University of Minnesota School of Dentistry

Based in Minneapolis, MN, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry 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

This school screens new patients before taking them on. Being screened is not the same as being accepted: the school is deciding whether your case suits its students and its teaching schedule.

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.

A pediatric clinic operates alongside the adult clinics. Minimum ages and waiting lists differ from the adult side, so ask about children separately.

The school lists a patient line on 612-625-2495 and clinic hours on its patient pages. Both change between academic terms, so check again shortly before you travel.

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?
• What does the screening appointment cost, and how long is the wait for 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?
• What is the policy if you have to cancel or cannot make an appointment?
• Where is the patient entrance, and what should you bring — identification, proof of income, previous X-rays?
• How far ahead are they booking, and is there a cancellation list worth joining?

Common Questions

Accreditation

Status: Approval without Reporting Requirements, next reviewed in 2028. For a patient it is reasonable assurance that the supervision behind the clinic is held to a national standard. It is not a statement that the clinic is open.

Other Low-Cost Options in Minnesota

• Community health center dental clinics in Minnesota — federally funded clinics that discount fees by household income and see patients insured or not. Usually the fastest route for routine care.
• Dental hygiene programs in Minnesota — preventive work only, and cheap. Useful if a cleaning is what you actually need; useless for a cavity.
• Free and charitable dental care in Minnesota — 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.