Getting Dental Care

Listed below are ways you may be able to find dental care for yourself or your family.

Safety Net Dental Clinics

Safety net dental clinics provide dental care to people on Medicaid, and offer sliding-fees, reduced fees or free care to patients who don't have dental insurance or can't afford to pay a private dentist. The dental "safety net" includes public dental clinics, dental care provided to schoolchildren, and mobile/portable dental care programs (e.g., mobile dental vans). These programs provide basic dental care such as exams, X-rays, fillings, extractions, root canals and dentures.

Ohio currently has more than 170 safety net clinics in 60 counties, however, more than 25 counties have no dental clinic. They are listed, by county, in this spreadsheet and brochure. Counties that are not listed in the spreadsheet or brochure do not have a safety net dental clinic.

Many clinics require that you live in the same county to get dental care. Please contact each clinic to learn more about the dental care offered, the hours the clinic is open and payment options.

Healthy Start/Healthy Families

Children, families and pregnant women can receive free and low-cost dental care through Healthy Start-Healthy Families run by the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Besides dental care, many other types of health care such as doctor visits, prescriptions (drugs), hospital care and vaccines are covered.

Workers at your local county Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) office can help you. Find the ODJFS office near you. Call the Medicaid Consumer Hotline toll-free at 1-800-324-8680 if you need more help.

Dental OPTIONS

Dental OPTIONS (Ohio Partnership To Improve Oral health through access to Needed Services) is a program provided through a partnership between the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Dental Association that helps eligible, low-income, uninsured adults in Ohio obtain access to dental care by linking them with volunteer dentists.

Dental OPTIONS provides:

• Donated care is provided to older adults, people with disabilities, or those with serious medical conditions.
• Discounted care is provided to adults with lower incomes and/or severe dental needs who do not have dental insurance or qualify for Medicaid.

Dental OPTIONS is not an emergency dental care program and does not provide cosmetic treatment. Patients are pre-screened and may be matched with volunteer dentists.

Listed below are the 40 counties where patients can be matched with volunteer dentists:

Ashland	Fairfield	Licking	Pike
Belmont	Franklin	Lorain	Portage
Butler	Geauga	Lucas	Ross
Clermont	Greene	Mahoning	Stark
Columbiana	Hamilton	Medina	Summit
Coshocton	Huron	Mercer	Trumbull
Cuyahoga	Jefferson	Miami	Tuscarawas
Darke	Knox	Montgomery	Van Wert
Delaware	Lake	Ottawa	Warren
Erie	Lawrence	Pickaway	Wayne

Some counties have only one volunteer dentist which may result in being placed on a waiting list if a county has more applicants than dentists available. If you live in one of these counties, please call (toll free) 1-888-765-6789 to discuss your dental needs with the Dental OPTIONS Program Coordinator.

Dental Care for People Living with HIV or AIDS

The Ryan White Emergency Financial Assistance (RWEA) program helps people who are HIV-positive and have an emergency need that is HIV-related, including dental care. Clients must be enrolled in the Ryan White program and be referred by a medical case manager.

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