Quick answer: Detroit has more low-cost dental options than most cities, with 34 listings in our directory and 25 that accept Medicaid. Community health centers such as Covenant Community Care, The Wellness Plan and Central City Integrated Health offer reduced or sliding-scale fees, HUDA Clinic is free for uninsured people who qualify, and the Detroit Mercy dental school in Corktown offers reduced-fee care after a free screening. Michigan Medicaid, including the Healthy Michigan Plan, covers dental care for adults and children.
When I went through the 34 Detroit listings in our directory, 19 were community health centers. The rest are a mix of low-cost and nonprofit community clinics, free or charitable clinics, school and mobile programs, a hospital dental clinic, a dental school and a dental hygiene school. All 34 are open to the public, and all of the ones with an address are in Wayne County, from Joy Road and West Outer Drive on the west side to Moross Road and East Jefferson on the east side.
The catch is hours: only six of the 34 publish them. Expect to call, and when you do, ask for the dental department specifically.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Detroit?
Here are the listings I'd start with. They're open to everyone, they're spread across the city, and most take Medicaid. You'll find every listing on our Detroit city page.
Community health centers
Covenant 17625 Joy Road
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 17625 Joy Rd, Detroit, MI 48228
- Phone: (313) 446-8800
- Hours: Mon, Wed, Thu 8am-4:30pm; Tue 8am-6:30pm; Fri 8am-1pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Open to everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay. A wide range of care, from cleanings and fillings to root canals, crowns, dentures and nitrous, plus pediatric dentistry. Tuesday runs until 6:30pm.
Covenant Community Care Dental Clinic - Moross
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 20901 Moross Road, Detroit, MI 48236
- Phone: (313) 626-2620
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-4pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: The east-side Covenant dental clinic, with the same open-to-everyone policy and the same range of services, including dentures and pediatric care.
Wellness Plan Clinic
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 2888 West Grand Blvd, Detroit, MI 48202
- Phone: (313) 875-4200
- Hours: Dental: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Serves children, families, adults and seniors. Exams, cleanings, fillings, sealants, extractions, root canals and dentures.
Wellness Plan Clinic - East
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 4909 E. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48234
- Phone: (313) 366-2000
- Hours: Dental: Mon-Wed, Fri 9am-5pm; Thu 10am-5pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Same services as the West Grand Boulevard clinic for all ages.
Central City Integrated Health
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 10 Peterboro St., Detroit, MI 48201
- Phone: (313) 831-3160
- Hours: About 47 hours a week; call for dental hours
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Focuses on low-income, uninsured people, including veterans. Exams, cleanings, fillings and dentures, with walk-in care available.
Free and nonprofit clinics
HUDA Clinic
- Type: Free or Charitable Clinic
- Address: 13240 Woodrow Wilson St., Detroit, MI 48238
- Phone: (313) 865-8446
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Free for eligible patients
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Free for low-income, uninsured and underinsured people. Exams, cleanings, fillings and extractions, with walk-in care available.
Team Wellness Center
- Type: Low-Cost Community Clinic
- Address: 3646 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI 48207
- Phone: (313) 626-2400
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Sees anyone, including children 1 and up, seniors, and people living with mental illness or a substance use disorder. Free care is offered for uninsured patients.
My Community Dental Centers - Detroit
- Type: Nonprofit Community Clinic
- Address: 5555 Conner St., Detroit, MI 48213
- Phone: (877) 313-6232
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Takes Medicaid, Healthy Kids Dental and the Healthy Michigan Plan, with sliding-fee discounts for uninsured patients. Emergency care, crowns and dentures are offered. The phone is a central line, so ask for the Conner Street office.
Dental school and hygiene clinics
Detroit Mercy Dental Center - Corktown Campus
- Type: Dental School Clinic
- Address: 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Detroit, MI 48208
- Phone: (313) 494-6700
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: A free screening is required to be accepted, and the comprehensive exam is $30. Students treat everything from cleanings to root canals, implants and dentures. There's a no-cost program for pregnant and postpartum patients without dental coverage.
Wayne County Community College District Dental Hygiene Clinic
- Type: Dental Hygiene School Clinic
- Address: 8200 W. Outer Drive, Detroit, MI 48219
- Phone: (313) 943-4010
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Open to adults and children in the community, with minimal fees for supplies. Supervised hygiene students do cleanings, X-rays, fluoride and sealants.
What other Detroit options should I know about?
- Advantage Health Centers has several Detroit sites, including the Delta Dental Center on McNichols, which takes new patients of all ages and offers payment plans. Its phone is a central line.
- Detroit Community Health Connection lists sites on West Warren and Kercheval, with sliding-fee discounts for uninsured patients.
- C.H.A.S.S. Southwest Center on West Fort Street serves anyone, with a special emphasis on African-American and Latino patients.
- The Malta Medical and Dental Clinic at St. Leo's is free for low-income, uninsured people, but it's open only a few days a month.
- For kids, Detroit Mercy's Shield a Smile program offers free cleanings and sealants to K-12 students.
Does Michigan Medicaid cover dental care for adults?
Yes. Michigan Medicaid, including the Healthy Michigan Plan, covers dental care for adults. Covered services generally include exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, dentures, root canals, crowns and gum care, though limits apply. Children under 21 with Medicaid get dental coverage through Healthy Kids Dental at no cost to the family.
One change to know about: starting in January 2027, adults in a Medicaid health plan will get their dental benefits through the same contract that runs Healthy Kids Dental. If you're affected, you should get a notice in the mail, and you may need to check that your dentist is in the new network.
How much will I pay?
In our Detroit listings, 22 charge reduced fees, eight charge sliding-scale fees based on income, two are free for eligible patients, one is free and one asks you to contact it about fees. The few prices in our data are Detroit Mercy's $30 comprehensive exam and its free screening. At a sliding-scale clinic, bring proof of income and ask for your fee level before treatment begins.
What should I bring to my first visit?
- A photo ID and your Medicaid, Healthy Michigan Plan or insurance card
- Proof of income (pay stubs, a benefits letter or a tax return) for discounts
- A list of medications and any recent dental X-rays
Are there low-cost dentists near Detroit?
Yes. Western Wayne Southwest Center in Lincoln Park has sliding-scale dental care with Monday hours until 6pm. MyCare Health Center in Center Line has Thursday dental hours until 7pm. Our Warren page includes the Macomb Community College hygiene clinic, and we also list clinics in Hamtramck and Highland Park.
Quick FAQ
Is there free dental care in Detroit? HUDA Clinic and the Malta clinic are free for low-income, uninsured people, and Team Wellness Center offers free care to uninsured patients.
Can I walk in? HUDA Clinic and Central City Integrated Health list walk-in care. Call first to check.
Does the Detroit Mercy dental school take everyone? You need a free screening first to be accepted.
Elsewhere in Michigan, see my guides to Grand Rapids and Lansing. Our directory covers low-cost dental clinics across Michigan, from Detroit and Warren to Grand Rapids and Lansing.