Affordable Dental Schools - Disadvantages

By Susan Braden
Published May 26 2010

Some patients in search of low cost dentistry want to visit dentistry schools for the treatment they need. While the greatest advantage of receiving care from such schools is usually the money you save, there are some disadvantages to affordable dental treatment from schools of dentistry. Is visiting a dentistry school right for you? Consult other patients in your community, and weigh the following disadvantages with the amount of cheap dentistry work you can receive.

Wait Time and Drive Time

One such problem can be a low availability of appointments. Many people have heard about the money you can save through student dentistry, but appointment times can often be full. If you are able to schedule an appointment, you may have to endure a long wait time at the school before your procedure actually begins. There are only about sixty full-functioning dentistry schools in America, so it also can be quite a drive to reach the one closest to you.

Availability of Affordable Dental Procedures

Some patients also experience difficulty obtaining certain procedures from a school of dentistry. For example, if a class is practicing root canals, but you need a filling, there may be a waiting period before you can receive that filling. The procedures you receive may be limited to whatever is being taught to the students at the specific time you need treatment.

Long Appointments

A final drawback of student dentistry is the increased time and inconvenience of a long appointment. Students are usually graded by quality, rather than time, so a procedure that would normally take an hour at an established dentist may take three or more hours.

Conclusions

Visiting a school of dentistry may involve some inconveniences. These inconveniences may include long days spent at the dentistry school, limited procedure availability, and a long drive. If you run into such problems, decide if affordable dental care is worth the drive, and worth the wait.

For more affordable dental tips from Susan Braden, see this article.