One of the least known ways to get dental treatment when you cannot find or afford a dentist is through a dental school. Every university that trains dentists runs a dental hospital where students treat real patients under close supervision, and they need a steady supply of people to treat.
How it works
You are treated by a dental student, with a qualified dentist supervising and checking each stage of the work. Treatment is usually free, or charged at a reduced rate, depending on the school and the treatment. In return, appointments are longer and more frequent than at a high street practice, because students work slowly and everything is checked.
Not everyone is accepted. Schools take patients whose needs match what students are learning, so a straightforward check up with no problems may not be of use to them, while someone needing fillings, a crown or dentures often is. You are usually assessed first and then placed on a list.
The trade offs, honestly
- Time. A treatment that takes one hour at a practice may take two or three visits.
- Waiting. There can be a wait for assessment and a further wait to be allocated a student.
- Term dates. Treatment follows the academic year, so there may be gaps over holidays.
- Choice. You are matched to a student and a treatment plan; it is not a drop in service.
For someone with time and a genuine need, it is an excellent route to good quality care at little or no cost.
Dental schools in the UK
Contact the dental hospital directly or ask your GP or dentist for a referral. Arrangements change, so check current intake with the school.
- London: King's College London Dental Institute at Guy's Hospital; Eastman Dental Hospital (UCL); Barts and The London (Queen Mary)
- Birmingham: Birmingham Dental Hospital
- Bristol: Bristol Dental Hospital
- Leeds: Leeds Dental Institute
- Liverpool: Liverpool University Dental Hospital
- Manchester: University Dental Hospital of Manchester
- Newcastle: Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Sheffield: Charles Clifford Dental Hospital
- Plymouth: Peninsula Dental School (Plymouth and Exeter clinics)
- Preston: University of Central Lancashire dental school
- Cardiff: University Dental Hospital, Cardiff
- Scotland: Glasgow Dental Hospital; Edinburgh Dental Institute; Dundee Dental Hospital; Aberdeen Dental School
- Northern Ireland: School of Dentistry at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
Also worth knowing
Dental hygiene and therapy students at these schools also treat patients, which is a good route to free hygiene care. And if you simply cannot afford treatment, the NHS Low Income Scheme may make NHS charges free or reduced.
This is general information. Each school sets its own eligibility and charges.