Where to find low-cost dental care
• Kids Get Care:Three sites — Kent, East Side, and Seattle's Central District. Call Public Health — Seattle & King County, 206-296-4600.
• Community Dental Clinics. Call the Washington Association of Community and Migrant Health Centers for location of a clinic near you. 425-656-0848.
Who qualifies: Anyone welcome. Sliding-scale fees based on income. Accepts all people with Medicaid coupons.
What you get: All types of dental treatment. Expect waits of several months. Emergency problems are seen immediately.
• Northwest Medical Teams Mobile Dental Care Clinics: Bellevue (Hope Link), 425-899-3254; Seattle (New Horizons), 206-374-0866; Bothell (Hope Link), 425-899-3254; Renton (St. Anthony's Parish), 425-255-3132.
Who qualifies: People with low incomes or no insurance, screened by 18 agencies (mostly senior centers, schools and churches) in Western Washington.
What you get: Free or nominal-cost routine dental treatment provided by a pool of 100 volunteer dentists, at 19 locations in six counties (Skagit, Pierce, Snohomish, King, Thurston and Lewis). Christian/humanitarian organization. Van operates year-round.
• Smilemobile: Mobile dental van operated by Washington State Dental Association and Washington Dental Service, travels all across the state. 800-367-4104.
Who qualifies: Children 13 and younger.
What you get: routine dental care.
• University of Washington School of Dentistry: 206-616-6996.
Who qualifies: Adults who have been screened to make sure they require only routine dental care (dentures, root canals, gum disease, cleanings, fillings, crowns, bridges, etc.). Not all who apply are selected. A separate children's clinic requires no screening.
What you get: Routine dental care from student dentists (and their supervisors). Appointments usually last three hours. Wait times can be up to six months. Fees are about 40 percent of what a private practice charges.
• Access to Baby and Child Dentistry Program: Low-cost dental services for infants and children through age 6 in Snohomish, Thurston, Whatcom, Island and Mason counties. 206-528-2331.
Who qualifies: Children 6 and under from low-income and Medicaid-eligible families.
What you get: Low-cost dental screening, education, preventive and restorative care.