University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry — Attraction in San Francisco

I became a patient of the dental school in 2016 when I needed two implants. The implants were successful and I continued having all my dental work done at the school. As a retired person, I found the tradeoff (long lasting, slow moving appointments but easy on the budget) worthwhile, until recently.

In early September of this year (2024) I developed a toothache in a molar that had an old crown. I saw my new student dentist on September 10th and told him about the toothache. Under supervision of a faculty member, he took an xray. The faculty member said there was no cavity but that the tooth needed a root canal. They scheduled me for an appointment on October 10th. I believe the student was instructed to get me on the waiting list for the root canal. I was told that I could control the pain with 500mg Tylanol or a combinatian of Tylanol and Ibuprofin taken as directed on the containers. I accepted this delay, partially because I had a trip planned in the next few days.

The toothache became extremely painful between doses of pain medication. I also used an oral salve to numb the area a little. All of these over-the- counter medications carried warnings about using for longer than two weeks.

When I came back from my trip, I tried to get my appointment moved up but couldn't. On Saturday, October 5th, I went to the emergency clinic. A student dentist saw me, reviewed my xray and consulted with a faculty member. They said, "Yes, you need a root canal. No, nothing can be done for you soon. The student checked to see where I was on the waiting list for the root canal and said I wasn't on the waiting list at all, but said he would add me to the list. He said that the wait was about 30 days. If I had been added to the list when I saw the student dentist on September 10th, I might have been almost at the top of the list at that moment (October 5th).

The student dentist in the Emergency clinic took my blood pressure and said it was 186. This shocked me, because I take medication for blood pressure and usually am no higher than 130. He said he would write down 126 on my chart. I was too concerned about my pain and the long wait for a root canal to question this at the time.

I continued taking strong Tylanol even though I was worried about liver damage. On Monday I called to see if my regular student dentist could see me sooner and get the ball rolling on my root canal. He said he couldn't see me until our scheduled appointment the following Thursday, October 10th and that the plan for that day was to take the crown off and make a cast for the replacement crown. Then I would wait 30 days +/- for the root canal.

Two days later, I called my old family dentist in Half Moon Bay. He saw me that day, took an xray and spotted a large cavity as well as the need for a root canal. He sent me to see a specialist for a consult that afternoon. She also took xrays, confirmed the cavity etc. and scheduled me for the work to be done two days later, Friday, October 11. I cancelled my October 10th appointment at the school. On October 11th, all work was done as planned and I was fitted with a temporary crown. I have been out of pain since then and will get my permenant crown on October 30th.

I do plan to see my assigned student dentist on October 31st. Most of this was not his fault, but I will be leaving the school of dentistry. I need to have someone I can trust to work on my teeth, and someone who won't leave me to suffer for weeks.

To summarize my criticisms:

September 10th - A faculty member looked at an xray taken under her supvision and failed to see a large cavity.

September 10th - The student assigned to me, did not get me on the waiting list for a root canal as he was directed to do.

October 5th - When I went to your "emergency clinic," the student dentist enterred a false blood pressure reading on my chart.

Policy - I do not understand why the school does not treat the need for a root canal as an emergency. Anyone who has needed a root canal can tell you how painful it is.

Margaret...

Expensive, time consuming, nightmare. I wish I had never entered the doors of this institution. I needed two extractions took 6 months and several returns to ( fix) mistakes made. One tooth was drilled out leaving my gum tissue mauled exposing lots of bone the only way to heal it was by scraping bone away . Tons of excessive bone loss due to instructors impatient for leaving at exactly 430. I had two extractions I had been waiting all day for since they opened. I was on the chair right at 430.The instructor approached tge students and told them they have 30 seconds to finish. ( REALLY THIS STATEMENT MADE IN FRONT OF ME WAS, TOTAL DISREGARD OF THE FACT THAT I WAS EVEN IN THAT CHAIR) the two students jerked the teeth out so quick it caused a two inch long bone spur sticking thru skin like a razor. I told the student he said it should heal just fine. It healed then about 3 weeks later very painfully burst open .So they had to basically use a device similar to a nail clipper to snip it out . One of the extraction left the tip of a root smaller than a pencil point lead in the gum line. The drill head used to remove it was as large as the eraser end of a pencil. I know from seeing computer images. Before and after.Such a large drill bit for such a tiny fragment? Meanwhile the ( instuctor, same dr dude as before, the 430 stickler ) announces its 430 he is just going to eat his sandwich he would be just right there if needed and supposedly another instructor took over a woman with long red hair. She was talking about teaching class the next day to the students working on me. Next thing I know she drilled out the root and put exactly one suture in my mouth right into my vocal cord. I noticed immediately she left and one of the students walked me out . I complained that this does not feel right.The student said they were closed for the day .I could come back tomorrow.I WISH I HAD GONE STRAIGHT TO AN ER, I mentioned it the next several visits only to be brushed off that I had to let it heal for atleast 6 months to a year. This action immediately took a specific range of my once beautiful singing voice away instantly.And left me with lots of difficulty to swallow from tge right side where my vocal cord was injured. Here it is now almost three years and still voice range even with light vocal exercises has not even began to bounce back. And I FEAR I WILL CHOKE LITERALLY TO DEATH ONE DAY. From the difficulty I get swallowing. Most definitely sone type of nerve damage, loss of singing voice difficulty swallowing. Lots of time wasted.I honestly felt they were creating more issues for the students to have more practice.I wish I never even noticed this building thinking they might be able to help me.A private dentist would have been cheaper and most likely less painful and would have most likely gotten the job done with less drama. The thing I hated most was seeing tons of mentally challenged patients being brought there. People who would have trouble speaking up for themselves. It took me three years to say something. Wish I never entered the doors of this place.Horrible horrible experience. Next I will be posting how much the specialist cost me out of my pocket to see about restoring my voice and and relinquish the difficulty to swallow. If you have had any issues with this place keep telling them til...

AMAZING experience at this Dental University ! I had received dental services for the span of a year and a half and I cannot say enough great things about my experience. The student / dentist I was referred to was a natural. He did numerous feelings as well as gave me so much information on dental care and hygiene that I never knew before and was so professional and respectful and kind and just simply put, helpful! The building is amazing as I probably will never see another dentist office like it. It's very easy to get to through Bart or Muni. Surprisingly they even had great service by phone. I had moved across the country and was sad that I wouldn't be able to have my dental services through the university anymore. I had Medi-Cal when I was seen at the University and they didn't treat me any different had I had high-end private insurance which was also very impressive. There is senior staff dentist/teachers that are on the floor and can assist at a snap of a finger and they were amazing as well. You can really tell the teachers want their students to succeed in the students that are there are serious and want to learn and succeed as well. Andre was the name of the student I have and I will never forget him he made a very positive lasting impression as a dentist. He was in his last year at the University and said that his mother and father practiced dentistry in Sacramento and that he was going to follow the same route. I'm sure he's doing amazing and I wish nothing but the best for him in his dental career. There is so much more I could say in a positive note about this University and in all honesty this is probably one of the only reviews that I can't find something negative to say, though I was a little saddened that I had to be rescheduled for a teeth whitening session as I was traveling in guest spotting for my career in different states and only had a week back in San Francisco at the time to be able to do the teeth whitening appointment so I was never able to get the whitening session done at the University but it was understandable as he said he had finals amongst other things. So in short, if you're on defense if you should go to the university for your dental services because of whatever reason just pull the trigger and do it. I had received better dental services through this University then I ever did in any professional dental office and it's a shame that I have to settle for basic dental offices as I do now. This University should be a model of how professional outstanding dental offices should be throughout the states. Thank you University of the Pacific Dentistry for the outstanding excellent dental care I received throughout my year and a half of visits. And I want to give one more shout out to Andre, your an amazing dentist and I hope success follows you throughout your professional career as it did at the University, you...