How to Find Affordable Tooth Care with a Dental School

How do you look after your teeth when you don't have dental insurance? If you have a little extra time and patience, you can get inexpensive dental care from the advanced students at your local dental school. Even if there isn't a school of dentristry in your town, your local community college may have dental hygienist degree.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Find out what services are available. Call your local colleges, or look them up online, to see if they have a school of dentistry or dental hygiene. If you can't find a college close by that has a dental school, don't give up. Try calling your county health department. Very often they coordinate with schools and local clinics to help people find affordable dental care.

2. Ask what services they provide. Most dental hygiene schools will provide cleaning and scaling, x-rays, flouride treatments and health counselling for a very low price. They may also have services such as sealants, mouth guards and mild sedation for a small extra fee. A full dental school may provide all levels of dentistry.

3. Ask what is expected of you! In order to teach their students well, the school may require longer appointments, or even mor than one appointment for a cleaning. You may have to fill out a survey of health habits.

[cadence]

on 2/14/2009 Great tips! Dental health is very important.

[txwahm]

on 2/11/2009 This is a wonderful article. Very true. My mom and sister go to the dental school and save TONS of money. 5*