Adequate dental care is especially important for children.
Paying for dental care can be extremely difficult for some people. However, without proper preventative dental care, many people find themselves in emergency situations where they have to spend even more because they are in a great deal of pain or are developing a serious problem that could damage the structure of their jaw and surrounding bone. Quality dental care is especially important for children with developing teeth. If you can't afford private dental care, there are some ways to find free dental care by area in the state of Kansas.
The Kansas City Free Health Clinic
The Kansas City Free Health Clinic provides free dental care for over 500 patients per year. It offers comprehensive dental care, including cleanings, routine exams, fillings and extractions and X-rays to check for potential problems. The Kansas City Free Health Clinic also works with the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry to provide free or low-cost dental care to patients while helping to train new dentists under the supervision of experienced instructors. Enrollment times to become a patient at the Kansas City Free Health Clinic vary throughout the year, but you can check for an appointment by calling 816-777-2790.
Free Dental Care
Visit the Free Dental Care website to use their searchable database of free dental clinics to find free dental care near your home. Free Dental Care is a non-profit company that works to keep an up-to-date national directory of free and affordable dental care clinics. While many of the clinics listed provide completely free dental care, others ask that you pay what you can based on income. Contact the clinic you're interested in visiting via the website link provided by Free Dental Care or call them for more details about payment.
Kansas Mission of Mercy
The Kansas Mission of Mercy is a charitable organization that works year-round to organize large, short-term free dental clinics, treating thousands of people in just a few days each year. Sponsored by the Kansas Dental Charitable Foundation, the Kansas Mission of Mercy will provide basic dental services free of cost for those eligible. You can register for the yearly event via the Kansas Mission of Mercy website approximately six weeks before the event. Dates and locations change each year.
CHIP
If you have a child under the age of 19, they may be eligible for the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP. Part of the Medicaid program, CHIP is a federally-funded program implemented by all states, including Kansas, designed to help children of low-income families get the preventative and emergency care they need to stay healthy. Unlike Medicaid, CHIP covers all dental care, including routine cleanings, checkups and any work that may need to be done, even if there is an existing condition. Your child may be eligible for CHIP even if you are not eligible for Medicaid. You can begin the CHIP application process by telephone, fax, mail or online through the CHIP website.
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