Accredited dental school
University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine
147 Sycamore Street, Pikeville, KY 41501
Based in Pikeville, KY, University of Pikeville Tanner College of Dental Medicine 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. Kentucky has 3 accredited dental schools in total, listed on the Kentucky page.
Common Questions
Can children be seen?
It depends on whether the school runs a pediatric clinic, and this one has not published an answer we can confirm. Minimum ages vary widely and pediatric clinics keep their own waiting lists. Ask specifically rather than assuming a school treating adults also treats children.
What if something goes wrong with the work later?
Schools generally stand behind treatment in the same way a practice does, and problems are reviewed by faculty. What differs is continuity: the student who treated you may have graduated. Ask what the policy is for remakes and repairs, and keep your treatment paperwork.
How is this different from a community health center?
A health center discounts by your household income and can usually see you sooner; a school discounts by using students and takes longer. If your income is low, the health center is often cheaper as well as faster. If you need a large amount of work and can wait, the school frequently wins on total cost. community health centers in Kentucky are listed here too.
Can I ask for a different student?
Usually not in the way you would change dentist at a private practice. Assignment depends on which students need your kind of case and who has capacity. You can raise a concern with the supervising faculty member, who is responsible for the treatment regardless of who is holding the instruments.
Do they do implants?
Many schools do, usually through a graduate clinic, and usually at a price well below private practice but still well above a denture. Implant components are billed separately from the surgical fee at most schools. Expect a longer assessment before anyone agrees to treat.
Can I pay in instalments?
Payment is often expected at each visit rather than at the end, which spreads the cost in practice even where there is no formal plan. Formal payment plans are less common at schools than at private practices. Third-party dental finance is sometimes accepted; ask before assuming it.
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?
- Is your insurance or Medicaid plan accepted, and is payment due at each visit?
- Which number reaches the patient clinic rather than the main switchboard?
- Would your case go to the student clinic or a graduate clinic, and what is the price difference between them?
- Does the school run an emergency or walk-in session, and who is eligible for it?
- Are evening or Saturday appointments available, or is it weekdays only?
Accreditation
Status: Initial Accreditation, next reviewed in 2027. 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 Accredited Dental Schools in Kentucky
Kentucky has 3 accredited dental schools altogether. If this one is full or the wait is too long, the others are separate institutions with separate lists:
- University of Kentucky College of Dentistry — Lexington
- University of Louisville School of Dentistry — Louisville
Other Low-Cost Options in Kentucky
- Community health center dental clinics in Kentucky — 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 Kentucky — 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 Kentucky — the only route that costs nothing, and the hardest to get onto. Worth checking the current application status before applying.
- How dental school clinics work — a general guide to screening, fees, and what to expect across the country.
Other Dental Schools Nearby
- University of Kentucky College of Dentistry — Lexington, KY
- University of Louisville School of Dentistry — Louisville, KY
- A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health — Mesa, AZ
- Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine — Boston, MA
- California Northstate University College of Dental Medicine — Elk Grove, CA