Patient Information

Becoming a Patient of the Dental Institute

The first step in becoming a patient is to schedule a screening appointment. The screening appointment is a short visit where a student dentist, in consultation with a faculty member, will provide a brief dental examination, possibly make some dental x-rays and will discuss your goals and expectations. Due to the nature of an academic dental clinic, not everyone is selected as a patient. If you are selected you will be matched with a student dentist who will become your primary dental health provider while you are undergoing oral healthcare at the Dental Institute.

What You Should Bring To Your First Appointment

Please bring to your first appointment a valid driver’s license or State Identification, a form of payment, and your dental insurance card, if applicable. We accept cash, personal checks, American Express, Discover, MasterCard and Visa. Please also bring a list of your current medications and any recent dental x-rays.

Children Accompanying Patients

To ensure the safety of children, anyone under 14 years of age, who are accompanying a Dental Institute patient, must have another responsible adult to supervise them in the waiting area during the dental visit. Children are not permitted to accompany the patient to the dental treatment area. If your children are left unattended, your appointment will be cancelled and rescheduled. Therefore, please make prior arrangements for appropriate childcare.

Appointment Length

The length of time to complete your treatment depends on the individual needs of each patient. As a teaching facility, care will require longer appointments than you may be accustomed to in a private dental office.

Cancelled Appointments

Appointments should be cancelled only when it is absolutely necessary. Your student dentist will give you his/her clinic phone number to call direct. We require 48 hours notice for an appointment cancellation. If you cancel with less than 48 hours notice of your scheduled appointment, it will be considered a “no show” appointment. Patients who fail to show up for three scheduled appointments will be dismissed as a patient from the Dental Institute. Please remember that your care will be delayed if you miss scheduled appointments.

Patient Bill of Rights

The Midwestern University Clinics are committed to providing quality care and service for our patients.
As a health sciences university, we also provide training for future healthcare professionals who are supervised by our faculty. As a partner in this educational process, you have the right to:

1. Impartial access to treatment without regard to race, national origin, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, marital status, or diagnosis.
2. Receive care in a safe setting, be treated with dignity, respect and consideration, and receive treatment that supports and respects the patient’s individuality, choices, strengths, and abilities.
3. Receive privacy in treatment and care for personal needs, including the right to request to have another person present during certain parts of a physical examination, treatment or procedure performed by a health professional of the opposite sex.
4. Review, upon written request, the patient’s own medical record and ask that your doctor amend your record if it is not accurate, relevant or complete.
5. Receive a referral to another health care institution if Midwestern University Clinics are not authorized or not able to provide physical health or behavioral health services needed by the patient.
6. Participate or have the patient’s representative participate in the development of, or decisions concerning treatment, including an explanation of the prescribed treatment, treatment alternative, the option to refuse or withdraw consent for treatment before treatment is initiated (except in an emergency), the risk of no treatment, and expected outcomes of these treatments, and to be told, in language you can understand, the advantages and disadvantages of each.
7. Participate or refuse to participate in research or experimental treatment.
8. Receive assistance from a family member, the patient’s representative, or other individual in understanding, protecting or exercising the patient’s rights.
9. Receive accurate and easily understood information about your healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities.
10. Ask for and receive an itemized bill and receive an explanation of your bills.
11. Consent to photographs before a patient is photographed.
12. Receive continuing care by your healthcare provider, under certain circumstances, when your health plan changes and your healthcare provider is not included in the new plan or your healthcare provider terminates his or her relationship with the health care plan.
13. A prompt and reasonable response to any complaint you have against your healthcare provider. This includes complaints about waiting times, operation hours, the actions of healthcare personnel, and the adequacy of healthcare facilities.

Patient Portal