Obtaining affordable dental care should be a priority for every American. While quality dental insurance is available to some, many need to rely on dental insurance alternatives to avoid paying the high retail price of dental services, especially in large urban areas where the costs are highest.
In an effort to simplify what can be a complicated and time-consuming search for available resources, we are publishing the following list of links and resources you can use in your search.
For Kids
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The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) is a Federal-State health insurance program that provides needy children with health and dental coverage.
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The ADA Foundation's Give Kids A Smile program helps provide low-cost dental care to kids. You can call their toll-free number to find out whether there is a GKAS program in your area: 1-844-490-GKAS.
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To find children's dental care programs in your state, visit Insure Kids Now or call 1–877–KIDS–NOW (1–877–543–7669)
For Seniors
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Visit Medicare Dental Services or call 1–800–MEDICARE (1–800–633–4227). Have your Medicare number handy when you call.
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Visit toothwisdom.org, a website dedicated to health resources for older adults.
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Your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) may be able to point you to free or low-cost dental care in your community. To find your local AAA, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
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PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly) programs generally provide dental care to program participants, along with an array of other important services.
For Everyone
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Call 2-1-1 to locate services in your local area.
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Across the country, thousands of Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) offer a wide range of free or low-cost health care services, including dental care. To find a health center in your area, visit the Health Resources and Services Administration "Find a Health Center" website.
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Check out Freemedicalcamps.com to locate free or inexpensive dental care in your state.
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Consider a dental discount program, which can provide up to 50 percent off the normal cost of routine and specialized dental care services.
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The National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics is a non-profit that seeks to “broaden access to affordable health care for the medically undeserved.” You can search for free care from their homepage or call 1-703-647-7427.
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NeedyMeds.org has a database of free, low-cost and sliding scale dental clinics throughout the country. You can enter your zip code to find the clinics nearest you.
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ClinicalTrials.gov – a database of government and privately funded clinical trials in the U.S. and around the world.
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NIH Clinical Research Studies – a database of clinical trials at the NIH Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. To talk with someone about studies at the Clinical Center, call 1-800-411-1222.
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United Way may be able to direct you to free or reduced-cost dental services in your community. Click on "Find Your United Way" (top right corner of the screen).
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Dental schools often offer free or low-cost dental care in their clinics. Find out whether there is a dental school in your community.
For more information on how to locate and take advantage of affordable dental care, we recommend the following additional resources: