Dental Schools vs Altogether Dental: Your Guide to Affordable Oral Care

Finding affordable dental care can be a challenge, especially without insurance. Many explore dental schools as a way to receive treatment at reduced costs from students overseen by licensed professionals. However, there are some important factors to consider with this route which we'll dive into below.

Alternatively, membership plans like Altogether Dental provide another viable option for accessing discounted dental services. In this guide, we'll compare using dental schools versus Altogether Dental to help you determine the best path for your oral health needs.

Availability and Access to Dental Schools

While dental schools offer affordable clinics, there are only 72 accredited dental schools across the entire United States. This limited availability makes it difficult for many to find a conveniently located school near them. Even if you do have a dental school in your vicinity, they often face high demand and long wait times for appointments. Find your nearest dental school with a simple search.

Using Dental Schools: Pros and Cons

If you can access a dental school clinic, here are some key considerations:

Routine Checkups

• Fees for basic cleanings and checkups are very low, typically around $30

• However, there are often wait times of several weeks just for these routine visits

• Any further dental work like fillings may require another appointment

• For more extensive treatments, you'll likely be referred to a regular dentist

Issue-Related Visits

• Many dental schools don't accept new patients coming in with existing dental issues

• Those that do may use a lottery system, meaning you could go but not be seen

• Some require arriving very early in the morning to get a same-day appointment

• Wait times can vary significantly for issue-related appointments

• There is usually a flat fee charged for these issue visits, separate from cleanings

Introducing Altogether Dental

Altogether Dental has established itself as a leading alternative for affordable dental care across the United States. With over 260,000 participating dentist locations nationwide, they make it easy to find a high-quality dentist nearby.

Unlike dental schools, Altogether Dental offers:

• No waiting periods - appointments available within 24 hours

• All dental procedures eligible for discounted rates

• Members save an average of 42% on dental costs

• Free booking assistance

• Low-cost monthly or annual membership, cancel anytime

Bridging the Gap

While dental schools provide affordable care, their limited locations and waiting periods can make access extremely difficult. Altogether Dental aims to bridge this gap with their vast network of dentists and seamless booking experience.

Their custom search tool allows you to easily check for dental schools in your area. If there are none conveniently located, you can quickly find participating general dentists and specialists near you that offer the same discounted rates.

Concluding Thoughts

For those seeking affordable dental care, both dental schools and membership plans like Altogether Dental are potential options worth considering. Dental schools provide deeply discounted costs but have challenges in availability and access. Altogether Dental gives you the flexibility to find high-quality, discounted dental care wherever you're located without the hassle of long wait times.

If you've had difficulties securing an appointment at a local dental school clinic, explore Altogether Dental's membership and search for participating dentists near you. Their discount dental plan provides a simple, affordable path to getting your oral health needs taken care of.