Many cities have had access to an academic dental institute, such as Houston, Dallas, or San Antonio. Now, that option is available in Austin, with the opening of the Austin Institute of Dental Medicine (AIDM). If you needed complex work—like implants, orthodontics, or full-mouth rehabilitation, you can now receive it here in Austin, avoiding higher costs of specialists or traveling to an institute out of the city.
But before you book an appointment, we want to answer the question many patients ask: “How exactly does an academic dental institute work?”
Here is the transparent answer.
The Focus of an Academic Institute
In a teaching facility like AIDM, the operational structure is uniquely designed around education and comprehensive planning. At AIDM, our providers are residents—licensed doctors receiving advanced training. Because they earn a flat educational stipend, the environment allows for deep, collaborative focus on clinical precision and rigorous planning.
The AIDM Residency Model
Here is what you can expect from the academic residency model at AIDM:
- Dual-Layer Care: A licensed resident general dentist performs the work while a Board-Certified or Board-Eligible specialist reviews the case.
- Competitive Fee Structure: Our costs are structured based on an academic residency model, allowing us to offer highly competitive fees because the facility operates as a teaching institution.
- Educational Incentive: Residents are evaluated on clinical precision, rigorous planning, and strict adherence to medical standards.
- Comprehensive Planning: Specialists in Orthodontics, Periodontics, and Prosthodontics collaborate to help plan long-term oral health.
Dispelling the Myth: Are They Students?
This is the most common misconception about our facility.
The resident doctors treating you at AIDM are not dental students. They are licensed General Dentists (DDS or DMD) who have already graduated from dental school.
They have chosen to dedicate additional years to a rigorous residency to gain advanced skills in complex areas like prosthodontics (restoration), periodontics (gums), or orthodontics.
Furthermore, they do not work in isolation. Cases are supervised by our faculty—specialists who ensure that clinical decisions are verified and sound. At AIDM, you benefit from a collaborative team approach.
Who is AIDM Not Right For?
We believe in transparency regarding the trade-offs of the academic model.
The Benefit: You receive dual-layer care at highly competitive fees designed around our teaching model. The Trade-off: It takes more time.
Because we are a teaching institution focused on precision, appointments will typically run longer than at a traditional office. We take the time to measure twice and cut once.
If your priority is a 15-minute appointment, a traditional clinic is likely a better fit for your needs. But if you are looking for a balance of high-level oversight and competitive affordability—then AIDM was built for you.
Closing the Insurance Gap
We understand that dental insurance often has limitations, such as annual maximums that may not cover the full cost of major restorative work.
Because AIDM operates on a residency fee structure, we can help bridge the gap between your insurance coverage and the cost of comprehensive care. While we help maximize your benefits, our academic baseline fees often result in manageable out-of-pocket expenses for our patients.
AIDM opens its doors this June.
We are bringing the academic model home to Austin. If you would like to secure priority scheduling and a comprehensive evaluation, join the Founding Patient Waitlist today.
