Several oral surgeons in the U.S. are currently accepting applications for their wisdom for wisdom program. This program allows for students to submit an application for an opportunity to have wisdom teeth removal performed for free.
Typically extraction of four wisdom teeth can cost between $2,000 to $3,000 based on the level of impaction of difficulty and the type of sedation the patient is having. This program is designed to help allow college students who have numerous other expenses, to use the savings towards textbooks, room and board, or tuition for courses.
The wisdom for wisdom program seems to have been started within the last five years and picked up steam during the COVID-19 pandemic when many young students were having financial struggles because their parents lost their job or they could not find a summer job. This program has been covered on this site in the past see the post College Students Win Free Wisdom Teeth Removal Surgery.
Currently Siouxland Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery a South Dakota based oral surgery practice is offering three lucky students free wisdom teeth surgery. The practice has three surgeons so each surgeon will be offering a free wisdom teeth procedure. Applications are due by May 19, 2022. The Carolinas Centers for Oral Facial, Cosmetic, and Dental Implant Surgery is also offering one lucky student free wisdom teeth surgery. Applications are due by May 26, 2022. Further, Northern Nevada Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery is offering is offering one lucky student free wisdom teeth extraction. Applications are due May 19, 2022.
The application requires entering in some expected information about the patient and dentist.The applicant is asked to respond to “What would the Wisdom For Wisdom program mean to you if you are selected?” Some applications also require applicatants to watch a short video and answer correctly questions in a quiz. The quiz consists of several questions covered in the video on wisdom teeth such as when is the best time to remove wisdom teeth, how are wisdom teeth imaged, and which molars wisdom teeth are also known as. Don’t stress too much though as if you miss a question on the quiz you can retry the quiz as needed.
It is a plus that oral surgeons sympathize with the struggles young adults face when it comes to affording to pay for their health care. It is not entirely clear exactly how many such wisdom for wisdom progams exist but it certainly doesn’t hurt to inquire if our local oral surgen has such a program. It is important to keep in mind though that not all college age students need to have their wisdom teeth extracted. There is some detbate on the pros and cons of such a procedure and if it best to wait and see if problems develop or removed wisdom teeth early see for example https://www.teethremoval.com/controversy.html.
If you are one of the lucky winners of the wisdom for wisdom program, don’t forget to consider to record yourself after surgery to potentially win even more free money with an after surgery video. Unfortunately though Ellen DeGeneres is no longer going to be doing her talk show and in the past she was one of the shows that gave out money for such videos, see for example the post Woman wins $10,000 for paying it backward after wisdom teeth surgery.
Source:
- KELOLAND Media Group, Sarah McDonald, “Oral surgeons to remove wisdom teeth for free for three students,” April 25, 2022, https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/oral-surgeons-to-remove-wisdom-teeth-for-free-for-three-students/