Community Health Center
OPTIMUS Park City Primary Care
64 Black Rock Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605-1200 0.4 miles away
Community Health Center
SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY HLTH CTR, INC
968 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605-1116
SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY HLTH CTR, INC is a community health center dental clinic in Bridgeport, CT, operated by Southwest Community Health Center, which runs 2 clinics in Connecticut.
The health center is open about 45 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.
Clinic Details
| Address | 968 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 203-332-3500 |
| Operated by | Southwest Community Health Center |
| 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. Southwest Community Health Center sets its own income bands, so a quote from another clinic tells you nothing about this one. 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.
Planning Your Visit
968 Fairfield Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06605
The published number is 203-332-3500. 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
Southwest Community Health Center provided 18,090 dental visits and 7,803 dental patients in 2025, with the equivalent of 17.52 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
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.
Can I be seen without insurance?
Yes. Being uninsured is the ordinary case at a clinic like this, not an exception, and it is much of the reason the sliding scale exists. Bring income documentation if you have it and ask what they accept if you do not.
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.
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.
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.
What if I do not have a phone for them to call back on?
Tell them at the point of booking and ask how they will contact you — some clinics will use an email address, a shelter or a relative’s number. Missing a call back about an appointment is a common way to lose a slot that was already booked.
Other Clinics Operated by Southwest Community Health Center
Southwest Community Health Center operates one other clinic elsewhere 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. The income assessment usually transfers between sites in the same organization, which saves repeating the paperwork. 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
Measured straight-line rather than by road. Availability varies enough between them that a second call is usually worth making.
- OPTIMUS Park City Primary Care — Bridgeport, less than a mile away
- SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY HLTH CTR, INC — Bridgeport, about 1 mile away
- OPTIMUS on Barnum Avenue — Bridgeport, about 1.5 miles away
- OPTIMUS Main Street Pediatrics — Bridgeport, about 2.6 miles away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based FeesMedicaid
Call SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY HLTH CTR, INC
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY HLTH CTR, INC
46 Albion St, Bridgeport, CT 06605-2602 1 mile away
Community Health Center
OPTIMUS on Barnum Avenue
471 Barnum Ave, Bridgeport, CT 06608-2409 1.5 miles away
Community Health Center
OPTIMUS Main Street Pediatrics
3715 Main St, Bridgeport, CT 06606-3618 2.6 miles away
Before you call
