No openings at the dentist’s
It is hereby proven that students are in need of dental services. No appointments were available 24 hours after SiO Dental Services opened.
– What a service, Teacher Education student Harald Weider says.
He was positively surprised when he heard about the new SiO Dental Services. The student dental services finally opened on 17 October after being postponed and meeting many positive minds. However, the services received a large influx of interested, and only those who got in touch before 11 am the following day were awarded appointments.
Weider feels that it is way below standard that it is already impossible to get an appointment. He contacted the Dental Services two days after opening only to find out that there was not a single opening for the remainder of the year, and no chance of making appointments.
– I happily paid my semester fee to SiO this autumn, but I now feel that the Dental Services do not live up to the expectations. SiO should improve these services, Weider continues.
– Better after Christmas
Cecilie Daae is medical superintendent at Student Health Services. She regrets that the services currently do not cover student needs. She points out that the alternative was to start up later on. The reason behind the postponed opening was reportedly that they experienced difficulties in finding dentists to fill the positions.
– We currently have temporary dentists working 60 per cent. From 1 January, we get two full-time dentists, thus I expect greater capacity, Daae says.
The medical superintendent does not wish to comment on whether the services are satisfactory until the trial period is over. She recommends that students log on to the SiO web pages, which will be updated on the services and appointment arrangements when things are in order.
– We seek patience from students at this point. If we experience the same problems after New Year’s, we will naturally look into whether services are satisfactory or not, Daae points out.
Happy to take on
If your teeth are in desperate pain, it would still be possible to get help at a reasonable price.
– We are happy to take on students here, Inger Vedahl Nilsen, clinic director at the Faculty of Dentistry, says.
She informs that students make suitable patients for students of Dentistry. The advantage is low prices, but you have to be prepared for waiting in line there as well.
– Making appointments is easy during certain periods, but appointments are generally accepted in August and January, Nilsen says. She adds that people are welcome to try outside these periods as well:
– Give us a ring, and we’ll see what we can do, she recommends
