Meharry Medical College
School of Dentistry
1005 D.B. Todd Boulevard
Nashville, TN  37208
615-327-6207

How to become a patient at the The Meharry Lentz Public Health Center Dental Clinic

Patient Care

Thank you for entrusting Meharry Medical College with your oral healthcare needs.

The College's Mission:  Established in 1876, Meharry Medical College exists to provide excellent education and training in the health sciences, while placing special emphasis on providing opportunities for African Americans, other ethnic minorities and individuals from disadvantaged background. Meharry is committed to excellence in the delivery of quality community-based health care services and; the conduct of outstanding basic and patient oriented research with special emphasis on underserved communities and diseases and health conditions that disproportionately affect ethnic minority populations.

Our goal is to provide patients with quality care in a friendly, comfortable atmosphere, in the timeliest manner possible. Our clinics offer an extensive range of dental treatments and oral healthcare services for adults and children. Dental treatment in our clinics is rendered by our undergraduate dental and dental hygiene students under the supervision of the faculty. Prospective patients interested in receiving dental care are primarily selected on the basis of their teaching potential.  In addition, Postgraduate dentists also provide additional specialized care in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and our General Practice Residency Clinic. 

AppointmentsSupport Dental Education

ALL PATIENTS, except emergencies, must make an appointment.  Your first appointment will be for an initial dental evaluation to determine the patient's dental needs.  Preliminary diagnostic radiographs are taken and your record is forwarded to the patient pool for assignment to a student.  Assignment is determined by your dental needs and how those needs will assist the student in obtaining his/her clinical experiences. 
After assignment the Patient Service Representative will call you to confirm your interest in receiving treatment, availability and ability to meet the responsibilities of being a patient in the School of Dentistry.  Appointments are made by the Patient Service Representatives in accordance with the Clinical Assignment Schedule.  

Meharry Dental School gets upgrade

Grant allows school to bring in new technology

By Andy Humbles
THE TENNESSEAN

http://www.mmc.edu/">Meharry Medical Center’s School of Dentistry provides services designed to serve the more economically challenged, but no one could tell by the look of the place.

The school’s new Delta Dental Oral Diagnostic and Imaging Clinic is fully up and running, provided through a $780,233 contribution by Delta Dental of Tennessee.

“A lot are surprised,’’ student Jessica White said, of the patients’ reactions to Meharry’s new clinic.

“It’s nicer for us to work in, nicer for the patients, and the technology is much better. It’s keeping up with the private sectors.’’

Meharry offers dental services by students under the supervision of a licensed dentist.

The new clinic is about 4,600 square feet, replacing the old one that was about 1,800 square feet and in some disrepair, said Dr. Walter Owens, development officer for the Meharry College of Medicine.

Now students have access to use digital radiography that doesn’t use chemicals instead of the old film-based radiography system that did.

Students can instantly access digital images, which are more precise to design treatment accordingly, said Owens. There is also an electronic patient record system.

The new clinic is constructed at an area of campus that had been last used as a medical practice area for Meharry faculty but had been unused and basically torn down, except for walls and floors for several years, Owens said. 

“The older clinic was not designed for private treatment, and the new clinic offers a more private environment that makes patients more comfortable,’’ Owens said.

Meharry has about 235 students, about 60 in this year’s graduating class.
Delta Dental of Tennessee is a dental benefits plan administrator with affiliates in several other states.

“At Delta Dental of Tennessee, our mission is to advance and promote the improvement of oral health throughout our state,’’ said Phil Wenk, president and chief financial officer of Delta Dental. “That includes helping to ensure that today’s dental students be educated using current technologies that they will be using in their professional practice.’’

Wenk estimated that 40-45 percent of residents in Tennessee have dental insurance. 

Patients visit Meharry from throughout Middle Tennessee and even from East Tennessee, Owens said. Those with insurance can make appointments.

For those without insurance, there is a $60 charge for the initial evaluation and treatment, according to the Meharry Web site.

Emergency Care

Unscheduled Emergency walk-in patients in pain or distress can be seen in our General Practice Residency clinic (615) 327-6297 between 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM Monday through Thursday and Fridays 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM only. Regular clinic hours are 8:00 - 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. Patients with dental emergencies after normal clinic hours (evenings and weekends) will be provided care at Metropolitan Nashville General Hospital Emergency Room at Meharry Medical College (615) 341-4357.

Hours of Operation

Our clinics are open for patient treatment from 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon and from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM Monday through Friday. Patients are to arrive 30 minutes before appointment to allow time to fill out the necessary dental registration and financial forms.

Payment Policy

The School of Dentistry will accept payment in the form of cash, check, money order, MasterCard, and Visa.  A service charge of $20.00 will be applied to any returned check.

If you are an insured patient, you will be required to satisfy any co-pay or deductible amounts due at the time of service.  Once your co-pay or deductible has been satisfied, your insurance company will be billed for the services rendered.  Outstanding balances will be billed to you after your insurance company processes your claim.

If you are uninsured, there will be a $60 charge for the initial evaluation and treatment.  After your initial visit, payment in full will be due at each subsequent visit for services rendered.

For all treatment that involves multiple appointments and services of a dental laboratory (e.g., crowns, bridges, and partials), a payment of 1/3 of the service rendered is due at the initial service date, and the next 1/3 of the cost must paid before sending case to the lab and the final balance must be paid before delivery of the case.

You will be responsible for the cost of all services rendered if we do not accept your insurance. Your insurance company will be billed for services rendered if we accept your insurance.  If we do not accept your insurance, a claim will be billed as a courtesy, and your insurance company will reimburse you directly.  In the event that your insurance company denies your claim and you are responsible for the balance of the services rendered, payment in full will be expected within 30 days of the denial date.

Important Phone Numbers

Appointments	New Patients  (615) 327-6669   Returning Patients (615) 327-6900
Dental Billing Office	(615) 327-6776
Clinical Affairs	(615) 327-6605
Endodontics	(615) 327- 6360
Orthodontics	(615) 327-6303
Periodontics	(615) 327-6300
Restorative	(615) 327-6359
Pediatric Dentistry	(615) 327-6669
Oral Diagnostic Science	(615) 327-6360
General Practice Program	(615) 327-6297
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery	(615) 327-6844

The School of Dentistry is committed to helping meet the oral health needs of the local population and to providing comprehensive care regardless of patients’ social or economic circumstances, geographic origin, or race. Consistent with this mission, 64 percent of Meharry dental graduates practice in socio-economically deprived areas, and 67 percent of the patients are low-income.

The School has been involved in community outreach efforts for many years. These efforts include, but are not limited to, externships to local public schools and community health centers and student/faculty missions to South America, the West Indies, and Africa.