If cost is the primary barrier to dental implants for you, Texas A&M College of Dentistry is worth knowing about. It's the only dental school in Dallas proper with a full graduate implant program — and it offers the lowest prices in the entire DFW market by a significant margin.
Texas A&M College of Dentistry
Texas A&M College of Dentistry
3302 Gaston Ave, Dallas, TX 75246
Phone: (214) 828-8100
Texas A&M College of Dentistry is the only dental school in Dallas proper with a complete graduate implant program. The implant procedures are performed by graduate student dentists — professionals who are already licensed as general dentists and are completing their specialty residency training in periodontology or oral surgery. Every procedure is performed under the direct supervision of board-certified faculty specialists.
Cost: typically $1,800–$2,800 per single implant including the implant post, abutment, and crown. Private practice in Dallas averages $3,500–$5,500 for the same complete case. That's a savings of 40–60% on the same procedure, using the same high-quality implant systems.
Texas A&M uses the same top-tier implant brands as private practice — Straumann, Nobel Biocare — not budget alternatives. The reduced cost reflects the academic setting and the time invested in supervision and documentation, not a reduction in materials or standards.
What to Expect at Texas A&M
The clinical process is identical to private practice: initial consultation, cone beam CT scan for treatment planning, implant post placement, healing period (osseointegration), abutment placement, and final crown delivery. The clinical steps and biological healing times don't change because you're in an academic setting.
What is different: the appointment structure. Each step is reviewed in detail by the student's clinical supervisor and often by additional faculty. This adds time to each appointment — what might be a 90-minute procedure at a private practice may take 2.5–3 hours at the dental school. Scheduling gaps between appointments are also longer — expect 4–8 weeks between steps versus 1–2 weeks at a private practice.
Total treatment timeline at Texas A&M: typically 9–14 months from first consultation to final crown, compared to 5–9 months at a private periodontist for a straightforward case. If your timeline is flexible and your budget is not, this trade-off is often well worth it. For a comparison of what affects timelines generally, see our full timeline guide.
Is the Quality the Same?
Yes. The implant brands are the same. The surgical protocols are the same. The crown fabrication standards are the same. What's different is the oversight structure — every decision a graduate student makes is reviewed by a licensed faculty specialist before and after execution. Some patients find this reassuring rather than concerning.
Graduate students in the periodontology and oral surgery programs have already completed four years of dental school and passed their board examinations. They are licensed practitioners in additional specialty training — not dental students learning basic dentistry. The gap between a Texas A&M graduate resident and a private practice periodontist is one of experience volume and speed, not of training level or quality standards.
How to Apply
Call (214) 828-8100 to request a patient consultation. Texas A&M screens patients before accepting them into the program — not all cases are suitable for an academic setting. Straightforward cases in patients with good bone and controlled health conditions are the most likely to be accepted. Very complex cases requiring multiple simultaneous interventions may be better served at a private specialist practice.
Bring to your first appointment: your insurance card (Texas A&M does accept some insurance), a complete medical history including all medications, and any recent dental X-rays. The initial screening appointment is typically at no cost and will determine whether you're a candidate for their program. Expect the scheduling process from first call to first appointment to take 4–8 weeks.
If you need additional context on what insurance might cover toward your dental school treatment, see our insurance guide. For financing options to cover the remaining cost, CareCredit is accepted at most dental schools. Our affordable implant guide covers additional low-cost pathways beyond dental schools.
Other Low-Cost Options in DFW
Texas A&M is the only dental school in Dallas proper with an implant program. If you live in North DFW, UT Health San Antonio Dental School (about 4 hours away) is another accredited program — distance makes it impractical for most patients, but it's an option for those willing to travel. The University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry in Oklahoma City (approximately 3 hours from Dallas) is a third option some North Texas patients consider.
Within the DFW area beyond Texas A&M: some private practices offer introductory pricing for new patients or reduced rates on their slower days — it's worth asking any practice you're considering whether they have such programs. Our provider guide covers how to evaluate and compare Dallas implant practices, and our main Dallas implant pricing guide gives you the full benchmark to measure any quote against.