Quick answer: For low-cost dental care in Dallas–Fort Worth, try a community health center such as PHNTX Dental Care, LBU or Foremost Family Health Center, which charge reduced or sliding-scale fees; PHNTX and LBU accept Medicaid. The Texas A&M College of Dentistry in Dallas offers reduced-fee care from supervised students. In Fort Worth, Cornerstone Dental Clinic and Mercy Clinic are free for uninsured adults who qualify.
When I went through our directory for this guide, I found 18 listings in Dallas and 7 in Fort Worth. Together that's 6 community health centers, 6 free or charitable clinics, 4 public health clinics run through JPS in Tarrant County, 3 dental hygiene schools, 3 nonprofit clinics, 2 dental schools and 1 tribal clinic. Seven say they accept Medicaid. A few of the free clinics only serve certain ZIP codes or groups, so read the eligibility notes before you call.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Dallas?
These Dallas listings are spread across East Dallas, Oak Cliff, South Dallas and downtown. Hours are often for the whole health center, so call to confirm dental hours.
PHNTX Dental Care - East Dallas
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 3910 Gaston Avenue #175, Dallas, TX
- Phone: (214) 257-1082
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Sees all ages and takes Medicaid and CHIP, with reduced rates for low-income adults, seniors and children. Services include fillings, crowns, root canals, dentures and gum treatment.
Foremost Family Health Center - Martin Luther King Jr.
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 2922-B MLK Blvd., Dallas, TX
- Phone: (214) 426-3645 ext. 2
- Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu 8am-5pm; Wed 8am-7pm; Fri 8am-1pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Adult dental clinic offering preventive and restorative care, with a sliding scale for those who qualify. Wednesday hours run to 7pm.
LBU Oak Cliff
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 4732 W. Illinois Ave, Dallas, TX
- Phone: (214) 540-0300
- Hours: About 50 hours a week; call for dental hours
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Open to everyone, with fees discounted by income. LBU also runs a pediatric dental clinic on Singleton Blvd for children referred by LBU clinicians.
Texas A&M College of Dentistry clinics
- Type: Dental School Clinic
- Address: 3000 Gaston Avenue, Dallas, TX
- Phone: (214) 828-8981
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Adults start with a $120 screening (no fee if not accepted), and adult clinics don't take dental insurance. The children's clinic (214-828-8133) has a $5 screening and accepts Medicaid and CHIP.
Dr. M.C. Cooper Dental Clinic
- Type: Dental School Clinic
- Address: 4570 Scyene Rd., Dallas, TX
- Phone: (214) 370-7260
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
- Cost: Contact the clinic about fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: For South Dallas area residents and seniors 60 and older who live in Dallas. Students provide care under faculty supervision.
Dallas College Dental Hygiene Clinic - Downtown Health Sciences Center
- Type: Dental Hygiene School Clinic
- Address: 301 N. Market Street, Dallas, TX
- Phone: (214) 860-2301
- Hours: Sees patients eight months of the year; days and times not stated
- Cost: Free
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Preventive care only, such as cleanings by hygiene students. No fillings, extractions or emergency care.
Other Dallas options serve specific groups. Stewpot Dental Clinic takes walk-ins from people experiencing homelessness in Dallas County, Now-Forward Dental Clinic serves uninsured residents of certain north Dallas ZIP codes, and Texas Native Health serves American Indian patients only.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Fort Worth?
Fort Worth's listings lean toward free clinics with strict eligibility and the JPS health centers in Tarrant County.
Cornerstone Dental Clinic
- Type: Free or Charitable Clinic
- Address: 3500 Noble Avenue, Fort Worth, TX
- Phone: (817) 632-6022
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Free for eligible patients
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: For uninsured Tarrant County adults with income below 200% of the federal poverty level. Apply with photo ID, proof of residence and proof of income; review can take up to 6 weeks, and there's no emergency care.
Mercy Clinic of Fort Worth
- Type: Free or Charitable Clinic
- Address: 775 W Bowie Street, Fort Worth, TX
- Phone: (817) 840-3501
- Hours: Dental sessions listed: Mon evening, Tue afternoon and evening, Thu evening, Fri morning, first Sat of the month; clinic hours vary - call. Office Mon-Thu 8am-5pm, Fri 8am-12pm
- Cost: Free for eligible patients
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: For uninsured adults living in ZIP codes 76104, 76110 or 76115 with income at or below 200% of the poverty level. Offers exams, fillings, extractions and root canals.
JPS Stop Six-Walter B. Barbour Health Center - Dental
- Type: Public Health Department Clinic
- Address: 3301 Stalcup Road, Fort Worth, TX
- Phone: (817) 702-3431
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Contact the clinic about fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Dental appointments are booked through Bravo Dental at 214-307-5676. Services include cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures and emergency treatment.
JPS lists the same dental services at Diamond Hill, True Worth and Viola Pitts-Como.
Does Texas Medicaid cover dental care?
For children, yes. Kids and young adults on Texas Medicaid (through age 20) have dental benefits, with checkups starting at 6 months old. Children in families that earn too much for Medicaid may qualify for CHIP, which also covers dental care up to a yearly limit. You can check options at Insure Kids Now.
For adults 21 and older, Texas Medicaid generally does not cover routine care like cleanings and fillings; coverage is mostly limited to dental emergencies. Some Medicaid health plans, such as STAR+PLUS plans, add limited dental extras, so call the number on your card. If you're an adult without dental coverage, a sliding-scale or free clinic is the realistic path.
How much will I pay?
Fees vary a lot in DFW. Of the 25 Dallas and Fort Worth listings, 10 ask you to call about fees, 6 charge reduced fees, 5 use sliding-scale fees based on income, 3 are free for eligible patients and 1 is free. The only published prices among the clinics above are Texas A&M's screening fees. Everywhere else, ask for the self-pay fee and whether you qualify for a discount before treatment starts.
What should I bring to my first visit?
- Photo ID
- Proof of address (several clinics serve only certain ZIP codes or counties)
- Proof of income, such as pay stubs or a benefits letter
- Your Medicaid, CHIP or insurance card if you have one
- A list of medications
What about nearby cities?
Our directory also lists clinics in Arlington, Farmers Branch and Carrollton. Carrollton has a VCare clinic offering free dental care with proof of income and walk-ins welcome. In Arlington, Dental Health Arlington posts flat reduced fees (for example, a $45 exam) for low-income Tarrant County families. You can also search by address with the health center finder.
Quick FAQ
Is there free dental care in Dallas–Fort Worth? Yes, for people who qualify. Cornerstone and Mercy Clinic in Fort Worth are free for eligible uninsured adults, and the Dallas College hygiene clinic offers free preventive care.
Can I get emergency dental care? Texas A&M lists urgent tooth extraction, and the JPS dental sites list emergency treatment. Cornerstone and the Dallas College clinic do not handle emergencies.
Do dental schools take Medicaid? Texas A&M's children's clinic accepts Medicaid and CHIP; its adult clinics don't take dental insurance.
More Texas guides
See my guides for Houston, San Antonio, Austin and Tyler. Our directory covers low-cost dental clinics across Texas, from El Paso to Beaumont, and every Dallas listing is on one page.