Quick answer: Our directory lists 18 low-cost dental clinics in Tampa, and 12 are community health centers with sliding-scale fees that accept Medicaid, most of them run by Tampa Family Health Centers. Uninsured adults can also try the low-fee Hillsborough County Dental Research Clinic, and two hygiene schools offer reduced-fee cleanings. For a toothache with no money, Mission Smiles Tampa lists free emergency dental care.
When I went through the 18 Tampa listings in our directory, all were open to the public and all are in Hillsborough County. The breakdown: 12 community health centers, 2 dental hygiene school clinics, 2 school-based or mobile programs, 1 nonprofit clinic and 1 free or charitable clinic. Twelve accept Medicaid. Only 2 publish exact hours, so for most of them you'll need to call. Another 6 clinics sit nearby in Brandon, Lutz and Clearwater.
Where can I get low-cost dental care in Tampa?
These are the clinics I'd start with. I picked verified listings with fee, Medicaid or service details, spread from West Tampa and the Causeway Boulevard area up to North Tampa. Where a clinic only lists weekly hours, call to confirm when the dentist is in.
Community health centers (sliding-scale fees)
Suncoast Palm River Community Health Center
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 7728 Palm River Rd., Tampa, FL 33619
- Phone: (813) 653-6100
- Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-5pm
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Sees adults only. The sliding fee is for incomes at or below 175% of the federal poverty line, with proof of income, and services include crowns, bridges and root canals.
TFHC West Tampa
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 2808 W Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33607
- Phone: (813) 397-5300
- Hours: About 63 hours a week; call for dental hours
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Sees adults and children for exams, x-rays, cleanings and fillings. Also takes Hillsborough County dental coverage. New patients may wait for a first appointment.
TFHC #16 North Tampa
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 12410 North Nebraska Avenue, Tampa, FL 33612
- Phone: (813) 397-5300
- Hours: About 73 hours a week; call for dental hours
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: The longest weekly hours of any Tampa listing. Same services and fee scale as the other Tampa Family Health Centers sites, for adults and children.
TFHC#28 - Causeway
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 7608 Causeway Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33619
- Phone: (813) 397-5300
- Hours: About 60 hours a week; call for dental hours
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: An east-side option for adults and children. The phone number is the central line for all Tampa Family Health Centers sites.
TFHC # 23 - Nebraska
- Type: Community Health Center
- Address: 8108 N. Nebraska Avenue, Tampa, FL 33604
- Phone: (813) 397-5300
- Hours: About 40 hours a week; call for dental hours
- Cost: Sliding-scale fees based on income
- Medicaid: Accepted
- Good to know: Sees children only, for exams, x-rays, cleanings and fillings.
Low-fee, free and school clinics
Hillsborough County Dental Research Clinic
- Type: Nonprofit Community Clinic
- Address: 2010 E. Hillsborough Avenue, Tampa, FL 33610
- Phone: (813) 238-7725
- Hours: Weekdays 8am-3pm; closed school-district holidays
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not accepted
- Good to know: For adults 18 and older, with fixed low fees, cash only. Licensed dentists work with dental assisting students, and services include extractions, crowns, dentures and emergency care.
Mission Smiles Tampa
- Type: School-Based or Mobile Program
- Address: 5802 N Himes Avenue, Tampa, FL 33614
- Phone: (813) 263-6237
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Free
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Lists free emergency dental care. Call to find out when and where they're seeing patients.
Judeo Christian Health Clinic Dental
- Type: Free or Charitable Clinic
- Address: 4118 N. MacDill Avenue, Tampa, FL 33607
- Phone: (813) 870-0395
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Contact the clinic about fees
- Medicaid: Not stated
- Good to know: Offers emergency extractions, but there's a waiting list. Call to get on the dental appointment list.
Hillsborough College Dental Hygiene Clinic
- Type: Dental Hygiene School Clinic
- Address: 4001 W. Tampa Bay Boulevard, Tampa, FL 33614
- Phone: (813) 253-7527
- Hours: Not listed, call ahead
- Cost: Reduced fees
- Medicaid: Not accepted
- Good to know: Preventive care only (exams, x-rays, cleanings) for adults and children, by appointment. Payment is by check or card, not cash or insurance, and visits take about 3.5 hours.
Are there other school clinics in Tampa?
Concorde Career College Tampa Dental Hygiene Clinic also offers reduced-fee cleanings, x-rays and screenings, with students supervised by the program director and a licensed dentist. Its fees aren't published, so ask when you call. Both hygiene schools list preventive care like cleanings and x-rays, so they're a good fit for a cleaning, not for a toothache.
For dental school prices, the nearest listing is NSU Health Clearwater Dentistry in Pinellas County. Student dentists, supervised by faculty, see adults for fillings, extractions, dentures and more at reduced fees. It doesn't take dental insurance or Medicaid, and visits run longer.
Does Florida Medicaid cover dental care?
For children and young adults under 21, yes: Florida Medicaid covers full dental care, from checkups and cleanings to fillings and crowns. For adults 21 and older the benefit is limited. It mainly covers emergency care to relieve pain or infection, plus dentures. Medicaid members get dental benefits through one of the state's Statewide Medicaid Managed Care dental plans, and some plans add extras for adults, such as cleanings, so check with your plan.
If your kids don't qualify for Medicaid, Florida KidCare offers low-cost health and dental coverage. You can learn more at Insure Kids Now.
How much will I pay?
At the health centers, you'll pay on a sliding scale: bring proof of household income and size, and the clinic sets your discount. The hygiene schools and the Dental Research Clinic charge reduced fees, and Mission Smiles lists its emergency care as free. None of the clinics above publish exact prices, so ask for an estimate before any treatment.
What should I bring to my first visit?
- A photo ID
- Proof of income, such as pay stubs, a tax return or a benefits letter
- Proof of address
- Your Medicaid card, any insurance card, or proof of Hillsborough County dental coverage
- Cash, a check or a card, depending on the clinic
- A list of the medicines you take
Low-cost dental care near Tampa
If the city clinics are full, check these nearby directory pages:
- Brandon: Suncoast Brandon Community Health Center for children, plus two Suncoast mobile dental programs
- Lutz: two Tampa Family Health Centers sites that see children only
- Clearwater: NSU Health Clearwater Dentistry, the dental school clinic described above
You can also browse the full Tampa city page for every listing.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get free dental care in Tampa? Mission Smiles Tampa lists free emergency dental care. Judeo Christian Health Clinic offers emergency extractions through a waiting list; call about fees.
Where can an uninsured adult get a filling or extraction? Try the health centers above, or the Hillsborough County Dental Research Clinic, which sees adults 18 and older at fixed low fees, cash only.
Do Tampa clinics take Medicaid? Twelve of the 18 Tampa listings accept Medicaid, including every health center above.
More low-cost dental care in Florida
Elsewhere in the state, see my guides to low-cost dental care in Miami and low-cost dental care in Orlando. Our directory covers low-cost dental clinics across Florida, from Tampa and Brandon to Clearwater and beyond, and you can always find options close to you on our near me page.