Smiles in San Francisco: Dental Clinics Now Open at University of the Pacific's New SoMa Campus

Smiles in San Francisco: Dental Clinics Now Open at University of the Pacific’s New SoMa Campus

Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry to serve thousands of Bay Area patients at its new home in downtown San Francisco.

Dan Soine – July 16, 2014 — University of the Pacific’s new San Francisco campus and home of the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry this week started welcoming dental patients to its state-of-the-art clinics.

Previously located in the Pacific Heights neighborhood, the Dugoni School of Dentistry has relocated all of its public dental clinics to its new South of Market building at 155 Fifth Street. The clinics offer a wide array of oral healthcare services including cleanings, fillings, dentures, digital X-rays, cosmetic dentistry, facial pain treatment, orthodontics, pediatric dentistry services and dental care for people with special needs.

The seven-story, 395,000-square-foot San Francisco campus contains general and specialty dental clinics for people of all ages, as well as flexible classrooms, lecture halls, a state-of-the-art dental Simulation Laboratory, research labs, a cafe and support spaces. The campus will also house university programs in audiology, music therapy, food studies and other subjects.

With nearly 1,000 dental students, faculty and staff, the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry anticipates serving approximately 10,000 patients each year. The school’s new location is close to the BART and Muni Powell Street Station and other public transportation lines, offering easier accessibility to patients visiting from throughout the region.

The Dugoni School of Dentistry delivers comprehensive patient care in a comfortable and supportive environment consistent with its humanistic approach to education. Patients are each assigned to a student dentist who assumes responsibility for the patient’s general dental treatment, consultation, and referral for specialty care. Students and residents (who are licensed dentists receiving advanced specialty training) provide care under the close supervision of expert faculty. As is typical at academic dental clinics, fees are lower than those charged by private-practice dental offices.

The school offers evening appointments on Mondays and Thursdays, emergency dental services throughout the week, and a faculty dental service group where care is provided to the public by dental faculty members.

The opening of the clinics at University of the Pacific’s new SoMa campus marks another important milestone in the 163-year history of the university as well as that of the dental school, which was originally founded in 1896 as the College of Physicians and Surgeons of San Francisco.

Acquired for $47 million in 2011, the new facility at 155 Fifth Street underwent two years of extensive renovations to create a $151 million state-of-the-art teaching and patient-care center.

Returning and prospective patients are encouraged to visit the school website at www.dental.pacific.edu or call (415) 929-6501 to learn about dental services and to get directions to the new location. Appointments are required. The clinics accept Denti-Cal, cash, credit cards and most private insurance plans. Flexible payment plans are also offered for those without insurance.

Patients and visitors may also view a clinic virtual tour video to learn what to expect at the clinics: http://www.dental.pacific.edu/Dental_Services/Clinic_Virtual_Tour_Video.html

Details about all of the university programs planned for the new campus are at www.pacific.edu/sf.

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