Collaboration is king at UT Dentistry

Within a dental practice as large and diverse as the UT Health San Antonio’s School of Dentistry, it’s easy for a new patient to feel a little nervous before their first appointment. This was certainly the case for Jeffrey Almquist, a patient who sought treatment at the school. Mr. Almquist’s hesitation was quickly quelled, though, after meeting Jorge Silva, a senior dental student who would provide his care. “I felt secure and liked him from the start,” says Mr. Almquist of Jorge. “He has a good way with people, and I could tell he was a very intelligent, caring professional.” Jorge examined Mr. Almquist and walked him through treatment options available to him. The pair decided on a four-month treatment plan that would have Mr. Almquist receiving part of his care from a specialist located in a different area of the building. The smooth coordination of treatment with other providers is one of Jorge’s favorite things about the School of Dentistry. In Mr. Almquist’s case, his treatment plan involved a visit to the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinic for a procedure that required an oral surgeon’s skill. Juliana Gaviria, DDS, a 2020 alumna of the school and recent match to the Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery progam, worked with Jorge to expedite and simplify the referral process ensuring Mr. Almquist experienced zero interruptions to his treatment. The seamless collaboration between the two providers makes all the difference in Jorge’s opinion. “One of the best attributes about our school is how approachable and available our students and residents are,” Jorge states. “In every department, we can find residents who are excited to work with pre-doctoral students. It is easy and comforting to be able to refer patients to Dr. Gaviria, knowing we can contact her at any moment for updates on our shared patients.” This did not go unnoticed by Mr. Almquist who felt prepared and comfortable at every stage of his treatment. He even wrote thank you notes to all of the students and their supervising faculty. “Everybody that I came into contact with were just amazing, dedicated, caring and always willing to help,” proclaimed Mr. Almquist. “The doctors in charge are always teaching and watching the students. They would check in to see my progress and ask how I was doing.” When asked what exactly makes the School of Dentistry a great option for a prospective dental patient, Jorge immediately mentions the people and their passion. “Patients can rest assured that they will receive the best care possible when visiting our dental clinic,” explains Jorge. “Each patient is assigned to a student who they work with closely to address all chief concerns. Every student has completed rigorous academic and hand skills training before treating patients. Our experienced faculty approves all treatment before it begins and supervises every procedure along the way.” Jeffrey Almquist has since completed his treatment and both he and Jorge are pleased with his results. “These guys are all so nice, caring, and knowledgeable,” he says. “I would advise anyone seeking any kind of dental work to go to these people!” The UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry’s dental practice, UT Dentistry, is safely seeing patients for general dentistry and advanced dental care. For more information on dental services provided at UT Dentistry or how to become a patient, visit the website.