UBC dentistry clinic patient says 14 months is too long to wait for dentures

It's supposed to be a learning experience for the University of British Columbia's dental students — but now one of their patients says he's the one that learned a lesson.

Low-income Vancouver resident Brian Sereda, 64, says he's been waiting 14 months for a set of dentures — suffering pain and infection — after most of his teeth were pulled by students.

"It's been horrible," said Sereda. "I thought I'd have good-looking teeth by now."

Sereda scrapes by on a worker's compensation pension. A former construction worker, he lost most of his teeth in two accidents.

He couldn't afford the tens of thousands of dollars a set of dentures can cost at private clinics, so back in September of 2014 he went to the UBC Faculty of Dentistry's clinic, which offers treatment that can cost 40 per cent below the standard fee structure in the province.

Sereda wanted full top and bottom dentures. Instead, the dental students have left him with so-called "anchor teeth" to secure partial plates, which were recommended by the school.

Sereda said those teeth have become infected and painful.

"Since I came here I've had one upper tooth that I've had two abscesses on, and another tooth, which, you know, they said was quite good to leave in, and that one's been sore," he said. "It's totally unacceptable."

Sereda says he can't believe he's been left without dentures for 14 months.

"The timeline they give you is that it will take longer than a regular dentist. I had no idea it would take this [long]. I thought maybe a couple of months longer," he said.

Patient changed his mind: clinic 

The faculty's low-cost student clinic operates out of the Nobel Biocare Oral Health Centre on campus. The faculty admits there have been delays — but clinic director Dr. Andrea Esteves blames Sereda, saying he changed his mind about his course of treatment.

She reviewed Sereda's file, after obtaining his permission to talk about his complaint.

"In this case, I have seen that the patient has changed his mind over the course of the action about three times at least", Esteves said.

She emphasized UBC operates a teaching school, which is not the same as going to a private clinic.

"In a teaching institution, when students are learning and we try to get the best standard of care to our patients, there's always something, there's a bit of a compromise," she said.

"We do have limitations. It's not something we want to take any longer than it should, but it does."

When asked if 14 months was an acceptable wait for dentures or partial dentures, Esteves said, "Within a teaching institution, it is."   

Esteves said approximately 200 students treat as many as 19,000 patients, with a total of 40,000 visits a year. The students are overseen by dental instructors and faculty members.

She said Sereda resisted getting the partial dentures recommended by staff.

"With that we pretty much had to backtrack and start again with the treatment planning before we could go ahead," she said.

Conflicting advice

But Sereda said he got conflicting advice from students and instructors.

"They have too many different people coming in and giving you their ideas on what should be done," he said.

"The dentists who work with the students, they all have their own different opinions of what should be done and how to do it, and whether you should have all of your teeth removed or leave some in. You just can't make up your mind."

Sereda said when he tried to complain to clinic directors, he got the run around.

"I don't blame the students at all. I blame the instructors and the people above them for all this mess. You know, I've tried to get ahold of them numerous times. They never get back to you," he said.

After CBC brought Sereda's complaints to their attention, the UBC Dental clinic said it would review its procedures.

"When something unfortunate like this happens, nobody is happy, but I think we can take this and make it even better," said Esteves. "We take that as a learning opportunity for students and for everybody else.

The clinic director also said she's happy to talk directly with Sereda to resolve his complaints.

Sereda says he just wants his dentures — or his money back. He's been charged $425 so far, for X-rays and extractions.

Fourteen months without dentures has left him feeling bitter.

"I don't trust them anymore. I want to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else," he said.