Consent Forms
Patient Assignment Office
Comprehensive Care
Information for Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Patients
Information for Maxillofacial Prosthodontics Patients

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.

Consent Forms

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.

Patient Assignment Office

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.

Comprehensive Care

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.