Get student dental treatment from Dundee Dental Hospital

Appointments 

Our students have a fixed and limited amount of time, so we rely on patients who can commit to attend reliably for their appointments. Students get their work checked by staff at each stage, which means that their appointments will be longer and more frequent than would be expected for treatment from a high street dental clinic.

If you fail to attend appointments or cancel appointments at the last minute, this can have a significant impact on our students. 

If you fail to attend your children's appointments or cancel your child's appointments at the last minute, your child will be discharged from the student clinic.

Adult patients who cannot commit to attending regularly are not suitable for treatment on student clinics.

Emergency dental care

If you require emergency care for adult dental treatment, you may contact the dental A+E department. Limited emergency care will be offered on the student clinic for children currently under treatment and not registered with a general dentist. Patients may access services via NHS Tayside or NHS 24 (dial 111).

Adult dental treatment 

Our undergraduate dental students will complete the treatment under the supervision of a qualified dentist. 

We appreciate you participating and helping our students get the necessary experience to allow them to fully qualify and practice independently.

Student clinics are not covered by national waiting time standards.

Am I eligible for free treatment?

Not all patients are suitable for treatment in student clinics. When you submit an application form, you will be placed on a waiting list for an initial screening assessment (not a full check-up).

At this visit, you will meet a member of dental staff who will provide you with further information about student treatment and make sure that the treatment you need can be provided at a student clinic.

During periods of high demand, the wait for a screening appointment can be up to 6 months.

If you are accepted for treatment, you will then be placed on an appropriate student clinic waiting list for treatment. As a patient, you will be made dentally fit. This may take more than one academic year and involve different departments. You then may be discharged to register with a General Dental Practitioner.

Types of treatment available for adults

The treatment offered is similar to that available from a high street dentist, dental therapist, or hygienist.

You may be eligible for treatment if you need:

• routine fillings
• simple gum treatment
• limited crowns and bridgework
• dentures
• root canal fillings
• teeth removed

What is not available for adults

The following adult treatments are not provided by our students:

• second opinions on proposed treatment from another dentist
• dental implants
• tooth whitening
• repeated and complicated root canal treatment
• complicated crown and bridge work
• orthodontics
• treatment requiring sedation or a general anaesthetic
• ongoing maintenance and review

In most cases, student treatment is not suitable for patients:

• requiring hospital transport
• with a complex medical history
• not suitable for patients who have their own dentist
• who weigh more than 28 stone

To be eligible for treatment you should be able to:

• cope with long appointments (90-180 mins)
• lie flat in a dental chair
• give independent informed consent

Emergency care for adults

Emergency dental treatment will not be provided by your allocated dental student. If emergency dental care is required, you may contact dental A+E on the first floor.

Treatment provided by dental students terms and conditions

• By attending the undergraduate student clinic at Dundee Dental Hospital and Research School you accept that your dental treatment will be carried out by undergraduate dental students under the supervision of a suitably qualified dentist or dental therapist.
• Student clinics are not covered by national waiting time standards and are available Monday to Friday (adult clinic times 09:00 - 15:30, children clinic times 09:15 - 15:15) during University term time only.
• Treatment will take longer to complete than at a high-street dental practice as students work slower than fully qualified dental professionals.
• Appointments with students normally take around 90 minutes for adults and 60  minutes for children.
• If a longer appointment is required, the student will inform you. Please consider this when arranging to park if you are travelling by car.
• We cannot guarantee that all your treatment will be carried out by the same student or under the supervision of the same qualified member of staff.
• Some types of treatment (implants, tooth whitening, orthodontics, general anaesthetic, or sedation) are not offered in our undergraduate student clinics.
• Your treatment will be provided for free, but the cost is your time and commitment.
• If you are unable to attend the student clinic when required, then the offer of student treatment at DDH&RS will be withdrawn.
• If you do not turn up to your appointment or bring your child to their appointment, then the offer of student treatment will be withdrawn.
• If you can no longer attend an appointment, please contact DDH&RS to cancel the appointment as soon as you know that you will not be able to attend. This may allow another patient to take your appointment. The telephone number will be on your appointment letter.
• If you require emergency for adult dental treatment you may contact the dental A+E department. Patients may access services via NHS Tayside or NHS 24 (dial 111).Limited urgent care will be offered on the student clinic for children currently under treatment and not registered with a general dentist
• Once your or your child's treatment is complete, you will be discharged from the dental school clinics and asked to register with a dentist.
• If your treatment or your child's treatment is not suitable for students, or if it is too complex, then you will be informed about this and asked to register with a dentist.
• NHS Tayside and the University of Dundee have a zero-tolerance approach to inappropriate behaviour. If at any point a patient or carer displays inappropriate behaviour towards any student or member of staff, treatment will be immediately withdrawn.
• Information may be shared with other professionals in the case of any child safeguarding concerns.
• All treatment requires maintenance and future care - this may involve a time and/or financial commitment. Replacement on a like-for-like basis may not be feasible.