I ended up here with a tooth I needed extracted because I was in so much pain and my dentist wouldn't pull it. We were here a little before open and the first in line. The security guard let us know the urgent care may not be open due to lack of students but we'd see what we could do. We got in and urgent care wasn't open but when I explained what was going on, they told me to check in and see if oral surgery would take me. As I went to do that, a doctor came out and said oral surgery would be taking extractions for the day but that was all. I checked in and they had me back in a chair within 30 mins tops. The receptionists were so nice and when I was doing my insurance and paperwork, the receptionist even said she didn't know how I could joke with the pain I was in and she hoped they got me taken care of soon. The nurse that took me back was so so kind. She asked if I was sure I didn't want to save my tooth since insurance would pay for it but when I was in tears from the pain she said she understood. The dentist pulling my tooth practically knew what tooth it was before I gave any info. He was very knowledgeable and had good bedside manners. Everything was done in about 20 minutes once the questions and history were done. I will definitely be switching to their practice as a patient because everyone was absolutely so kind and helpful. I feel a million times better, even with being a little sore from an extraction of a molar. They let me take a photo of the tooth too which, as a healthcare worker, the medical photos are always fun for me. read more

The student was nice enough, but the instructors do not care. I kept being charged more than the estimate for substandard work. The student and instructor spoke primarily in a foreign language and I never knew what was going on, as they didn't bother to inform me. I kept showing up for appointments not knowing what procedure they had planned or how much it would cost. They are militant about payment, threatening to cancel appointments if payment is not made immediately after services are delivered, even if you are in bad shape from the procedure and have a hard time concentrating on financial matters. I was on my way to an appointment, planning to pay for the previous days appointment before my scheduled appointment, but they made me pull over on the side of the road while driving to pay immediately or have the appointment canceled. My local dentist apologized for the work done by VCU after looking in my mouth. He then adjusted the temporary denture so that it didn't cause me pain and draw blood if I attempted to use it. The instructor had refused to fix the problem as he 'only dealt with one problem at a time' and he had to remove some spicules. I had to have spicules removed by them and the local dentist I hired, who said he had never seen so many spicules sewed up in someone's gums. There were 22 spicules that had to be removed over a period of two months. They shattered my teeth and left the pieces in my gums and sewed them in. They ground down one side of my jawbone and did not even it out on the other side, so now any plate sits on a pivot point and cannot be glued in place, because as soon as any pressure is applied, the plate comes loose and falls into my mouth. I will have to pay for another surgery to fix what VCU dental did to my mouth. They promise you good work for a reduced price, but I received substandard work for nearly the same as a good dentist. The instructor should have been there to monitor the procedures, but he was absent for 99% of the work, only showing up to make the student nervous and make disparaging comments to her. I don't blame the student, as she was completely let down by her instructor. My experience informs me that the instructirs at VCU dental don't want to be there and don't care about the work being done. They don't even bother to speak English, to allow for understanding of the patients who visit. If you have an emergency, perhaps it is worth it to visit VCU dental, but otherwise, don't let them permanently damage your mouth with poor behavior and insult you with claims of non payment. Just avoid the place completely, if you can. When you go to an independant dentist, look attheir certificate and make sure it doesn't say 'VCU Dental''. If it does, go somewhere else for your own health. read more

Dr Adechoubou and Mary did a great job minimal pain and had me in and out in no time he explained everything. I had a tooth extracted and the quality of care was a 10/10. everyone was super nice. 10/10 officer read more

Since this is a dental school, the students will naturally change, so I'll miss my current "dentist", but that doesn't change the rest of the experience. The initial intake process is a bit, Ngl. There's paperwork, lines, and a waiting room that fits about 40 people to match 2 intake assistants and up to 5 payments assistants. The first appointment will need both intake and payment since they prefer payment upfront, though I do like that further appointments are paid with possible payment plans. The dental student assigned to your case will have a fully licensed dentist overseeing their work though they don't hover, just double check your/their progress. There might be a bit of walking and back and forth if you need imaging, just based on the layout of the school. The atmosphere of the school itself is one that fosters wisdom and questions which I love since how else does anyone learn? The student helping me hadn't had the opportunity to use the imagine machine before (or maybe just not [often] enough to remember) but other students were about to assist. Overall, I'm sure the experience will depend a little on the student that helps. Mine is excellent, and I'm sure that's the case for the majority of students. The dentists overseeing things are friendly and helpful without being condescending. Would definitely recommend. The only reason for a star off is the length of time it may take. Not the students' fault, as this is a school where they're learning, but it did take a while. read more

I was a patient at the VCU School of Dentistry student clinic. A large filling on an upper left tooth fell out, leaving exposed dentin and a risk of infection. On March 27, 2025 I arrived for a scheduled follow up and found my assigned student absent; the front desk had no notice, and I sat in the empty lobby for almost an hour. Another student and a supervising professor eventually examined me, took an X-ray (which I paid for), and said the absent student needed to prepare the treatment plan. I repeatedly contacted the Appeals and Grievance Committee and the clinic's student group coordinators asking for an appointment to repair the tooth. I received no timely help, and on April 21, 2025 I was told that I had "outgrown the student clinic" and should seek private care or the Faculty Practice. VCU delayed and then failed to send my X-rays to my new dentist, forcing me to pay for duplicate imaging. In addition to this, a crown placed on a different tooth by the student clinic earlier in 2025 detached in September. I was told that the clinic should re-seal it free of charge. However, I received confusing and inconsistent information from VCU and was ultimately refused readmission to Student Practice. Because VCU didn't transfer my X-rays and declined follow up care, I paid for duplicate imaging and will pay out of pocket to reseal the crown. I felt penalized for raising the issue about the absent student. I hope the clinic improves scheduling and record transfers so other patients aren't left in the same position. read more

VCU Dental Care Student Practice - Detached crown placed at VCU student clinic (Sept 2025) - Orthodontists Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Our kids had orthodontic care at the VCU Dental Student clinic. They HAVE to do go work - it's their grade and whether they become dentists or not. Always professional. Visits very time-efficient. read more

Excellent care I had a great experience at VCU, from getting a tooth extracted to get an implant . Everyone that worked with me was very positive and helpful. The parking was excruciating! Bring $4 cash to park ! No one other than staff wanted to help ! Security sent me to wrong place! Parking was very poor but somewhat sympathetic! read more

VCU Dental Care Student Practice - Orthodontists Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Finna fangirl here for a minute: Carlos aka front desk renaissance man extraordinaire, makes every appointment reminder, every wait in the waiting room, every patient form that needs to be updated, and everything in between, a pleasure; he infuses interactions with so much joy! The smile in his voice shines through from the moment he asks "How are you?" ... Its inspiring to see somebody work that hard, multitask that well, competently maintain a bustling office, and still find space to make each and every client feel seen, heard, greeted, answered and tended to. Oh, and all while employing his bilingual superpowers to graciously address various clients in their preferred language. In my book, the man is a legend. The Orthodontics department runs efficiently - none of those unexplained long waits past appointment time (unlike so many pediatric offices that consistently run behind schedule). With VCU dental care orthodontics, if you arrive on time for your appointment you will be taken back in a timely manner. And if you need help from another department on the same floor, and he has time, Carlos will very likely escort you there. My child's orthodontist, Dr.Powers, has elegant bedside manner and a sweet disposition. She notices & complements little things like my daughter's latest nail art, keeps it as fun as possible w/o ever being dismissive of any fears & concerns that arise. To that point, Dr.Powers & her assistants don't talk down to my daughter the way some professionals do (being petite, this phenomenon is often exaggerated in other settings where she's treated like a much younger child). Meeting her as a smart kid who can understand things about her own health is a big part of solidifying a trusting doctor/ patient relationship. The day she got the braces, Dr. Powers' assistant reported "When we were explaining the procedure, [your daughter] said she prepared for today by watching videos [tutorials] of braces being put on." ... I thought it was so cool the assistant took time to praise my child for doing research, kind of bragging on her, in front of her. That builds confidence and touched my heart to see yet another example of how caring the whole practice truly are. YES kid friendly read more

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Tech Kristie was so nice and honest about treatment would reccomend they are so efficient and cool

for the past couple of days I've been trying to make a appointment to have a root canal evaluated so I could get it redone. I've called the endodontics office at least 12 different times and have left voicemails to let them know what I needed. Then they call me back early as hell in the morning when I'm still sleeping to try to reach me and by the time I wake up and call them back they never answer! I call right before they go on lunch break and multiple times when I know they are back in the office. No one ever answers I'm really about to just drive a hour and make a appointment in person since it seems so hard to answer a damn phone. if your not gunna do your job find a different one read more

Top quality care everytime my daughter is seen. Everyone at the reception desk is beyond helpful, caring and personable. (Loveeee carlos)

Absolute crap. Implants fell out and all they care about is getting your money. Disgusting. Don't go. I wasted do much h money after soooo many times going there. Third time they fell out in less than 2 years. I've had several others that are 12 years old and they are fine. Crap. Absolutely crappy read more

I had major work there, a half dozen crowns, a root canal, a bridge and an implant. The work was excellent; the students were, to a one, kind, smart and professional. I appreciated the combined years of experience that the instructors had, and how I had input on the work done. I highly recommend them. read more

There good with small things but the students or their overseers do not listen to their patients I went in because my back tooth was hurting they fix other cavities that I had and did something bare minimum for my back tooth which is now worse they tried to fill it but it did not fix it at all and it took about a year before finally for them to get to it student that I had it was very nice and I wanted her to graduate but my original reason for coming in never got resolved they wanted to work on other parts of my mouth for the sake of them meeting certain criteria for the students so I wouldn't recommend this place if you have big issues going on with your mouth if you have like a very small cavity or two definitely come here . And I was supposed to be scheduled for another visit I called twice and no call back that was over 8 months ago read more

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They delayed my Liberty Dental insurance. The VCU Dental co-ordinator though my insurance specifically stated I was covered up to $3,000 for all dental procedures Tina was not satisfied with them not showing specific codes based on tooth implant surgery, after making me go in circles with both I got tired of dealing with VCU Dental on the pre-authrization and then I found out they sent a claim to Liberty and I never had the procedure done, Tina said the girl was new. No one ever answers the phone and I had to literally go downtown to the location to get this resolved. Thats what caused this whole delay not to mension everytime you make a new appointment its 3 weeks to a month to get back in, so; I declined the appointment and then I was banned to ever going back there and in the letter it gave no reason. read more

I have been calling the VCU pediatric dentistry clinic several times a week for the past 6 weeks and never get through to anyone nor receive a call back despite leaving numerous voice-mails. I have also emailed but also never get a response back. I tried calling the regular dentistry office at vcu and got through with no problem but when they transfer me back to pediatric dentistry no one answers. I was really hoping to get in with this clinic after seeing online that they accept new patients and hearing recommendations from other moms of children with special needs. Unfortunately, getting an appointment here has been impossible. I can't imagine how much more difficult it would be if we were having a dental emergency. read more

I have called VCU Dentistry appointment line many times in the last couple of weeks. I get a recording saying leave a message. I leave a message and no one ever calls me back. I've tried other numbers and the same thing happens. I certainly would not recommend them at all. I gave them one star because you have to pick one but they really deserve a zero. read more

After moving back to Richmond, I had no idea who to choose for my dentist. So I chose to walk across the street from my office and use the services of the VCU Dental School. I prefer the Residents Clinic over the Student Clinic and feel that I get top notch treatment for a reasonable cost. read more

Worst experience ever. If you sign up to be seeing by the students you become part of their project, their hands on training so to speak and that would be ok for simple things like a tooth extraction or a cavity but if you require more work don't let them touch you because they will schedule you according to their class schedule and for a complex case they will stretch it until the end of their semester at which time they will advise that they can't do the job due to the complexity of the job; at that point they make a suggestion for you to be referred to faculty. So it is a whole year wasted because you had to wait 6 months just for the appointment and neither the student nor the faculty supervising the student tells you at the very beginning that the job is too complex. They make you believe after the initial consultation that they will take care of you but in reality they just want to use you and have you as a case for the student to learn and in the process you waste another six months for appointments, x rays and a lot of BS. Only when their finals are close they tell you that the case is too complex for a student and maybe you should try faculty. So you wait another couple of months for an appointment with a faculty member (they are busy, so they say) and then again more x rays and evaluations and more referrals since a prosthodontist and a periodontist need to coordinate, another two months go by and when it is time for the prosthesis it is obviously sent to the "student lab" whoever is in charge of yours is probably thinking where to party tonight. Highway robbery, that is what it is, I was charged 2,400 for the denture that ended up in the trash because not even in the poorest country in the world would a dentist fit something like this to a patient. Poor workmanship and inexperienced prosthodontist that was unable to see where the defect was and refused to fix the original but proceded to do a lousy reline. Even with the reline denture was loose and misfit. No complaints with the Periodontics specialist even if I didn't have the implants done there but the surgery went fine. No complaints about administrative staff either, they do their job and they don't really need to get involved with faculty expertise. Little do they know about how good or dedicated the faculty members are, they don't get paid to know that anyway. Thousands wasted down the drain because I had to go and see a real and very experienced Prosthodontist that made everything the way it should have been done in the first place. A whole year and a half wasted just to find out that this is the dumbest decision I made in my life. In the end I ended up spending more money than if I had gone straight to a local specialist, I was trying to save money but it backfired because I encounter a bunch of people that only think about their own needs not the PATIENTS needs. You would think that if the students are not capable to handle your case faculty would. I am glad I got out of there, had I proceeded with treatment with these butchers I would have wasted more money and would have serious regrets with speech, esthetics and ability to chew. If it is too good to be true, it probably is. Go spend an arm and a leg at a qualified specialist and you will be happy for a long time rather than being a guinea pig for the students to benefit and be graded rather than the patients well being, or in the case of their faculty, lack of expertise and understanding, you are not a patient but a number on the turnstile. They have a salary so why would they care, it is not their reputation but the school's. My wife went through the same thing at the same time, I wish one of us would have done it first to warn the other. In her case the implants had to be removed and thrown to the trash and new implants placed correctly and at the right angle. They too told her that the case was too complex right before finals, "sorry" said the student, seriously? after 8 months of treatment and x rays? Again, thousands spent. To top it all off, not to long ago got a letter from the school indicating my wife's personal information was compromised and that an employee got reprimanded. At about the same time someone created a gmail email address to gain online access to her credit card information (same credit card used to make all VCU payments), all done from a tablet (we don't own one). Proceeded to close credit card account and started a credit freeze. Thank God the Bank called to alert us right after it happened otherwise we would have never been able to find out. minus 5 stars read more

First, let me say I highly recommend Endo but the regular clinic? Not so good. There is a strong prejudice against older patients. I even had an employee tell me her husband was rejected as a patient because THEY claimed he had high B.P. She said he later went to a physician who said his B.P. was within normal limits. Yes, their eval of her husband, as patient, was incorrect. To send him on his way without treatment. Students in Clinic need to STOP practicing Internal Medicine which they know nothing about and focus on dental care. Many can't even provide a proper blood pressure reading. And the patient loses. And leave that jewelry at home. They don't want to see it and will talk about it when you're not there. read more

At first i had concerns of being treated by students. after the first visit all my concerns were gone. From my first provider, Cameron, through the completion of treatment, Charles, John and Dr. Muncy (spelling?) I can say I've never had better care from any provider, this includes private practices. Professional, caring, and concern for patients are excellent. The care and the considerable cost savings leave me satisfied that I made the right decision in choosing the clinic. My thanks to all my providers at VCU Dental Clinic.I highly recommend VCU. D Mangione read more

I would recommend this service to others if you have the time to spend as each appointment can last 3 hrs.I have found all the students to be very polite and friendly and they do a good job of explaining everything. The students use your procedures to their advantage for sure and you may get passed from student to student based on their needs for graduation. The teachers are right there and check everything before you are checked out. Joe A. read more

I received the WORST customer service ever! I called at 7:41pm on a Saturday night because I was concerned about my stitches falling out too soon after having oral surgery too extract my wisdom teeth. The doctor on call failed to call in a timely manner. I had to call two more times before I finally received a call back at 11:40pm. I was dismissed almost immediately. Problems persisted so I called at 11:06pm on Sunday night. The customer service representative remembered my name and asked if I received a call back the previous night. I was instructed to call back in 30 minutes if I did not hear from the doctor. I called back at 11:52pm because again, I did not hear from the doctor. I finally received a call at 12:01am from Dr. Randolph. She said "this is Dr. Randolph with VCU dental. I was woken up out of my sleep, what is your emergency?" I asked for her name again because I was surprised at how rude she was and would be sure to file a complaint. She refused to provide her name and continued to express her irritation with being woken up out of her sleep. Two separate occasions with two different doctors. Unacceptable, unprofessional, and very negligent! I read the reviews and despite most of them being unfavorable I figured I would give them a chance. I regret doing so. I would not recommend this practice to anyone! In fact if I could give 0 stars I would. Please save yourself the disappointment and find a practice with dentist who are professional and care about their patients. read more

I've been coming here for a few years and every experience has been wonderful. I definitely recommend to family and friends. They make you feel extremely comfortable in a uncomfortable situation. read more

I had a root canal treatment back in 2015 at the resident clinic. My doctor was really nice and took care of my delicate 19th tooth perfectly. Four years later the tooth was still in good condition - I have since seen many dentists afterwards and their only concern about that tooth was the crown (which was done elsewhere, not at VCU). Total was ~$900 (I was not covered by insurance at that time), two treatments, and I'm done. Highly recommend the resident clinic, as residents are already licensed. I heard that the student clinic is responsible for basic cares like cleaning, fillings etc. but I would rather do it at private practices instead. read more

I was there by 7:49am as instructed by the ladies when I called. When I got there, I found a metered parking spot right in front of the building with a two hour limit and that is what I chose but there is also a patient only parking deck across the street ( 12ve st. side). From there I just went inside the building and straight up the escalator to the 2nd floor where I found the emergency dental care clinic. (There is an info desk in case you get confused as to where to go. BTW. I was pleaseantly surprised me how great a lot of the students and employees here looked. ) The staff was a little cold and acted like every patient was just a number which is fine with me as long as they do their job right and in the case of dentist, with gentle care. The cost was $120 no insurance required. The wait was only 15mins (not sure if it was so nice and empty because nobody wanted to get their teeth done the Friday before halloween)... read more

VCU was a nightmare for me.went there to save money ended up with procedures that ruined my teeth and crowns and cost me more than i would have spent at a reg. dental clinic ..They may be ok for just cleaning teeth..but to do root canals and any type of surgery is a nightmare. The work is done by residents in training with NO supervision.. The brochure states "the work will be evaluated to determine level of expertise needed for the procedure". This does not happen. The staff's purpose is to allow the students to practice on the patient no matter the outcome. read more

This review is for VCU pediatric dental. I have no idea how the adult practice is. As for pediatric, my son has atypical autism and after years of struggling with finding a dentist that will really take the time with and understand him, we were recommended Dr. Dahlke (the head honcho) at VCU pediatric dentistry for the extensive work needed on his teeth. We had moved to the area, and he was 6 years old at the time. I canNOT say enough good things about Dr. Dahlke's qualities as a human AND a dentist. His care has made a world of difference in our ability to effectively get care for our child and to establish more comfort with the dentist so that he can continue to get treatment in later years with no fear. As we've gone (partly because of Dr. D's leadership maybe?) we've noticed that the office staff just gets better and better. They are kind, helpful and attentive. Always smiling when we enter. The hygienists and students work just as hard as Dr. D and are just as understanding and helpful. The one time we had a problem, the minute we told Dr. Dahlke, he listened attentively and compassionately, believed us and swore to fix it. Ilean who schedules big procedures is also a gem. She knew me FROM MY VOICE ONLY when we met after talking back and forth on the phone for scheduling issues. And she still remembers me three years later! Seriously all of these humans do amazing work in a very human way. They reach these children as PEOPLE and talk to them as if their thoughts and feelings matter. They don't hold them down and force them into things which is partly how we got to the bad place we were with dentists before. Also, Dr. D KNOWS HIS STUFF. He will explain happily in detail how certain dental problems work, and he was the first doctor to not immediately blame sweets and soda (both of which my son doesn't really like... especially soda) for his tooth issues. He realized almost immediately that his reflux was probably the problem. I can't say enough about how grateful we are for this place. Parking is usually a pain in the rear but until they move into the Pediatric hospital (where it will be easy to just park there and walk in) we just park at the children's hospital and walk down 11th to the dental building and have our parking validated. It's my favorite way to do it. Also, be aware that since Dr. Dahlke is the boss (in all ways) he sometimes gets called away on emergencies when he's supposed to see a patient. But he does his best to make it up to you. Love you all at VCU ped dental! read more

If you want to be treated as a number not a patient, be charged for repetitive services, VCU school of dentistry is the place to go! You are nothing more then a class assignment to get through very unfriendly cooled, and the care is ruff. I've been charged ever time for xrays ever when they have taken them just a month before. My last visit the student informed me he was Muslim, I told him that didn't concern me, had it, I wouldn't have sat in his chair. He did give me any dental care shot xrays causing me to bleed, then did a half a.. cleaning followed by pushing a florid cream in my month leaving lumps of it all around in my month. Trust me when I say the level of service there isn't what it once was can't help but think it's become a profit center for the school now, rush through any treatment push them out the door after billing for the same thing as the last time! Dont waste your money or time there is no care there! read more

I went to VCU because I needed help with tooth pain. It turned out that a decade old root canal was still infected. An endodontist named Dr. Adam Sarnowski did the procedure. When they figured out what needed to be done and quoted the price, I really struggled to come up with the money but I made the appointment. I live on disability. When I had the money available and went back to get the procedure done, the doctor was deciding on the best method to use and had another x-ray completed. When I went to check out, they were charging me another $105 because of that x-ray. I had no idea anything was being done that wasn't included in the quoted price and I began to panic. Dr. Sarnowski told me not to worry about it. He said they would just write off that portion. When I was l getting everything finished up at the billing clerk, they said that amount was still on there. They were supposed to contact the doctor directly. I planned on saving money and eventually going back to their clinic for the crown I need. I then started getting bills in the mail for the $105. I called multiple times and, every time, was told they would get in contact with that department. Apparently, the x-ray was done in the dental department, though it was with/for the endodontist. After many unsuccessful attempts to get help, I was afraid for my credit (which was just recovering from losing EVERYTHING when I become ill and couldn't work anymore) so I decided I better just start paying it, even though I wasn't supposed to owe it to begin with. I sent them a $10 payment. Several weeks later, I got a letter from a collection agency saying it was for $240 I supposedly didn't pay VCU!!!!!!!!! I called the collection agency and was advised that I needed to get the doctor on the phone directly in order to clear it up. I called a few times and was unable to reach him. I then emailed my "Patient Care Coordinator" who said "I'm not familiar with the Doctor you've asked about. Let me check into it and get back to you." I didn't hear anything back so I messaged him again "It's very important." That was August 13th and today is September 3rd. I still haven't heard anything. VCU has hurt me very badly at this point. For some people, $100 is a LOT of money. It was not in the quoted price, the doctor SPECIFICALLY said it would be taken off my bill and they didn't take it off, then they sent it to collections, which makes it even harder to me to LIVE at all, by making rates higher, screwing with my credit when I rent somewhere, etc. On top of all of that, the bill they sent to collections was more than TWICE the amount I wasn't supposed to owe to begin with!!!! HORRIBLE experience!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! P.S. The pain came back and I have recently seen another dentist, who told me the same spot is STILL infected and I have to have the tooth removed entirely. read more

Had my first initial visit with this school. Everyone there was so friendly and helpful. They treated me with kindness and respect. This place will now be my new home for dental work. I was able to valet park for $5.00 which was great! I look forward to my next visit! read more

Called Thursday afternoon for an appointment and they fit us in on Monday. Nice to not have to wait very long! Everyone here is very friendly and helpful. My daughter had her first appointment - everyone treated her so well, so patiently - they made her visit manageable and fun. Every interaction I had with the people in the office was outstanding. These doctors and hygienists are all wonderful with children. I was impressed and very satisfied. She isn't nervous or scared of the dentist now at all. Top choice in Richmond for pediatric dentistry! read more

I had received an estimate of @ $20K to get work done on my teeth. That was out of the question so my son who was @ VCU undergrad at the time suggested the dental clinic. What a great experience that turned out to be. I DID have several students over the year-plus to get the work complete, with extractions, fabricating dentures, implants, etc. Each of my students treated me wonderfully, and the end product is so excellent that even my friends in the dental profession have commented on how pretty my teeth (and smile now) are. I have since recommended VCU Dental to a neighbor who, like me, travels from Norther VA to RVA, and is equally happy with his experience. You do have to have time to go thru this process there. It's not "all done in one day," as is often advertised (for that $20-30K). It's the old fashioned way and takes months if not a year or more. Still, well worth it. My final two students, Bernard and Scott, did amazing work with Dr. Urem supervising every step of the way. read more

This is a really good place to go for your regular dental check ups. Everyone is very nice here. The dental hygienists are the ones that work with you the most. Once they're done, they let the higher ups check on their work and tell them whether or not they need to do something else. Very thorough job that they do here! The only thing is that you can be here for quite some time. Today I was in there for about two hours and thirty minutes. Before I had my teeth cleaned, I overheard a lady in the next chair complaining that they would be taking long. The dental hygienist that was working with her explained to her why that is. He said that the dental work here at VCU is much cheaper than what private practices would normally charge you. In exchange for that cheap price, one would have to sacrifice time, since this practice is in the School of Dentistry, and it is a teaching institution. I have to agree with everything he said. I know that these days that time is money, but I would be willing to sacrifice that for a much thorough job and many other people looking out for me during my visit (dental hygienists, the actual head dentist, etc). I know that I will always be in good hands everytime I come here. There are actually only two times during the day that you can schedule an appointment: 9:00am and 2:00pm. Parking is available in the patient/visitor parking deck, which is on 12th and Leigh Street. I would highly recommend that you get your next dental visit here. You can save a whole lot more than going to a private practice and probably get a much better dental cleanup here. read more

I overall had a great experience. Today I had my gap closed by bonding. My student was so great. If you are scared to go to a dental school, don't be. Their instructors are checking their work every step of the way. The only bad thing that I could say was that my student kept hitting my gum with his drill and it hurt. Overall it was a great experience and I am going back tomorrow to get my fillings done. read more

My experience at VCU has definitely been a game changer! I used to be terrified of the dentist but after my experience with the Residential Staff and Undergraduate Students, I will from now on be a regular patient. It all started a little over a year ago when the last dentist I went to said I had 14 cavities. I didn't have the money to take care of my teeth and I was scared to go back anyway. IT WAS A GOOD THING I DIDNT! A couple months ago, one of those cavities reached the root of my tooth and was causing me excruciating pain. I went in the very next morning to Emergency Dental at VCU to get an extraction. When I was seen, the girl told me that my tooth was salvageable by root canal and personally walked me over to see if I could get an appointment, which I did. That is where I met Erin Sharkey who was extremely kind, patient, knowledgeable, and comforting. Dr. Packer was the Entodontist who did my root canal and again, has been kind, patient, knowledgeable, and comforting. Since this was the first major work I had ever had on my mouth, I had A LOT of questions. They both gave me their business cards and I was able to get a hold of Erin on several occasions outside of the office to discuss my treatment and any concerns. It is true that what you don't spend in money, you will spend in time. Lucky for me my time is worth less than the general health of my teeth and the fatness of my wallet! Time is a small price to pay for the service received in return! The last thing that really sealed the deal for me was when I told Erin about my previous experience at the dentist and having 14 cavities, she thought there was a way she could help me. The first step was to have my teeth X-rayed to see where the cavities were. Low and behold, I had no other cavities! The previous dentist had "over-diagnosed" me. She had another Doctor confirm her findings and it was that doctor's conclusion as well. I will never return to see that previous dentist again and I will make sure as many people as I can reach also know about my experience, both the good and the bad. THANKS VCU! read more

The one star is for the friendly staff. My appointment started about 15 minutes late but that's to be expected at a dentist. The real issue for me was the cost. I was under the impression that it would cost a lot less to get dental work at the VCU clinic. The fee conveyed over the phone, when I first made an appointment, was $75 for a screening with an x-ray. However, once I got there I was informed it would be another $89 dollars, because the first x-ray was not sufficient for a diagnosis (mind you, there was nothing unexpected on the first x-ray and I already knew what work I needed done), and I would need to get a "comprehensive exam." I asked how a patient would pursue treatment without the comprehensive exam and these extra x-rays, and the student said that they wouldn't be able to. So in reality, the initial check-up costs $164, unless you choose not to opt for the comprehensive x-ray and exam, in which case they won't treat you and you've just flushed $75 down the toilet. I was then told that before I could get any procedures done, I had to schedule another appointment for a general cleaning, which would also have a fee attached (I was told this after I had already been at my screening for 2.5 hours, only about 10 minutes of which had even been spent looking at my teeth!). I was told that after this cleaning appointment, I could schedule a third appointment to begin dental work. So in order to have an actual procedure, even just the filling of one cavity, it would be at least three appointments (potentially 9 hours) and in excess of $200. How does that save money-for just one filling? It certainly doesn't save time. In my mind, if so much of the screening hadn't been dedicated to discussing the service rather than performing work, we could have easily filled two of those three hours with treating a cavity or at least doing a routine cleaning! Additionally, I had been under the impression that getting a new crown would be much cheaper at the clinic. The student told me that a crown would be about $500 dollars which, if you factor in the fees for the cleaning, the comprehensive exam, the required x-rays, and taking off 3+ days work, comes to about the same as a crown would cost in private practice with insurance. I was confused, since the student had told me that their rates were 50-80% lower than standard dentists. I suppose that without insurance and with no other options, this would be an okay choice if you have the ability to take off several days of work over the course of several weeks. But if you have any alternative (even the absolute most minimal dental insurance), you're better off going to a private practice, paying about the same, and saving a LOT of time. read more

After having a bad experience from a previous pediatric dentistry, I came here to see if I could get my sons filling fixed. I was so overwhelmed to find someone who genuinely cares. Dr. Rustin was so informative and my son absolutely loves her! read more

this place has the worst front desk i ever experienced everything is done backwoods i wasnt aware of the cost i had to pay for the intentional visit and what i might have to pay and then they didnt finish my root canal and schedule me 2 weeks out to get it finished the staff done a terrible job informing me on price and my ins and i had to pay upfront for an unfinished job unacceptable read more