Free/low cost dental care for disabled person

My brother has been on disability for the past couple of years. He's just been told that he needs ''deep tissue cleaning'' of his gums, which will cost $600-$1,000. He can't afford this and MediCal no longer covers dental work (MediCare doesn't cover it either as far as I can tell). I've checked the archives, but a lot of in the information there is several years old. Can anyone recommend a place in the greater Bay Area where my brother can get dental treatment at a minimum cost? Thank you.

Low-Cost Crowns/ Root Canals

i recently went to a new dentist, Dr Razavi in Emeryville, and she told me i have to get two root canals (or they might just need crowns), in addition to a deep cleaning. all of this is so expensive i don't know if i can afford it, even with Delta Dental. i was about to schedule the first root cancal/crown (i was thinking i'd do one this year and one next year b/c of deductible) and just wanted to first check and see if anyone knew of any dentists that offer lower-cost work or take payment plans...or even dentists they love for this kind of work, because if i'm going to pay these thousands of dollars i want to be sure i'm getting good care, and i didn't get a great feeling about Dr. Razavi. basically, any advice about this is much appreciated. (i checked the archives and called the UCSF dentistry school, and they don't do crowns; and Lifelong doesn't do root canals or crowns.) thanks.

Dental work with no insurance

My husband had a root canal and his crown (or whatever they fill it up with) came off leaving a hole in the middle of his tooth. It painful and more and more off the tooth keeps chipping off. The problem is he has no medical or dental insurance (and we can't afford to go to my dentist and pay out of pocket) Does anyone have any ideas of where we may look or what we should do? I know the berkeley free clinic had some sort of lottery, but he works everyday and cant take the day off if he doesnt even know that he will bE seen. any advice would be helpful. thank you. without a dentist

I had extensive work done there years ago, and what would have cost me thousands only cost a few hundred.

I also once went to the dental school clinic, which was closer to downtown and I don't remember name/where. THat was GREAT. Also only paid for materials, but these were graduated DDS's who were doing 2 years of clnic before starting work in the real world. You also have to reserve a chunk of time, same as above.

Good luck. owner of $20,000 mouth

Option A: Western Dental in Downtown Berkeley, a block from the Downtown Berkeley BART station. - They also have offices all over from the East Bay to Contra Costa County, etc.

The staff were reasonable, offered low-cost emergency dental care/repair and same day appointments. They also offer low-cost comprehensive dental plans.

Their service was fine, and while the Berkeley office had a range of patients which led to a concern that I would be lost in the shuffle. Yet I wasn't and was pleasantly surprised at the care I received. The dentist and staff were attentive and we weighed the options for repair. They were also very attentive to my concerns about having a TMJ problem and my ability to keep my jaw open for an extended problem. I may not want to have ALL of my dental work done there, as I am most comfortable with holistic dentists who also do accupuncture (GREAT for TMJ issues). Yet overall it solved the problem and I would go back if I needed to.

Option B (I used to work for Alameda County in the Dental Clinic):

For Adults: ACMC (Alameda County Medical Center) offers a 
Drop-In Dental Clinic and Oral Surgery Clinic at Highland 
Hospital in Oakland.

Services include:
-Emergency Dentistry (temporary fillings, repair of crowns and 
bridges, palliative emergency treatment, pulpotomy)
-Emergency Surgery (for injuries and painful infections 
requiring immediate care)
-Diagnostic/ Preventative Care (exam, x-rays, fluoride topical 
applications, sealants, cleanings and hygiene oral care)
-Restorative Care (fillings, removable and fixed prosthetics, 
root canals and periodontal maintenance)
-Special needs dental care (For individuals with developmental 
disabilities)
-Cosmetic Dentistry (teeth whitening)

Days:
 Monday to Friday

Time:
 Drop-In registration, 7:00 am to 1:00 pm. Clinic operates 7:30 
am to 5:00 pm

Location:
 Highland Hospital [map]. Register at the counter on the first 
floor of the Vallecito building. Then proceed to the Dental 
Clinic on the second floor of E-Wing, a short walk away from the 
registration area.

To Make an Appointment:
 No appointment needed for initial visit--use the Drop-In 
registration. If you require follow-up dental care after your 
drop-in visit, the clinic staff will give you an appointment. To 
cancel or change a follow-up appointment, call (510) 437-4473.

Note: If this is your first visit, you may have to see a 
financial counselor, even if you have already been through 
financial counseling in a Medicine clinic. They can tell you how 
to go about doing this, so allow time for this if you go. Costs 
for services are based on abilty to pay & insurance/lack 
thereof. You can recieve emergency dental care without having to 
pay a deposit also.

Their website is: 
http://www.acmedctr.org/dental_care.cfm?M1=2&M2=0&M3=0&P=220

Pacific School of Dentistry for oral surgery?

My daughter has to have some oral surgery done to remove some extra teeth, a little more complicated than just wisdom teeth. Our dental insurance is not covering this procedure. We were referred to a highly compentent practice who I believe can do a great job, but then someone suggested I try calling the school of dentistry in SF. There costs are 40% cheaper than the quote I received from our referral. I was assured it would be a resident and not a student who does the surgery. I am wondering if anyone has had any oral surgery experience with their children or themselves at the Pacific School of Dentistry in Pacific Heights. K

Affordable cosmetic dentistry

I like my dentist, but he charges $1000/tooth to do cosmetic dentistry, which is not covered by my insurance. He recommends and I would like to get a veneer for the top lateral incisor (small tooth next to the central incisors) to make it similar in size and lineup to the teeth on either side. This is probably the easiest cosmetic procedure you could have. I can't justify paying that amount of money for it. Any recommendations? Mary Ann

Recommended: