Caring for your teeth and mouth is vital to maintaining your overall health and appearance. Even if you brush and floss regularly, you still need to receive professional care on a regular basis to maintain good oral health. Make UAB Dentistry your dental home where all your dental needs can be addressed under one roof.
UAB Dentistry provides a variety of services to patients with or without a referral from a private practice dentist. We welcome first-time patients who are coming for either emergency or routine treatment. Patients of record who have not been to our clinics for more than 18 months should also follow the first-time patient guidelines below.
To schedule or change an appointment, please contact your clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Late Appointments / Cancellations
If you miss or arrive late for an appointment, the student doctor cannot make up that time. If you must cancel your appointment, we ask that you do so at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled time so that another patient may be scheduled.
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Hours of Operation
Appointments are scheduled to begin at 8:00 am and 4:00 pm Monday-Friday in our clinics (excluding closure dates). Most clinics close from 12:00 to 1:00 pm for lunch and at 5:00 pm each evening.
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Building Entry
Patients should enter the building through the front (atrium) entrance on 7th Avenue S. and access the building through the first floor. Doors will open at 7:30 a.m. and close at 5:30 p.m. weekdays.
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Visitor Guidelines
UAB School of Dentistry recognizes the importance of caregivers in the oral health care of our patients. Due to space limitations in our clinical areas up to 2 visitors at a time are allowed to be present with a patient where space permits. Certain exceptions depending on patient needs will be determined by the care team.
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In Case of Severe Weather
During any actual emergency or severe weather situation, uab.edu/emergency will be the official source of UAB information. In the event of closure, patients will be rescheduled and current patients should utilize emergency care information as needed. hours emergency care information for current patients.
- How to Request for Medical Records
Emergency Care & Appointments
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How can I become a patient?
In pain? Emergency patients can visit our Urgent (limited/emergency) Care Clinic, which is a walk-in clinic that does not make appointments. If you have an urgent dental need and/or want one specific concern addressed, you may be a better fit for our Urgent (limited/emergency) Care Clinic. Patients are accepted for care on a first-come, first-served basis during clinic hours.
Other than for dental emergencies, to make an appointment:
- Comprehensive Care Clinic
- Pediatric Dentistry Clinic
- Orthodontic Clinic
- UAB Dental Group Faculty Practice
Specialty care through our Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Periodontics, Endodontics, and Prosthodontics clinics is available by referral. Specialty care through the Advanced General Dentistry Clinic does not require a referral.
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What should I bring to my appointment?
First-time patients should bring insurance cards, photo ID, and payment. We accept cash, check, or credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover). At this time, we cannot accept American Express or Care Credit.
What if I have been treated here before? Patients who have not been to our clinics for more than two years should follow the first-time patient guidelines.
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I have an appointment. When should I arrive?
Allow time for parking. Because we are part of a large medical center, you may need extra time to find parking close to our building, which is located on 7th Avenue South between 19th and 20th Streets. Visit our Directions and Parking page for locations, hours, cost, and details. We cannot validate parking.
Arrive at your clinic 30 minutes early. You will begin your first appointment by completing our patient registration forms. We ask that you arrive to the clinic 30 minutes before your appointment time to complete the registration process.
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How long does treatment take?
Particularly in the student clinics, such as the Urgent (limited/emergency) Care Clinic and the Comprehensive Care Clinic, please allow 2 to 3 hours for your appointment.
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Where do I go for my dental appointment?
Comprehensive Care Clinic patients
- New patients sign in at 1st floor patient registration desk
- Patients who have already been assigned to student doctors, sign in at the Comprehensive Care Clinic desk on the 2nd floor
Emergency and walk-in patients
Sign in at 1st floor patient registration desk.
UAB Dental Group - Faculty (Private) Practice patients
Sign in at the 5th floor UAB Dental Group Faculty Practice Clinic registration desk.
Where is the Advanced General Dentistry Clinic (Hospital Dentistry) located?
Hospital Dentistry is located in the basement of the UAB Hospital Russell Wing Suite B50 at 1802 6th Avenue South.
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What if I need to cancel or reschedule my appointment?
If you miss or arrive late for an appointment, the student cannot make up that time. If you must cancel or reschedule your appointment, we ask that you do so at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled time so that another patient may be scheduled.
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Can I bring my children?
Both patients and their providers must focus solely on the services being provided in order to assure the best quality of care. For patient and visitor safety, the school does not allow children (under the age of 14) to remain unsupervised in waiting rooms and children are not allowed in the clinical treatment areas under any circumstance unless they are receiving treatment. If you have a child(ren) with you who is not the patient, please be sure to bring another adult who can watch your child(ren) in the waiting room while you are in being treated. For safety reasons, we are not allowed to watch children who are left unattended. If children are left unattended, the patient’s dental appointment will be cancelled and rescheduled.
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I'm a UAB student/faculty/staff, can I make an appointment?
Of course! We welcome any student, resident, faculty, and staff member at UAB to have their dental needs met with UAB Dentistry.
All students in the Schools of Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing and Optometry will be enrolled in the Student Dental Health Program. Students are automatically enrolled in the Student Dental Health Program upon matriculation. The failure to make use of the dental service will not be accepted as a reason for exemption from payment of fees or for refund for any quarter or semester.
Billing & Insurance
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Are you free?
Although we do not provide free care, our clinics are a great fit for people who want to improve their overall oral health, especially self-pay patients and patients who want to make their insurance dollars go further. Our fees are approximately 50% lower fees than private practice.
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How much cost am I responsible for?
All patients are responsible for knowing their insurance benefits prior to arrival.
Patients without insurance:
Patients without insurance are responsible for payment of 100% of the treatment costs at the time of treatment.Patients with coverage from a preferred insurance provider:
Patients who have BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama, MetLife or Medicaid coverage are responsible for payment, at the time of treatment, of any copays or deductibles and/or 100% of the charges not covered by their insurance. UAB School of Dentistry will file a claim with the patient’s insurance carrier for the charges covered under their policy, for which the insurance carrier will make payment directly to the school.Patients with other insurance providers:
Patients with other, non-participating insurance providers are responsible for paying the full cost of treatment at the time of service. As a courtesy, we will file a claim to the patient’s insurance carrier for reimbursement to the patient of any fees that might be covered under their policy. -
Do I need insurance to become a patient?
Patients are accepted with or without insurance. Our rates are approximately 50% lower than the area private dentists, which makes us a great fit for self-pay patients (as well as those who want to make their insurance dollars go further).
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How is my insurance claim filed?
Upon each visit, UAB School of Dentistry will file a claim with the patient’s insurance carrier. It may take 30-45 days for claims processing with the carrier. Once the carrier has processed the claim, the carrier will notify the patient of any approval and/or denial of coverage.
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Why do I have to pay my copayment before my insurance is billed or before I receive a billing statement?
Our policy is that all patients are required to pay for treatment at the time of appointment. This includes any copayments and/or deductibles for insurance patients. In the event of overpayment, we will credit your account or return your payment.
Parking
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Where should I park?
Visit our Directions & Parking page for parking locations, hours, cost and details.
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Do you validate parking?
We do not validate parking. Visit our Directions & Parking page for parking cost and details.
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Do you have change?
You can get change at the 1st floor lobby registration desk. Coins only.
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How do I use the kiosk machine to pay for street parking in front of the building?
The kiosk machine only accepts credit cards and coins. Dollar bills are not accepted.
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What is the cut off time for checking parking meters?
- Birmingham stops checking meters at 5:00 p.m.
- UAB monitors meters from 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Snacks & Drinks
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Do you have vending machines?
Vending machines are located on the 1st and 6th floors.
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Where can I get coffee?
Coffee can be purchased at the V.A. cafeteria located on the corner of 7th Avenue South and 19th Street.