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Community Health Center

University Community Health Center

2933 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92507-4243

951-224-8220 Directions Website

University Community Health Center is a community health center dental clinic in Riverside, CA, operated by Community Health Systems, which runs 5 clinics in California.

The health center is open about 47.5 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.

Clinic Details

Address2933 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92507
Phone951-224-8220
Operated byCommunity Health Systems
ProgramHealth Center Program (federally funded)
Site scheduleFull-Time
Operating calendarYear-Round

Dental Services

Service and coverage information recorded for this clinic includes:

  • Medicaid

Treatments offered and insurance accepted change over time, and services not listed here may still be available. Contact the clinic to confirm what is currently offered.

Common Questions

What happens if I miss an appointment?

Missed dental appointments are taken seriously because the chair time cannot be reused, and repeated no-shows can affect whether you keep the slot. Call to cancel even at short notice; it costs you nothing and keeps you on the books.

Can I pay in installments?

Many health centers will arrange this, particularly for dentures or a course of treatment, but it is rarely advertised and you generally have to ask. Agree the amount and the schedule before treatment starts, and ask what happens if you miss one, because that varies more than the plans themselves do.

What if I need a specialist they do not have?

You would normally be referred out, and a referral from a health center does not carry the discount with it — the outside specialist charges their own fee. Ask what the referral would cost before starting anything that depends on it, because that is the point where an affordable plan often stops being affordable.

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.

I have private dental insurance. Is it worth using here?

Often yes, and the two combine: the clinic bills your plan and the discount applies to what is left. Ask whether they are in network for your plan, because out-of-network billing can leave you paying more than the discounted cash price.

Do they do root canals, or would I be referred out?

This is the question worth asking before anything else if you already know you need one. Health centers commonly do extractions in-house and refer root canals to a private endodontist at full price, which changes the arithmetic completely. Ask before you start treatment, not after.

Costs and Coverage

This clinic prices by household income and family size instead of charging everyone the same. The scale belongs to Community Health Systems, not to a national schedule, so the only reliable figure is the one they give you. Have them assess you before treatment is agreed, not after the first appointment. Our guide to applying for the discount lists the documents to bring.

This clinic has a Medicaid billing registration on file, which is a good sign but not a guarantee for your particular plan. Adult dental benefits vary by state and California has set its own; children’s dental coverage is mandatory in every state regardless. The Medicaid dental page covers how to check yours.

Planning Your Visit

2933 University Ave, Riverside, CA 92507

The published number is 951-224-8220. This can be a general line rather than the dental desk. Naming both the clinic and the department saves being transferred twice.

Worth confirming before you travel: 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, and what to bring for the sliding fee application.

Size of the Dental Service

Community Health Systems provided 23,970 dental visits and 7,567 dental patients in 2025, with the equivalent of 33.37 full-time dental staff. This indicates an established dental service operating regular sessions, although appointment availability still varies by clinic and time of year.

Figures describe the operating organization as a whole, across all of its clinics.

Other Clinics Operated by Community Health Systems

Community Health Systems operates 4 other clinics in 4 other communities in California. The wait differs between them, sometimes by weeks, so ask which site could see you first rather than assuming the nearest is quickest. Once your discount is assessed at one of its sites, the others normally honor it without a second application. 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.

Confirmed Payment Options

Income-Based FeesMedicaid

Call University Community Health Center

Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.

951-224-8220

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