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Accredited dental school

University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine

325 Squire Hall;, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14214-3008

School website Health centers in New York

University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine is an accredited dental school in Buffalo, NY. 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. New York has 6 accredited dental schools in total, listed on the New York page.

What This School Publishes for Patients

This school screens new patients before taking them on. It publishes a screening charge of $100, payable at that first visit. 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.

The school lists a patient line on 716-262-9750 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

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?
  • 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?
  • 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?
  • Would your case go to the student clinic or a graduate clinic, and what is the price difference between them?

Common Questions

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 New York 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.

Do I need a referral from another dentist?

Generally not for the general student clinic, which you can approach directly. Some graduate specialty clinics do want a referral, particularly endodontics and oral surgery, because they take the harder cases. Ask when you call which route applies to the treatment you need.

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.

Accreditation

Status: Approval without Reporting Requirements, next reviewed in 2032. Accreditation covers the teaching — curriculum, facilities and faculty — not whether a public clinic is open, what it charges, or how long the wait is.

Other Accredited Dental Schools in New York

New York has 6 accredited dental schools altogether. If this one is full or the wait is too long, the others are separate institutions with separate lists:

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