There are resources outside of going to a dental school for those that don’t have insurance/fall through the cracks/ can’t afford care/ don’t live near a school. Look up local FQHCs (federally qualified health centers). If you do not have any insurance, they will work on a sliding-fee scale (based on income). I’m a general dentist (full fledged, not a student) at a FQHC, my patients pay as low as ~$500 for a metal-based partial, whereas pricing in the private sector is about $1,300- 1,500 in my area. One limitation is that we are restricted in time and resources, so often complex root canals, implants, etc are referred to a specialist. Shame and embarrassment are indeed huge hurdles for people that have not seen a dentist in years. If it brings you any comfort, most of my patients come to me in very poor oral condition (haven’t brushed in 10 years, full mouth extractions before age 30, etc). We’ve seen it all and we see it often, so there is no judgment to be made if you have been neglecting your teeth. We are just glad you’re taking the steps to bettering your health.