Accredited dental school
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine
100 East Newton Street, Boston, MA 02118
Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine is an accredited dental school in Boston, MA. Dentists are trained by treating patients, which is why a dental school is often the cheapest place in a city to have a large amount of work done.
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. Massachusetts has 3 accredited dental schools in total, listed on the Massachusetts page.
Common Questions
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 treat patients with complex medical conditions?
It depends on the condition and the school. Some cases need clearance from your physician first, and a few are referred to a hospital dental service instead. Bring a current medication list and your physician’s details to screening; it is the most common reason a first appointment has to be repeated.
What happens when my student graduates?
Treatment still in progress is normally transferred to another student, with the faculty supervisor carrying the plan across. It is one reason a long course of work can stretch out. If you start late in the academic year, ask how the handover is handled before you commit.
Do I have to come during working hours?
Mostly yes. Teaching clinics run on the academic timetable, which means weekday daytime sessions and long appointments. A few schools hold evening or Saturday sessions. If you cannot take weekday time off repeatedly, this route is harder than it looks on paper.
How long will a course of treatment take?
Longer than at a private practice, and the gap widens with the amount of work. Individual appointments often run two to three hours because each stage is reviewed, and clinics slow down or close between terms. Someone needing several crowns should expect months rather than weeks.
What happens if I have to cancel?
Missed appointments are taken seriously here, because a cancelled slot costs a student a graded case as well as costing the clinic. Several schools charge a fee or remove repeat no-shows from their patient list. Ask what the policy is at the start rather than after the first clash.
What a Teaching Clinic Is Like
Dental schools usually run several clinics rather than one. Students handle routine general dentistry at the lowest fees; residents training in a specialty handle root canals, gum treatment, dentures, and oral surgery for more; faculty practices charge close to private rates.
The trade is time for money. Screening comes first and does not guarantee acceptance; appointments are two to three hours because each stage is checked; and treatment spanning several months has to work around the school calendar.
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
The patient clinic is often a separate operation from the school itself, with its own number and sometimes its own building. Worth a call before you set out.
- 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?
- Are X-rays from your own dentist accepted, and how recent do they have to be?
- If the school cannot treat part of your case, where does it refer that work?
- Are evening or Saturday appointments available, or is it weekdays only?
Accreditation
Status: Approval without Reporting Requirements, 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 Massachusetts
Massachusetts 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:
- Harvard University School of Dental Medicine — Boston, the same city
- Tufts University School of Dental Medicine — Boston, the same city
Other Low-Cost Options in Massachusetts
- Community health center dental clinics in Massachusetts — 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 Massachusetts — 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 Massachusetts — volunteer and donated-care programs, normally with eligibility rules and limited capacity.
- How dental school clinics work — a general guide to screening, fees, and what to expect across the country.
Other Dental Schools Nearby
- Harvard University School of Dental Medicine — Boston, MA
- Tufts University School of Dental Medicine — Boston, MA
- A.T. Still University Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health — Mesa, AZ
- California Northstate University College of Dental Medicine — Elk Grove, CA
- Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine — Cleveland, OH