US Dental Help Find Care Near You

Accredited dental school

University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine

3501 Terrace Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15261

School website Health centers in Pennsylvania

Based in Pittsburgh, PA, University of Pittsburgh School 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. Pennsylvania has 3 accredited dental schools in total, listed on the Pennsylvania page.

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.

On fees, the school publishes $50 for an emergency consultation. Treatment beyond that is charged separately, so ask for the total before work begins.

The school lists a patient line on 412-440-2239 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.

Other Accredited Dental Schools in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania 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:

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?
  • Does the quoted fee include laboratory work for crowns or dentures, which is often billed on top?
  • Is your insurance or Medicaid plan accepted, and is payment due at each visit?
  • 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

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.

Do they take insurance or Medicaid?

Not published in a form we can confirm for this school. Schools differ widely: some bill dental plans, some are out of network, some ask for payment at each visit and give you a receipt to submit yourself. Adult dental coverage under Pennsylvania Medicaid is set at state level — our Medicaid dental page explains what to check.

Accreditation

Status: Approval without Reporting Requirements, next reviewed in 2032. 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 Pennsylvania

Other Dental Schools Nearby