Quick answer: In Winston-Salem, the Forsyth County health department's Cleveland Avenue Dental Center and two United Health Centers dental offices charge sliding-scale fees and take Medicaid, and Community Care Center offers free care to uninsured residents who qualify. In Greensboro and High Point, Guilford County's dental clinics serve children and young people under 21, while TAPM in High Point sees all ages on a sliding scale. Forsyth Tech also runs a reduced-fee student cleaning clinic.
When I went through our directory for the Triad, I found 11 low-cost dental listings across Winston-Salem, Greensboro and High Point, all open to the public. Three are public health department clinics, three are community health centers, two are free or charitable clinics, and there's a dental hygiene school, a dental school and a hospital dental clinic. Six accept Medicaid.
Most of the listings are in Forsyth County, where our Winston-Salem page has seven. In Guilford County, our Greensboro page currently has one listing and our High Point page has three, so Greensboro residents should look at High Point too.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Winston-Salem?
Cleveland Avenue Dental Center
- Type: Public Health Department Clinic
- Address: 501 N. Cleveland Avenue, Suite 1, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
- Phone: (336) 703-3090
- Hours: Mon-Thu 7:45am-5pm; Fri 7:45am-11:30am
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Run by the Forsyth County Department of Public Health for children and adults of Forsyth County and surrounding areas. General dental care including dentures and partials. Self-pay patients get a sliding fee based on household income.
United Health Centers Peters Creek Parkway - Dental
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 2101 Peters Creek Pkwy, Suites 16-19, Winston-Salem, NC 27127
- Phone: (336) 999-7656
- Hours: Dental: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: The sliding fee discount is based on household size and income. Open until 6pm on weekdays, which helps if you work during the day.
United Health Centers Southside - Dental
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 3051 Kernersville Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27107
- Phone: (336) 955-1379
- Hours: Dental: Mon-Thu 8am-5pm (lunch 12-1), Fri 8am-12pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: The phone number is the main appointment line. Same sliding fee discount as the Peters Creek office.
Community Care Center
- Type: Free or Charitable Clinic
- Address: 2135 New Walkertown Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
- Phone: (336) 723-7904
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Free for eligible patients
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: For uninsured patients with family income below 250% of the poverty level. English and Spanish are spoken. Call to confirm dental services and how to apply.
Forsyth Tech Dental Education Clinic
- Type: Dental Hygiene School Clinic
- Address: 2100 Silas Creek Parkway, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
- Hours: Part-time; hours vary
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Accepting new patients ages 5 and older for cleanings only; you request an appointment by online form. Students provide cleanings, fluoride, cavity-detection X-rays and sealants, but no extractions, emergency care or restorative work.
Our Winston-Salem page also lists the Rescue Mission Dental Clinic at 710 N Trade St (contact the clinic about fees) and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, a hospital dental clinic where students or residents provide care under faculty supervision. Dental services at Wake Forest aren't fully confirmed in our data, so call and confirm before you go.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Greensboro and High Point?
Chandler Dental Clinic
- Type: Public Health Department Clinic
- Address: 1103 West Friendly Ave, Greensboro, NC 27401
- Phone: (336) 641-3152
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Run by the Guilford County Department of Public Health for children up to age 21 who are on Medicaid, or who applied and were declined (they pay a reduced fee at the visit). Services include exams, cleanings, fillings, baby tooth root canals and emergency care for children.
Guilford County Public Health Dental Clinic - High Point
- Type: Public Health Department Clinic
- Address: 501 East Green Dr, High Point, NC 27260
- Phone: (336) 641-7733
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: The same children's program as the Chandler clinic, for young people under 21. Emergency care for children is available.
TAPM Dental-High Point
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 231 Plaza Lane, 2nd Floor, High Point, NC 27263
- Phone: (336) 579-5555
- Hours: Wed-Thu 8am-5pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Triad Adult & Pediatric Medicine sees all ages, with a sliding fee scale for uninsured or underinsured patients. Services range from well-baby dental checks to fillings, extractions and deep cleanings. Dental is open only two days a week, so book ahead.
High Point University Workman School of Dental Medicine
- Type: Dental School Clinic
- Address: One North University Pkwy., High Point, NC 27268
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Students or residents provide care under faculty supervision. Our listing isn't fully confirmed, so call and confirm dental services and patient intake before you plan a visit.
Are there options in Lexington and Thomasville?
Yes. Kintegra runs sliding-scale dental care in Davidson County, just south of the Triad's larger cities:
Kintegra Family Dentistry - Lexington
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 32 Kirkwood Ave, Lexington, NC 27292
- Phone: (704) 874-3316
- Hours: Mon-Thu 8am-5pm; Fri 7am-3pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: All ages. Exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, sealants and primary crowns. The phone is Kintegra's central appointment line.
Kintegra also lists mobile dentistry units on our Lexington page and Thomasville page.
Does North Carolina Medicaid cover dental care for adults?
Yes. NC Medicaid covers dental care for adults as well as children. For adults, that generally includes exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, extractions and dentures; more complex work like crowns, bridges and implants usually isn't covered. Ask what your plan pays for before treatment starts.
Since December 2023, more adults ages 19 to 64 with lower incomes qualify for NC Medicaid. Children who were in NC Health Choice moved into Medicaid in 2023, which is why you may still see that name on older clinic paperwork. For children's coverage help, see Insure Kids Now.
How much will I pay?
Across our 11 Triad listings, five charge reduced fees, four charge sliding-scale fees based on income, one is free for eligible patients and one asks you to contact it about fees. I don't have published prices for these clinics, so ask for your fee level when you call. At sliding-scale clinics, bring proof of income so you're placed in the right tier.
What should I bring to my first visit?
- A photo ID and your Medicaid card or insurance card
- Proof of household income (pay stubs, a benefits letter or a tax return)
- For a child at a Guilford County clinic, their Medicaid card or proof they applied and were declined
- A list of medications and any past dental X-rays
Quick FAQ
Is there free dental care in Winston-Salem? Community Care Center is free for uninsured patients with family income below 250% of the poverty level.
Where can an uninsured adult in Greensboro go? TAPM in High Point uses a sliding fee scale for all ages, and the Winston-Salem health centers are another option.
Where can I get just a cleaning? Forsyth Tech's student clinic is taking new patients for cleanings.
For other parts of the state, see my guides to Charlotte and Raleigh–Durham. Our directory covers low-cost dental clinics across North Carolina, from Winston-Salem and High Point to Charlotte and Durham.