Quick answer: For low-cost dental care in Houston, start with a community health center such as Avenue 360, Legacy or El Centro de Corazon, which charge sliding-scale fees based on income and accept Medicaid. For cheaper cleanings or bigger treatment plans, the UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry and the Pima Medical Institute hygiene clinic charge reduced fees. Children and pregnant women on Medicaid or CHIP can also use the Houston Health Department's dental clinics.
When I went through the 39 Houston listings in our directory, the mix was broad: 15 community health centers, 11 public health department clinics, 6 nonprofit clinics, 2 dental schools, 2 dental hygiene schools, 2 mobile or school-based programs and 1 charitable clinic. Twenty of them say they accept Medicaid, and all 39 are open to the public. Almost all are in Harris County, with one Ibn Sina location over the line in Fort Bend County.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Houston?
These are the listings I'd start with. They are spread across Midtown, the East End, Montrose, Fifth Ward, Alief and southwest Houston, and most publish their hours. Many hours are for the whole health center, so call to confirm dental hours before you go.
Community health centers
Avenue 360 Midtown
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 2920 Fannin St, Houston, TX
- Phone: (713) 341-3790
- Hours: Dental Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: No one is turned away for inability to pay. Services go beyond basics to include periodontics, endodontics, prosthodontics and oral surgery.
El Centro de Corazon - John S. Dunn Health Center
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 7635 Canal St, Houston, TX
- Phone: (713) 660-1880 ext. 1327
- Hours: Dental: Mon-Thu 7am-5pm, Fri 7:30am-5pm, Sat 9am-4pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Sees all ages, with Saturday dental hours. Services include exams, cleanings, sealants, extractions and nitrous oxide.
Legacy Montrose
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 1415 California St, Houston, TX
- Phone: (832) 548-5100
- Hours: Mon-Thu 8am-8pm, Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 8am-5pm (clinic hours)
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Open to all regardless of ability to pay. Offers exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, urgent dental and children's dentistry; call to confirm evening and Saturday dental hours.
Legacy Fifth Ward Lyons
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 3811 Lyons Ave, Houston, TX
- Phone: (832) 548-5400
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5:15pm; 4th and 5th Sat 8am-4pm (clinic hours)
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Same services and sliding scale as other Legacy sites, including urgent dental care.
HOPE Clinic Alief - Dental
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 13930 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX
- Phone: (713) 773-0803
- Hours: About 40 hours a week; call for dental hours
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Fees follow a sliding scale based on income and family size. HOPE also has dental at Aldine Meadows and on Westheimer.
Nonprofit and charitable clinics
Ibn Sina Foundation - Wilcrest Dental Center
- Type: Nonprofit Community Clinic
- Address: 11224 Wilcrest Dr., Houston, TX
- Phone: (281) 977-7467
- Hours: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Walk-ins welcome, Saturday hours, and an annual dental discount program open to everyone. Services run from cleanings to root canals, crowns and dentures.
San Jose Clinic
- Type: Free or Charitable Clinic
- Address: 2615 Fannin Street, Houston, TX
- Phone: (713) 228-5528
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; Saturday clinic on the 2nd Saturday of the month 8am-4:30pm (clinic hours; dental hours not listed separately)
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: For low-income, uninsured individuals and families. You'll need an eligibility interview with photo ID, proof of household income and proof of address. English and Spanish spoken.
Public health department clinic
Sunnyside Health and Multi-Service Center Dental
- Type: Public Health Department Clinic
- Address: 4410 Reed Road, Houston, TX
- Phone: (832) 393-5427
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Free for eligible patients
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Serves children on Medicaid (6 months to 21) or CHIP (1 to 18), uninsured children through Title V, and pregnant women through 90 days after delivery. Bilingual staff.
The same phone line books the health department's other dental sites: Magnolia Multi-Service Center Dental, Northside Health Center Dental and Sharpstown Health Services Dental. If you are already a Harris Health patient with a financial assistance plan, ask your doctor about a referral to the Harris Health Dental Center.
Are there dental school clinics in Houston?
Yes, and they are worth a look if you can handle longer appointments.
UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry clinics
- Type: Dental School Clinic
- Address: 7500 Cambridge Street, Houston, TX
- Phone: (713) 486-4000
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Student clinics are the lowest-cost option and start with an assessment visit; urgent care is available for severe pain or infection. The pediatric clinic (713-500-8220) accepts Medicaid.
Pima Medical Institute Houston Community Dental Clinic
- Type: Dental Hygiene School Clinic
- Address: 11125 Equity Drive, Suite 100, Houston, TX
- Phone: (713) 395-5454
- Hours: Mon-Fri 8am-5pm
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: New patients 15 and up pay $19.95 for a cleaning, x-rays and exam; ages 14 and under pay $14.95. Visits take about three hours with supervised hygiene students.
The HCC Coleman College Dental Hygiene Clinic is another student option; call for services and fees.
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 dental care like cleanings and fillings. Coverage is mostly limited to emergencies such as severe pain or infection. Some Medicaid health plans, such as STAR+PLUS plans, add limited dental extras, so call the number on your card and ask. If your plan doesn't cover what you need, a sliding-scale health center is usually the next stop.
How much will I pay?
It depends on the clinic type and your income. Of the 39 Houston listings, 16 use sliding-scale fees based on income, 14 charge reduced fees, 4 are free for eligible patients and 5 ask you to call about fees. At a sliding-scale clinic, your fee is set by household size and income, so bring proof of both. The only published prices among the clinics above are Pima's student cleaning fees. Everywhere else, ask for the self-pay fee before treatment starts.
What should I bring to my first visit?
- Photo ID (the mobile and charitable programs require it)
- Proof of income, such as pay stubs or a benefits letter
- Proof of address
- Your Medicaid, CHIP or insurance card if you have one
- A list of medications
If you're in pain, say so when you call. Several clinics above, including UTHealth and the Legacy sites, list urgent dental care.
What about nearby cities?
If the drive works better, our directory also lists clinics in Pasadena, Bellaire, Missouri City, Stafford and Pearland. Pasadena has a free charitable clinic that welcomes walk-ins, and Stafford has an AccessHealth dental clinic with a sliding scale. You can also search any address with the health center finder.
Quick FAQ
Can I get same-day dental care in Houston? Ibn Sina's Wilcrest center welcomes walk-ins, and several health centers list urgent dental care. Call first to check.
Is there free dental care in Houston? Yes, for some people. The health department clinics are free for eligible children and pregnant women. For people experiencing homelessness, the Harris Health mobile dental unit is another option; call about fees.
Do I need insurance? No. Every clinic above is open to the public, and the sliding-scale and charitable clinics are set up for people without insurance.
More Texas guides
I've written similar guides for Dallas–Fort Worth, San Antonio, Austin and Tyler. Our directory covers low-cost dental clinics across Texas, from El Paso to Beaumont, and you can browse every Houston listing on one page.