VCU Dental Care anyone?

[vafoodie]

VCU (or other dental schools) Dental Care anyone?

Any fellow Virginians make use of VCU dental care? I checked out their website, and it is very impressive. I think I'll call tomorrow to see what prices are like. Recently retired with no dental insurance (insurance advisors all said it was not worth it to pick any up), so I'm looking at options.

 

[ivinsfan]

Any fellow Virginians make use of VCU dental care? I checked out their website, and it is very impressive. I think I'll call tomorrow to see what prices are like. Recently retired with no dental insurance (insurance advisors all said it was not worth it to pick any up), so I'm looking at options.

Did you insurance advisors say that you shouldn't buy health insurance? I'm curious how you made the call to go naked and roll the dice on that. I think lots of people don't get dental insurance but very few pass on HI...

 

[Letj]

No experience with dental care at VCU but I know it’s a really good hospital.

 

[vafoodie]

Ivansfan—no—just advised to avoid dental insurance as did our dentist. We have health insurance.

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Did you insurance advisors say that you shouldn't buy health insurance?

OP didn't say that. Nobody is recommending skipping on health insurance.

 

[ivinsfan]

OP didn't say that. Nobody is recommending skipping on health insurance.

I was referring to another thread where I thought the OP said they were self insured... there is a little confusion going on there,it's the thread about PT. I agree no one should skip HI.

 

[ivinsfan]

Ivansfan—no—just advised to avoid dental insurance as did our dentist. We have health insurance.

OK I guess by the term self insured you didn't mean no insurance which is the way at least a few posters took it. What is your definition of self insured?
And BTW I'm glad you do have insurance.

 

[OldShooter]

DW and I have switched exclusively to the local university dental clinic. Reasons in descending order of importance:

1) Nobody is motivated to sell you something, like a crown, that you don't need. In fact, on DW's first visit the professor and the student determined that she did not need a crown that her previous private-practice dentist had recommended. Of course that recommendation probably had nothing to do with the fact that he had his own crown-making machine.

2) Excellent quality control. The student and the professor discuss every step and every result is examined by the professor. This kind of independent quality control is simply not achievable in a high volume private practice.

3) Prices are significantly lower than market. As low as 1/3, though not quite that good where outside commercial lab work is involved. (But the real cost saving is in not being sold dental work that we don't need.)
​

The only real negative is that appointments are longer, taking the better part of a morning or an afternoon.

If your experience is anything like ours, you will never go back to any private-practice dentist.

 

[rgd55]

I went to VCU the first time last month.2 30+year old fillings were starting to wear thin.
The first visit was for x-rays and a doctor checks to see if you qualify as a patient.
The 2nd visit they actually repaired the bad filling.Both visits lasted from 9am to noon.
The school assigns a student for you and they call you to set up future appointments.
All the repairs are checked/supervised by real doctors.I have spent a total of $200 so far, paid on the day of appointment.Parking is across the street and is paid for by VCU.
I'm very satisfied so far.
Hope this helped

 

[vafoodie]

Yes, I misused the term self-insured. What I meant is that we are paying for our health insurance on our own. No longer paid for by our employers.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

I'm not in your state but I used Loma Linda University Dental School in Southern California and was overall pretty pleased with the work done.
They replaced a bunch of very old amalgam fillings with composite and I also got 3 new crowns. The crowns were $500 each and they look great. The students are closely monitored and the professors spend a lot of time asking them questions, and showing them tips and tricks. My treatment was done 2020/2021 at the height of Covid and it definitely took a lot longer because of it.
My only problem was that I live about an hour away and made many trips back and forth, even the checkup and cleaning was 2 trips. I'm due for my checkup right now but with gas prices I'm not sure I want to make that drive. Assuming no more work was needed, i think they were around $175 for an exam, x-rays and cleaning. I think my local dentist has a cash price (or did) of $180 for 2 checkups, x-rays and cleaning so i may be going back there and hope he doesn't notice all the work that's been done.