Tufts University School of Dental Medicine

Reviews 3

JO

John Platt

Ive been a patient at the Periodontics Department, the Department of Oral Medicine, and the TMJ clinic at Tufts School of Dental Medicine starting in 2003. Ive never been a patient of the General Dentistry Department. I have insurance and so I dont go to Tufts to save money. I go to Tufts because I feel I get superior care. I feel that clinicians at Tufts have the time to do a more thorough job. In the past I have had private dentists do unnecessary work on my teeth. At Tufts they seem conservative and cautious about that. In the past some of my private dentists have failed to notice obvious problems with my teeth and have misinformed me. At Tufts they seem very careful to diagnose everything completely. Both students and supervising doctors have always taken all the time necessary to answer my questions to my satisfaction. Ive been a patient at a number of private dental practices, a patient at Tufts, and also at 2 other dental schools. Whenever I have the option, I always choose the dental school over the private practice and Ive always had great results. But dental schools are not for everyone. You will spend a lot more time travelling, waiting, and you will go to more appointments to get the same work done. Compared to other schools, Tufts is a very large operation. It can seem a little impersonal at times. Some of the departments handle large numbers of patients. Learning to navigate the appointment, insurance and billing system can be a challenge for new patients. The billing aspect of the Tufts Dental School has been frustrating for me at times. But Ive learned to keep extensive records of all my interactions and to seek answers whenever I have any doubt. Ive had no problems since I started doing that. Some of the reviewers felt the clerical staff were unpleasant. I have found most of the clerical staff have been very competent . They have demanding jobs and they are often quite busy. So sometimes they might not "hold your hand". I try to have a little sympathy for them. I dont think any of the students are there to figure out what they want to do in life. I think they are already very clear on that Compared to other schools, Tufts tuition is very high. Acceptance is very competitive. All students seem serious and committed to making successes of themselves in dental medicine. Students working on me have consulted with their supervising doctors before working on me and their work has been evaluated when done. I dont think anyone there is learning by "trial and error". Everyone seems to practice thorough sterile procedure. There seem to be a lot of safety and hygiene policies in place. Clinicians wear lots of gloves and masks. There always seems to be a lot of hand sanitizer available for staff and patients. Sterile procedure is a simple thing to get right and I think many medical providers fail to do so. I think Tufts does a good job with it. The student assigned to care for you will eventually graduate and you will be assigned to a new student provider. Ive had many different instructors supervising my student providers. But Tufts seems to have a good computer record keeping system and procedures and I feel the continuity and consistency of my care has been well coordinated by the different providers. Ive always been able to get a parking spot at the parking deck. I travel from Framingham. I always make my appointments for the middle of the day to avoid rush hour. I always allow at least 75 minutes travel time. Be nicer than you have to be, listen carefully, ask questions of both your student dentist and the instructors until you understand fully. Keep records, arrive early, and bring something to occupy your time. You will find a lot of wonderful clinicians who care deeply, who are excited about what they are doing, who work together as a team, and who want the same thing you do, superior quality dental care.

SA

Saphrona Denney

When I found out I had to have my wisdom teeth out, I went to a private practice down the road from where I live in Vermont. I heard great things about them and they were true; they were very kind and helpful. The consult showed all four teeth were impacted and only one was slightly erupted. They set the date for January 9th and the price at $3,000(!!!). I have no dental insurance yet this seemed very steep. I looked into the waiver from the state and it would be months before I could even be seen by the only oral surgeon in the area who accepted the waiver. Thats when I decided to look into Tufts. My aunt had work done there and said they were phenomenal. I was a little worried about students working on my teeth, being a student myself, but it would be worth the two hour drive if it was cheaper. They reccommend being there at 7am to sign in for the 9am clinic. I got there at 8:30am and was seen promptly at 9. The student that saw me was great and asked all the preliminary questions before the teacher came in and checked all his work over. After the formalities of the clinic, I was brought up to oral surgery. The student that saw me was just as awesome. We went through much of what I had already been asked and a new teacher came forward. Just by looking around at the teachers, one can tell they are all very experienced and love what they do. This particular one made sure to allow the student to lead while stepping in with things she forgot. I was given way more information about the surgery then I had been told by the private practice doctor. The Tufts teacher also noticed I had a slight infection, which went unnoticed in Vermont! I was there for a total of three hours, with no more than 30 minutes of waiting at a time. My appointment is set for January 8th (even though I went two weeks later than my first consultation!) and the price is $1,300!! I will have the same anesthesia by IV as the private practice. Everything about my trip was completely worth my time and I recommend anybody who is skeptical to trust this hospital! Knowing that you are assisting in the teaching of future dentists and surgeons only sweetens the deal!

JU

Julie B

I would have put all of this information on Tufts patient feedback site or filled it out as a follow-up patient care questionnaire, but neither seems to exist. As a teaching institution, this seems strange. As their website says, you get high quality care at Tufts. And yes, the number of appointments that are required are tough but a small price to pay for their reasonable rates. I have to keep in mind, though, that I am basically a practice dummy and that my mouth is the student dentists classwork. This has meant that patient communication and "chair side" manner is often lacking. Sometimes I go to appointments not knowing what is going to be done. Sometimes procedures that were done the previous appointment are done again with no clear explanation. I think I got my teeth cleaned 4 times in 4 separate appointments. Clearly cleaning is important but it seemed inexplicable (and wasnt explained) why 4 appointments were needed. Mistakes like broken molds require another visit that puts off treatment for a month or so. Crowns may or may not be done (which could happen for any dental procedure) but there seems to be no system for calling patients to let them know that the appointment should be cancelled for a later date). Trying to confirm or cancel an appointment is almost impossible on their phone system. Although the students who have worked on my mouth are very nice individuals and are clearly well-trained and competent, I have often wished that they would communicate better what work they are doing as they are doing it and communicate what the next steps will be in a more collaborative manner. I guess what I am saying is that I wished I was treated more like a person with a dental condition than a dental condition that happens to be attached to a person. Finally, beware the dragon at the front desk. Its her job to collect money, but asking for print outs of procedures performed, charges made and paid, and any insurance payment is met with a rare form of hostility that is magnificent in its passive aggressiveness. Again, however, Tufts is quality care at a reasonable cost.