How do I pay for my dental care?
Payment for your dental treatment is due at each appointment. We accept cash, personal check, MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, and CareCredit Card* as payment options. We do not offer payment programs or a “sliding fee scale.” The out of pocket cost of your dental care will vary by the type of treatment, the clinic where it is performed, and your insurance plan. See the table below for comparisons between clinics.
| Faculty Dentists UW Dentistry Faculty Practice | Teaching Clinic UW School of Dentistry Teaching Clinics | Specialty Clinic UW School of Dentistry Specialty Clinics | |
| Providers | Highly skilled, experienced faculty dentists | Supervised dental students | Dentists training for a specialty |
| Appointment Length | Equivalent to a local private dental practice | ~ 2 – 3 times longer than a private dental practice | Varies by procedure; but less than a teaching clinic |
| Appointment Cost | Competitive with local private dental practices | ~ 30 – 40 percent less than a private dental practice | Generally, less than private specialty practice |
| Wait Time | As soon as possible | Can be a few weeks or more | Variable |
Dental Insurance
If you are a UW student, our teaching clinics and most of our specialty practices partner with student insurance plans. For general questions about your insurance coverage, please visit the Hall Health website for a guide to determine your benefits.
Dental Insurance coverage varies by clinic and insurance carrier. The best way to determine coverage before making an appointment is to contact your insurance carrier and consult your dental coverage plan. We have provided contact information for common insurance carriers below.
| Insurance Plan | Website | Phone |
|---|---|---|
 | Delta Dental Website | 1-800-554-1907 |
 | Premera Website | 1-800-722-1471 |
 | Lifewise Assurance Company | 1-800-971-1491 |
 | Apple Health Website | 1-800-562-3022 |
We accept Apple Health (Medicaid) patients for treatment provided in all School of Dentistry Teaching Clinics.
As a courtesy to our patients, all clinics will submit your dental benefit claim and a dental treatment pre-determination to most dental insurance carriers. Bring your insurance information with you to your first appointment. In some cases, we may be able to bill medical plans for dental services; again, consult the clinic staff about this option. Most insurance plans pay only a portion of dental treatment charges, and your coinsurance payment for the balance of the fees charged will be due at each appointment.
For more information
Please contact us if you have additional questions about dental insurance and treatment fees.
| Location | Phone | |
|---|---|---|
| UW Dentists Faculty Practice | 206-685-8258 | uwdentists@uw.edu |
| Teaching & Specialty Clinics | 206-616-6996 | dentalclinics@uw.edu |
*CareCredit Card
The CareCredit Card, is a credit card for medical or dental care that offers no-interest payment plans, low monthly payments and an easy application process that allows for treatment to begin immediately upon credit approval. Applications for the CareCredit Card can be done in our offices or at home.
