The Ohio State University College of Dentistry

The Ohio State University College of Dentistry is a dental school in Columbus, OH with an accredited predoctoral program. Dental degrees are earned in part by treating patients under supervision, so many schools run clinics that anyone can apply to as a patient.

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. Ohio has 3 accredited dental schools in total, listed on the Ohio page.

What a Teaching Clinic Is Like

Care is normally split between a student clinic doing general dentistry at the lowest prices, graduate clinics where qualified dentists train in a specialty and charge more, and a faculty practice priced near private practice.

Two things surprise most first-time patients. Nearly every school screens you before agreeing to treat you, and being screened is not the same as being accepted. And appointments run long — often two to three hours — because an instructor checks the work as it goes, so a course of treatment can take months and follows the academic 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.

Other Accredited Dental Schools in Ohio

Ohio 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:

• Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine — Cleveland
• Northeast Ohio Medical University Bitonte College of Dentistry — Rootstown

Before You Call

Schools commonly keep the patient clinic on a different line, and occasionally at a different address, from the school office. Ask before you travel.

• 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?
• Does the school run an emergency or walk-in session, and who is eligible for it?
• Would your case go to the student clinic or a graduate clinic, and what is the price difference between them?
• 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 Ohio

• Community health center dental clinics in Ohio — 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 Ohio — preventive work only, and cheap. Useful if a cleaning is what you actually need; useless for a cavity.
• Free and charitable dental care in Ohio — genuinely free where you qualify, but the criteria are narrow and waiting lists close without notice.
• How dental school clinics work — a general guide to screening, fees, and what to expect across the country.