Community Health Center

OPTIMUS on Barnum Avenue

471 Barnum Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06608-2409

OPTIMUS on Barnum Avenue is a community health center dental clinic in Bridgeport, CT, operated by Optimus Health Care, which runs 4 clinics in Connecticut.

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

Clinic Details

Address471 Barnum Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06608
Phone203-333-3030
Operated byOptimus Health Care
ProgramHealth Center Program (federally funded)
Site scheduleFull-Time
Operating calendarYear-Round

Costs and Coverage

Fees follow an income-based scale, so the same treatment costs different patients different amounts. The bands are set by Optimus Health Care rather than nationally, which is why prices differ between two clinics on the same scale. 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.

This clinic has a Medicaid billing registration on file, which is a good sign but not a guarantee for your particular plan. Connecticut 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

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.

Dental Providers at This Clinic

Alongside general dentistry, providers registered in dental hygiene, for cleanings and preventive care practice at this address. That is not the same as the clinic taking new patients for those treatments, or the discount covering them, so name the treatment when you call.

Planning Your Visit

471 Barnum Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06608

The published number is 203-333-3030. 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, and what to bring for the sliding fee application.

Size of the Dental Service

Optimus Health Care provided 14,199 dental visits and 6,701 dental patients in 2025, with the equivalent of 14.74 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.

Common Questions

How do I get my records if I move away?

Ask for a copy of your chart and your X-rays, which you are entitled to. Recent images are worth having: a new dentist can often use them instead of taking their own, which saves a charge at the first visit somewhere else.

Does Connecticut Medicaid cover adult dental work?

That is decided at state level and has changed more than once in most states, ranging from comprehensive to emergency extractions only. Dental coverage for children enrolled in Medicaid is a required benefit everywhere. Our Medicaid dental page covers how to check where your state stands now.

What happens at a first appointment?

Usually an examination with X-rays, sometimes a cleaning, and normally no treatment beyond that — anything found is scheduled for a later visit. Those items are billed separately, which is where unexpected first-visit charges come from. Ask for a written treatment plan with itemized costs before agreeing to anything, so you can stage the work over time if you need to.

Does my partner’s income count?

If you share a household, generally yes, and household size counts in your favor at the same time — the scale reads income against the number of people it supports. Say who lives with you and who depends on that income, rather than giving a single figure and letting them assume.

Is this the only option in Bridgeport?

No — Bridgeport 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.

Does Medicare cover this?

Original Medicare does not cover routine dental care, which surprises most people who reach retirement expecting otherwise. Some Medicare Advantage plans include a limited dental benefit. The sliding scale here does not depend on Medicare, so ask about it separately.

Other Clinics Operated by Optimus Health Care

Optimus Health Care operates 3 other clinics in 2 other communities in Connecticut. Where an organization runs several clinics, the waits rarely match. It is worth asking which one has capacity before settling on the closest. 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

Straight-line distances. The nearest clinic is not reliably the one that can see you soonest, so try a couple.

Confirmed Payment Options

Income-Based FeesMedicaid

Call OPTIMUS on Barnum Avenue

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

203-333-3030

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