Community Health Center
NORTH EAST MEDICAL SERVICES
1520 Stockton St, San Francisco, CA 94133-3354 0.3 miles away
Community Health Center
CHINATOWN PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER
1490 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94133-4222
CHINATOWN PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER is a community health center dental clinic in San Francisco, CA, operated by San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium, which runs 8 clinics in California.
The health center is open about 40 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.
Clinic Details
| Address | 1490 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94133 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 415-934-7700 |
| Operated by | San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
| Site schedule | Full-Time |
| Operating calendar | Year-Round |
Planning Your Visit
1490 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94133
The published number is 415-934-7700. It may be a shared scheduling line. Say which site you mean and that you want dental rather than medical, or you can be booked into the wrong queue.
Things to settle on the phone first: 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.
Dental Services
This clinic has not published a list of the treatments it provides. Expect the routine treatments to be available. The question worth asking is about the expensive ones: root canals, dentures and oral surgery are handled in house at some health centers and referred out at others.
Costs and Coverage
Charges are set against household income and household size rather than a fixed fee schedule. Because San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium sets the thresholds itself, the same household can pay different amounts at two different health centers. Ask them to run your household through it before you commit to a treatment plan. 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. What California Medicaid covers for adults is a state decision and has been cut and restored in several states; for children the benefit is required nationally. The Medicaid dental page covers how to check yours.
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.
Is this a federally funded clinic?
Yes, this site operates under the federal Health Center Program, which is what obliges it to discount by household income and to see patients regardless of ability to pay. It does not make the care free, and it does not decide which treatments are offered here.
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.
What if I cannot get there?
Ask whether the clinic has transport assistance or can tell you what local programs exist — many health centers help with this and it is rarely advertised. Your county health department is the other place that knows.
Can I bring someone with me?
Generally yes, and it is worth doing if you are anxious or want a second pair of ears for the costs. Ask when booking whether they can come into the room, because some clinics keep the treatment area to patients and staff.
What if I have no income at all?
Health centers deal with this routinely and have a procedure for applicants who cannot document income — usually a signed declaration. Being unable to prove income is not a reason to stay away; say so when you call so they can tell you what to bring instead.
Other Clinics Operated by San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium
San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium operates 7 other clinics elsewhere in California. Asking the scheduling line which site can see you soonest is usually faster than calling each in turn; the shortest wait is not always the closest clinic. 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
Distances are straight-line, not driving. Waiting times differ sharply between neighbors, so call more than one.
- NORTH EAST MEDICAL SERVICES — San Francisco, less than a mile away
- South of Market Health Center — San Francisco, about 1.4 miles away
- Haight Ashbury Integrated Care Center — San Francisco, about 1.7 miles away
- MISSION NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CTR — San Francisco, about 2.3 miles away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based Fees
Call CHINATOWN PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
South of Market Health Center
229 7th St, San Francisco, CA 94103-4003 1.4 miles away
Community Health Center
Haight Ashbury Integrated Care Center
1563 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94103-2592 1.7 miles away
Community Health Center
MISSION NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CTR
240 Shotwell St, San Francisco, CA 94110-1390 2.3 miles away
Before you call
