Meet our writers

Win $1,000







Health September 2014

Dental School vs. Private Dentist

By SueAnn Carpenter

These schools need patients for dentists-in-training to practice upon. However, a professional, experienced dentist/professor is there for backup help and instruction at all times. Since the student is getting graded and needs to be supervised, everything is drawn out.

We valued our dentist —an old-timey, conservative type who was trustworthy. We felt blessed to be in such good hands. And then he retired. Over these past three years we’ve tried others but always felt disappointed, sometimes pushed to do things we didn’t feel confident about, and one time even bullied… “you must …or you can’t be my patient.” So after daily passing a 3-year-old school of dentistry, we decided to give it a try. Frankly, I felt I only needed a 6-month cleaning, but my husband was looking forward to a second opinion. He had serious qualms about his current dentist’s $3000 proposed work.

Why is going to the dentist so scary?

Because of possible work needed… unexpected costs…or trust? Probably all of the above.

The first thing I did was call the dental school with questions about the facility, the faculty and the group practice size. We learned that the cost would be much less (60%) than a private dentist. It was stressed to plan on several hours per visit. These schools need patients for dentists-in-training to practice upon. However, a professional, experienced dentist/professor is there for backup help and instruction at all times. Since the student is getting graded and needs to be supervised, everything is drawn out.

There are multiple sessions and each session takes several hours. So you must be able to make the time commitment. Patience is a requirement.

We set aside three hours and paid the non-refundable $95 new patient screening visit fee, hopeful that our dental problems could be managed by the school’s program. The receptionist was efficient and then our assigned student doctor introduced himself and led us back to the examining area: I noticed ten rooms with glass windows and open doors that were visible from a center open area.

All the students and doctors were professionally dressed (paper gowns/masks) with the sinks in each room regularly used for wash-ups. Boxes of gloves were abundant and constantly used. My medical history was entered into the computer, with notes from more in-depth questions. He even took my blood pressure. We laughed about my “white coat syndrome,” and then he put me at ease by lowering the examining chair and turning on its massage. Surprisingly for my next appointment, my blood pressure was not elevated. I relaxed into the chair and clicked the massage. I loved that part!

All of their state-of-the-art equipment was new. I ended up with panoramic X-rays and a full-mouth FMX series, plus an oral and periodontal check. Each step of the way, the supervising doctor approved, offering advice and suggestions to the student/dentist. Even cast impressions were made of my teeth for study. If I ever need to be identified, they’ll have no problems with my records.

The last step was a consultation of work needed and possible options/prices. All of this was covered under the original $95 screening fee. I needed a cleaning ($45) and a side filling replaced that had popped out ($75). My husband needed the cleaning ($45) and an old chipped filling replaced ($45).

We both felt everyone shared cutting-edge knowledge, was sympathetic and empathetic. An advantage of a school is that the practitioner was excited about his career, not concerned about overhead costs or how many patients to squeeze in to cover payroll. Our care was his only concern.

Our recommendations: check out whether your nearest school of dentistry is conveniently located to determine if you want to commit to the trips and several three-hour appointments to completion.

The American Dental Educational Association (ADEA) lists 65 schools of dentistry in the U.S. on their website, www.adea.org.

Health care is expensive, and dental procedures are no exception. This low-cost option was a good experience for both of us. We felt the quality of care was exceptional because everything was looked at by a second pair of instructor’s eyes before proceeding. All of our questions were patiently answered in detail. It was like a slow-motion version of going to a private dentist, but we enjoyed the learning process and sated our curiosity, ending up more knowledgeable. Now that all our extensive records are there, it’s merely a matter of maintenance. We’ve already made our 6-month appointments for cleanings and rechecking.

If like most retirees, you have more time than money — having your dental work done at a school is an option. While it’s great to save money on dental care, your priority should be on taking care of your teeth on a daily basis: practice good oral hygiene, good nutrition, brushing, flossing, and swishing with fluoridated water. An occasional cavity may be unavoidable, but prevention is what really saves money.

 

SueAnn Carpenter has written numerous articles for newspapers and magazines. She loves to travel. And to relax, she paints portraits of pets and captures her travels in paintings. She has a new website, www.petwatercolorist.com.

Meet SueAnn