With some legwork, you can find local resources for free dental care.
Everyone wants to have healthy teeth and gums, but often getting the necessary dental care is a challenge because of cost. Many people need to seek out free dental treatments because they do not have dental insurance, their dental insurance does not cover the procedure they need or their income is low. With some research, it is possible to find places that offer free dental care. There are several steps to follow in order to qualify for the treatments.
Instructions
1. Ask your current dentist office staff whether they provide free dental treatments or funding from other sources for treatments. Call or email any other local dentists that might provide free or reduced-cost care.
2. Call or e-mail your county or state social assistance department. Ask for a list of dental clinics that work with patients who need financial assistance for their care. Often these are community health centers and clinics. Ask whether your local area has any programs that help pay for dental expenses. Also ask whether there are local dental clinics, such as private practices, that provide free services.
3. Decide which clinic you will work with to receive your dental care. The clinic will require you to qualify for free dental care by providing information about your circumstances.
4. Ask the clinic or dentist's office what information you need to provide in order to qualify for free dental care. Often this information will include your tax return documents for the most recent year, as well as pay stubs for your job or other income information if you are self-employed. You will need to prove that your income is below a certain amount and that you, therefore, qualify for free care. You will probably need to complete an application for free services on which you will likely need to provide information on your employment status, income and living expenses.
5. Gather the information that the clinic has requested, complete any necessary applications and submit all of the completed information to the dental clinic.
6. Wait to receive a response from the clinic that will tell you if you qualify for free dental care. Provide any additional information that is requested. Follow up by calling the dental clinic if you have not received a response on your application approval within a reasonable amount of time.
7. If you do not qualify for free dental care from the clinic with whom you applied, seek out other resources for free care, such as other dental offices and clinics. If needed, look into free dental-care services in a nearby town or city.
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