Has anyone ever used a local dental school for simple dental work?

I never did, but I checked into it once. It kind of depends on your personal pain threshold. Now me, I'm phobic about dentistry anyway, and the only way I can get into the chair is if I'm so screwed up on Xanax (Alprazolam) and nitrous oxide that I can't see straight, and with my experience and tolerant system that is truly saying something. But maybe you're just a regular type person that doesn't care one way or the other. In that case, you can save a ton of money by going to a dental school.

Have you checked out The Dental Center of Northwest Ohio, GuestZero? They provide low-cost dental care to people without insurance, and they have a sliding scale for folks whose incomes are below certain threshholds; here is their definition of eligibility:

A resident of the Dental Center of NW Ohio's service area living at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level OR a resident of the service area receiving health benefits from Medicaid or a Medicaid HMO is eligible for dental services.

As a foster parent over the years I have taken a number of kids down there, and I can vouch that the pediatric care clinic is comparable in service and amenities as the average private dentist.

Dental Center of Northwest Ohio
2138 Madison Ave • Toledo • Ohio • 43604 • Phone: (419) 241-1644
To schedule an appointment, please call: (419) 241-6215

GZ - filling replacement/repair would be outside the scope of a dental hygenist or assistant program. You'd have to go to an actual dental school's clinic.

You might want to give a call to the place historymike mentioned. Don't know if they have a waiting list, but it couldn't hurt to call.

I tried Owens and was delighted with the results for $20.

https://www.owens.edu/academic_dept/health_tech/dental/clinic.pdf

Typical dentists have no motivation to do an excellent job because of time constraints with respect to how much they can collect from insurance. However, the kids at Owens need to have a high average to pass the course. You are also checked out by an instructor to make sure everything was done right. Heck, they even include x-rays for the $20. Depending on who you get, you may or may not have a great experience. I have had a student that was better than any prior dental hygienist I've used and I had one that made me a bit nervous.

Downsides: You have to be put on a list and then you may be waiting a few months to get in, their cleanings are performed in two sessions (each lasting about an hour and a half)

I forgot to address the most important part, the fillings. I think they do the extra kinds of work at Owens too, but those cases have their own waiting lists as well.

I've used the dental center, and they are great. Never had any problems.

I'm familiar with the DCNWO since I'd been in the clinic many times, doing wiring work for them. That seems like a good suggestion.

However, I believe I'll try Owens first. I have friends who work there, and they can further advise me. I can well tolerate the wait, since my filling is just giving me slight annoyance, not an unlivable one, making it prudent for me to make advance plans. From the PDF provided by brainswell:

"Other services performed in the Dental Hygiene Clinic include limited restorative procedures for selected clients. Restorative procedures include silver and tooth-colored fillings. Restorative services provided by Owens students are supervised by licensed personnel."

I'll give them a call and see what happens. If Owens says no, or after examination they feel that I need a regular dentist, then I can try the DCNWO.

UTMUO has a dental school, they do a lot of welfare work.

I went for cleanings when a good friend of mine was in hygienist school at Owens, she needed to clean so many peoples' teeth so she asked me. It is all supervised by dentists, and I am sure they would do a good job...but it is VERY time consuming. Expect to spend pretty much the whole day there, I was there twice for several hours each time just for one routine cleaning - they did half of it one day and half of it on a different day. I guess it took me by surprise, I didn't realize how time consuming it would be - so, just a warning.

A friend of mine said that UTMC (the old MCO) should have a dental school of some kind, much like Owens does. I'll have to call 'em too.

Thanks for the warning about the time involved. I'm fairly busy, so I'll have to budget accordingly.