each student has one morning appointment and one afternoon appointment. Unlike the real world.

 

[savory]

Former SIL had major work at a dental school. It was very successful and in relative terms, inexpensive. I do not remember his costs. He is very handy and actually adjusted some of the brace material on his own. I think that was helpful especially after a move.

Given his experience, I think it is a good idea. Although I will add that they seem to like his case since it had many challenges.

 

[mn54]

I am a retired dentist who teaches at the local university dental school. The fees are about 30-50% what you would pay in a private practice. If you have the time it is a good choice for having your dental work done. the appointments can run up to 2.5 hours in length. All work is supervised and checked over by a faculty dentist so the quality is good and there is no financial incentive in treatment planning.

 

[Time2]

I had a bad experience, caused by me, a poor dental procedure and then not good enough follow up at the dental school clinic.
I had an old filing that my dentist at the time decide needed replacing. She replaced it, but did a poor job and left a gap between the teeth that was not there before the replacement. It was a rear tooth. I complained but to the hygienist, and was told, that will keep you flossing! The gap kept getting packed with food, I could clean it with floss, but I didn't do a good job and I ended up with decay on both teeth, After all this happened, I started going to the Dental School clinic, both teeth decayed, it was missed until it was to late and I had to get two crowns. That dentist is no longer practicing, I have to wonder if she just didn't have what it took to be a good dentist. I found a good dentist and used him for 15 years, then he got ill, sold his practice to another dentist. The new dentist seems to do good work but he raised his prices about 35% over the old dentist.

In another incident, my son was out of town at college and went to a dentist, she recommended 3 fillings, he called me, I said wait until you come home, and check with my dentist. When he come home, we got the original x'rays and my dentist looked at them examined my son and said, nothing needs to be done. I ask my dentist about it, he said, these young dentists get out of college with a lot of debt, and they take advantage of people. It made me pretty mad, because here's that dentist is in a college town, a lot of kids are having pick a new dentist while they are at school and this dentist is drilling holes in perfectly good teeth. btw, nothing has been done to "those teeth" for the last 9 years.

 

[Boho]

I read recently that the effectiveness of a deep cleaning highly depends on the skills of the dentist. But I also believe dental care through a dental school is a good choice. The one I plan on using even fast tracks emergency cases so I'm not sure the slowness is much of a factor, though I guess there are cases where faster care for a non-emergency is best.

Random tidbits of information:
I read that dentists like to treat issues right away rather than keep an eye on them, but if the patient refuses treatment, the dentist may just look for deterioration or improvement over subsequent visits and treatment could end up being unnecessary.

I read that if a cavity is smooth, that's a sign (among others) that it's stabilized. Sounds like, in a case like that, good oral hygiene without a filling may be a reasonable choice.

My personal belief is that delicately "water" flossing the gums with non-alcoholic anti-bacterial mouthwash, using something like WaterPik's Pick Pocket tip, will stabilize and maybe reverse any condition that a dentist claims needs deep cleaning.

 

[OldShooter]

... My personal belief is that delicately "water" flossing the gums with non-alcoholic anti-bacterial mouthwash, using something like WaterPik's Pick Pocket tip, will stabilize and maybe reverse any condition that a dentist claims needs deep cleaning.

My dental school recommends daily use of a fluoride mouthwash. The fluioride is said to do some repair to tooth enamel. The "goodie bag" sample was Listerine. I told them that if they wanted to discourage people from using mouthwash, giving them Listerine was a good tactic. Tried once and threw two sample bottles away. I am now using Act and the taste is not a problem. Instructions say to rinse and then don't drink anything for a half hour.

I also tried Scope, which was OK, but I like the Act better.

 

[Sunset]

.....
Random tidbits of information:
......
I read that if a cavity is smooth, that's a sign (among others) that it's stabilized. Sounds like, in a case like that, good oral hygiene without a filling may be a reasonable choice.

...

If the cavity has gone through the hard shell of a tooth, I feel waiting will simply allow a bigger cavity to grow pretty quickly.

Not the time to try to save money by delaying treatment.

 

[Boho]

If the cavity has gone through the hard shell of a tooth, I feel waiting will simply allow a bigger cavity to grow pretty quickly.

Not the time to try to save money by delaying treatment.

That reminds me, I also read something about it being OK for a dentist to apply varnish to a soft area of decay. That surprised me. I'm not sure I'd be able to re-find that information though.