University of Alabama School of Dentistry at UAB

Based in Birmingham, AL, University of Alabama School of Dentistry at UAB is an accredited dental school. Schools like this one train dentists, and much of that training happens by treating members of the public in supervised clinics on campus.

Fees at a teaching clinic are set by the school and are usually well below private practice rates, though the care is reduced-cost rather than free. In exchange, appointments are longer and treatment can take more visits than it would elsewhere.

What This School Publishes for Patients

Some insurance is accepted here. Plans and public programs change from year to year, so confirm yours by name rather than asking whether insurance is taken in general.

The school lists a patient line on (205) 934-2700 and clinic hours on its patient pages. Both change between academic terms, so check again shortly before you travel.

Common Questions

What a Teaching Clinic Is Like

Which clinic you are placed in decides what you pay. Student clinics take general work at the lowest fee, specialty clinics handle root canals and dentures for more, and the faculty practice is close to ordinary private pricing.

Expect a screening visit first, which decides whether your case suits the students and the teaching schedule rather than simply booking you in. Expect appointments of two to three hours as well, since the work is reviewed at each stage, and expect the clinic to slow down or close between terms.

Our guide to dental schools and teaching clinics covers the screening process, how the discount works on laboratory costs, and what to ask before the first appointment in more detail.

Before You Call

Patient clinics usually run separately from the school office, on their own line and sometimes at their own address. A few minutes on the phone saves a wasted journey.

• Is the clinic open to the public right now, and taking new patients?
• Is a screening appointment required first, what does it cost, and how soon can you get one?
• Which clinic would handle the treatment you need — the student clinic, a specialty clinic, or the faculty practice — and does it have its own waiting list?
• What are the fees for that treatment, and do they include laboratory work for crowns or dentures?
• Would your case go to the student clinic or a graduate clinic, and what is the price difference between them?
• If the school cannot treat part of your case, where does it refer that work?
• Where is the patient entrance, and what should you bring — identification, proof of income, previous X-rays?

Accreditation

Status: Approval without Reporting Requirements, next reviewed in 2029. It reviews the program every few years against a national standard for teaching. Patient access, fees and waiting times are outside what it looks at.

Other Low-Cost Options in Alabama

• Community health center dental clinics in Alabama — priced against your household income rather than by using students, which makes them the better option if your income is low and your need is routine.
• Dental hygiene programs in Alabama — teaching clinics for cleanings, X-rays, sealants and gum treatment at low cost. They do not do fillings or extractions.
• Free and charitable dental care in Alabama — the only route that costs nothing, and the hardest to get onto. Worth checking the current application status before applying.
• Alabama state oral health program — the health department office that funds sealant programs and safety-net dental services in the state, and a useful place to ask about county-level help.
• How dental school clinics work — a general guide to screening, fees, and what to expect across the country.