Community Health Center
Merced East Campus Center
125 E 18th St, Merced, CA 95340-5062 1.5 miles away
Community Health Center
GVHC - Merced Suites
847 W Childs Ave, Merced, CA 95341-6862
GVHC - Merced Suites is a community health center dental clinic in Merced, CA, operated by Golden Valley Health Centers, which runs 12 clinics in California.
The health center is open about 50 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.
Clinic Details
| Address | 847 W Childs Ave, Merced, CA 95341 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 209-383-7441 |
| Operated by | Golden Valley Health Centers |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
| Site schedule | Full-Time |
| Operating calendar | Year-Round |
Costs and Coverage
Fees follow an income-based scale, so the same treatment costs different patients different amounts. The scale belongs to Golden Valley Health Centers, not to a national schedule, so the only reliable figure is the one they give you. Get the assessment done first; it changes what the whole plan costs, not just the first visit. Our guide to applying for the discount lists the documents to bring.
No Medicaid registration has been recorded for this clinic, which is not the same as Medicaid being refused. California decides its own adult dental benefit, which ranges from comprehensive to emergency extractions only depending on the state and the year. Children are covered everywhere. The Medicaid dental page covers how to check yours.
Dental Services
The treatments available at this clinic are not listed publicly. Health center dental programs usually cover examinations, cleanings, X-rays, fillings and extractions; root canals, dentures and oral surgery are the ones that vary, and are often referred out.
Planning Your Visit
847 W Childs Ave, Merced, CA 95341
The published number is 209-383-7441. At larger organizations it may reach central scheduling rather than the dental department, so say which clinic you are calling about and that it is for dental care.
Before making the trip, check: the dental hours, and which days appointments run, whether new dental patients are being taken, and the current wait, what a first visit costs, before and after any discount, whether your insurance or Medicaid dental plan is accepted, by plan name, and what to bring for the sliding fee application.
Common Questions
Why was I billed for three things at one visit?
Because an examination, X-rays and a cleaning are separate items, priced separately, even when they happen in the same half hour. This is the most common unpleasant surprise at a first visit. Ask for the price of each before you book, and ask whether the discount applies to all three or only to some.
How do they work out what I pay?
From your household income and family size, checked against a scale the clinic sets itself. That is why a quote from another clinic tells you nothing about this one. Our guide to applying for the discount lists the documents to take.
Can they do specialist work here?
Providers in more than general dentistry are registered at this address, which is listed further up the page. That does not mean the clinic is taking new patients for those treatments or that they fall inside the discount, so name the treatment when you call.
Will they see me if I still owe them money?
Usually yes for pain and for anything urgent, though a clinic may ask you to agree a plan for the balance before booking routine work. An old balance is worth raising on the phone instead of discovering it at the desk; it is often smaller after a discount is applied than the letter suggests.
Is this the only option in Merced?
No — Merced has other clinics of this kind, and they are listed on the page for the city. Waiting lists are held separately at each one, so the shortest wait is not reliably at the nearest address.
What if I need to be seen urgently?
If you think it might be an emergency, go to an emergency room rather than trying to book here — that is the one situation where the price of the visit is not the thing to weigh. Otherwise, call early in the day and say you are in pain, because it routes the call differently; some health centers hold same-day slots for exactly that and do not advertise them.
Other Clinics Operated by Golden Valley Health Centers
Golden Valley Health Centers operates 11 other clinics in 8 other communities in California. Where an organization runs several clinics, the waits rarely match. It is worth asking which one has capacity before settling on the closest. A sliding fee determination made at one of its clinics commonly carries across to the others, so income documents may not need providing twice. What is treated at one site is no guide to another, so confirm with the clinic you actually intend to visit.
Other Dental Clinics Nearby
These are straight-line distances. Two clinics a mile apart can have very different waits, so it is worth calling both.
- Merced East Campus Center — Merced, about 1.5 miles away
- CHCA Merced — Merced, about 2.2 miles away
- Castle family Health center @ Castle — Atwater, about 6.9 miles away
- GVHC - Planada — Planada, about 9.7 miles away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based Fees
Call GVHC - Merced Suites
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
CHCA Merced
850 W Olive Ave, Merced, CA 95348-2427 2.2 miles away
Community Health Center
Castle family Health center @ Castle
3605 Hospital Rd, Atwater, CA 95301-5173 6.9 miles away
Community Health Center
GVHC - Planada
9235 E Broadway St, Planada, CA 95365-8088 9.7 miles away
Before you call
