University of Pittsburgh
School of Dental Medicine
3501 Terrace Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
412-648-8900
How Do I Receive Emergency Care?
The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine is one of the leading providers of dental care and education for the entire Pittsburgh area. The School of Dental Medicine strives to provide the best service to patients. Common questions and information regarding emergency care are listed below. You may also call 412-648-8773 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, to speak with a representative from the emergency clinic.
Problems associated with teeth and jaws can sometimes create symptoms that require immediate attention by a dentist. For example, new onset of severe pain and visible swelling should be evaluated promptly.
Most major insurances are accepted, as well as most major credit cards and cash payments. Payment is due prior to services being rendered.
For more information regarding insurance and payments, please call 412-648-3100, Monday thru Friday, from 8:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Regular or active patients already registered at the School of Dental Medicine, and who receiveComprehensive Care at the school, should contact their student dentist. Please call 412-648-8760 for more information.
Patients who are not active and not currently registered at the School of Dental Medicine may be seen in the Urgent Care/Emergency Dental Clinic. Emergency patients must register between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Monday through Friday; and are seen on a first come, first served basis. A limited number of walk-in patients are accepted Monday through Friday. Pediatric dental patients must have a scheduled appointment in order to be seen at the School of Dental Medicine. Please call 412-648-8616 for an appointment.
Inquires about becoming a patient at the School of Dental Medicine may be made by calling 412-648-8760 or 412-648-8616 or during a visit to the Urgent Care/Emergency Dental Clinic.
Patients who have an emergency during non-business hours may consult the nearest hospital emergency room. If you have a dental emergency during non-business hours, you may also call 412-369-3965 and ask to speak to the dental resident on call.
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The University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine accepts all patients for treatment. Patients experience complete care within the Comprehensive Care environment designed to bring specialty care whenever it is needed. General dentists and dental specialists work with professional dental students at all times, and participate in the treatment planning and care giving process. The Patient's Bill of Rights is available at the School of Dental Medicine for review.
Become a Patient
The first step to become a patient in our clinical program is to arrange for an initial screening examination to determine your treatment needs. Appointments may be made by phone, 412-648-8616, or in person at the School of Dental Medicine's appointment desks. Your initial screening examination will be conducted by a faculty member and student doctor and will take about one to two hours. At this appointment some x-rays may be taken, for which an additional fee will be charged. This fee cannot be quoted since the number and type of x-rays will not be known until the time of the examination.
Please bring the names and dosages of any medications you are presently taking. Photo identification is required or two other forms of identification and insurance cards must be brought with you. Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your scheduled appointment to register. You must anticipate parking and traffic difficulties in the Oakland area. Also, please be aware that the School of Dental Medicine has no facilities or staff for child supervision while you are having dental treatment.
It is the policy of the School of Dental Medicine and proper professional practice not to proceed with any treatment until the rationale, alternatives, and expected outcomes including any material risks of the proposed treatment are fully explained and understood by the patient. Because this information is essential, the patient (parent/guardian) will be asked to sign a consent form.
After the screening examination has been completed, you will be assigned to a student doctor in our first professional program; or to a specialty resident depending on the nature of your treatment needs. Patients with the most flexible availability will be the easiest to assign to our student doctors. If your availability is limited, you should inform the faculty member at the time of the initial examination appointment.
If, during this waiting period, you need emergency dental care, this service can be provided for you through our Urgent Care walk-in clinic. Call ahead at 412-648-8616 or 412-648-8760 for the daily times. If this is an after hours, weekend, or holiday emergency you may call 412-647-2345 and ask for the dental resident on call and have the doctor paged.
Registered patients who wish to inquire about their assignment status or other related questions, should call patient scheduling at 412-648-8616. Pediatric dental patients may call the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at 412-648-8930.
Your student doctor will schedule an appointment, under the guidance and supervision of an assigned faculty member, to complete your examination using in-depth information gathering, diagnostic techniques, and any specialty departmental consultations, as needed. Treatment options will be presented, and fee estimates and payment plans will be given by a financial counselor.
Our philosophy of Comprehensive Care will be recommended for most patients. At least one alternative to an optimal plan may be suggested or offered with its attendant benefits, risks, and prognosis. Patients will not have the option to select only limited portions of the recommended prescription for dental care except in the following instances:
Urgent Care Treatment Only: Care that is limited to the relief of pain and suffering and necessary steps to ensure that the situation would not be likely to recur.
Endodontic Treatment Only: Care that is limited to root canal therapy. This procedure does not include the final restoration. Once the root canal has been completed, the patient must be scheduled for the final restoration.
Oral Surgery Only: Care that is limited to the extraction of one or more non-restorable teeth in order to alleviate or prevent pain or infection. The School of Dental Medicine is not obligated to replace extracted teeth either for functional or cosmetic reasons.
Please note: The School of Dental Medicine is not obligated to provide any type of care, comprehensive or limited, which is not in the best interest of the patient.
Schedule An Appointment
All treatment in the School of Dental Medicine's first professional clinical program is provided by student doctors. Your assigned student doctor or Patient Care Coordinator will schedule your appointments. The telephone number for the appointment desk is 412-648-8616.Cancellations should occur only if it is absolutely necessary and at least 24 hours in advance. Excessive cancellations or three failures to meet appointments without notice (disappointments) will result in treatment being terminated. Please remember that your student doctor depends on you to keep appointments. Your card must be valid at the time of treatment. Fraudulent use of Medical Assistance to obtain dental services is punishable by law.
The School of Dental Medicine requires payment for the initial screening appointment, urgent care treatment and hygiene appointments on the day of service. Once a treatment plan has been drafted and approved for comprehensive care, a review session will be arranged with one of the school's financial counselors. At that time, financial arrangements will be established for the payment of the dental treatment. The school requires down payments on specific treatment but does offer monthly payments on the balance. Visa, Mastercard, or Discover are accepted. There is a $30.00 fee charged on returned checks. Patients with Commercial Dental Insurance or Medical Assistance should see appropriate section on Insurance and Clinic Policy. Monthly statements for any outstanding balances will be sent. Payments also can be made at the school's cashier's office.
The School of Dental Medicine has an established fee schedule for First Professional and Residency clinics. After discussing the treatment plan, fees will be arranged with the student doctor/resident and financial counselor.
At the time of the treatment planning appointment, patients will be advised of ideal treatment, the total estimated cost for that treatment and any alternative treatments and costs. Both the patient and the attending faculty member must sign the treatment planning record once the plan is understood and accepted. The treatment plan will be monitored and tracked for progression of care. Any questions should be directed to the student doctor or the faculty dentist in charge. These estimates are based upon current fees and may vary from the actual cost if the services or procedures are performed after a lapse of time. Our fees are subject to change without notice.
The School of Dental Medicine will submit a predetermination to your insurance carrier, if required, to determine the financial responsibility of the patient for all dental treatment. Once the insurance carrier has returned your coverage to the school, a financial appointment will be arranged with the student doctor and the financial counselor to draft a payment agreement based on the predetermination. It is the patient's responsibility to inform the financial counselor of any change to or status of their insurance. The business office will submit a claim to your insurance carrier. However, payment for service is the ultimate responsibility of the patient.
If you are covered by Medical Assistance, you should inform the registration desk when you are admitted. Bring your card with you at the time of admission and every time, thereafter, when you come for an appointment. Patients obtaining coverage after admission are expected to notify the business office. Claims cannot be made retroactively; therefore, patients not informing the School of Dental Medicine of any changes are responsible for payment and treatment fees performed without authorization. The student doctor/resident must obtain authorization in advance for all treatment covered by Medical Assistance. However, not all dental procedures are covered by Medical Assistance. The student doctor cannot provide such treatment unless the patient is willing to accept financial responsibility for the treatment. In such cases the patient will be required to comply with procedures outlined in the section on fees.
Failure to maintain an up-to-date balance will result in the School of Dental Medicine withholding services until the balance is made current. If, after the third billing, payment is not received within 30 working days, the account will be sent to collection and the patient can be discharged from treatment.