Community Health Center
CCNV Shelter
425 2nd St NW, Washington, DC 20001-2037 1.1 miles away
Community Health Center
Southwest Health Center
850 Delaware Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024-4208
Southwest Health Center is a community health center dental clinic in Washington, DC, operated by Unity Health Care, which runs 14 clinics in District of Columbia.
The health center is open about 40 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.
Clinic Details
| Address | 850 Delaware Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 202-469-4699 |
| Operated by | Unity Health Care |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
Dental Services
What is treated here is not published in a form we can confirm. Examinations, cleanings, fillings and extractions are standard at this kind of clinic. Root canals and dentures are the ones to ask about, since a referral to a private specialist changes the cost completely.
Common Questions
What about cleanings and check-ups?
Preventive care is the cheapest thing a clinic like this does and the easiest to book, yet it is the first thing people drop when money is short. If you are already here for something else, ask to be put on the recall list while you are in the building.
Is the discount worked out on gross income or take-home pay?
Normally gross, before tax and deductions, which surprises people who budget by what lands in the account. Ask which figure this clinic uses and over what period, because a year that included a few months of higher earnings can put you in a band that does not reflect what you have now.
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.
Is dental priced the same as medical here?
Not always. Dental is sometimes on its own fee schedule at the same clinic, and laboratory costs for a crown or denture are often billed on top of the discounted fee. Ask specifically about dental rather than assuming the medical answer applies.
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.
What if this clinic cannot take me?
Other clinics run by the same organization and the nearest alternatives are listed further down this page, each with its own waiting list. Dental school and dental hygiene teaching clinics are a separate route worth trying in the same area.
Costs and Coverage
This clinic prices by household income and family size instead of charging everyone the same. The bands are set by Unity Health Care rather than nationally, which is why prices differ between two clinics on the same scale. 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.
No Medicaid registration has been recorded for this clinic, which is not the same as Medicaid being refused. Adult dental benefits vary by state and District of Columbia 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
850 Delaware Ave SW, Washington, DC 20024
The published number is 202-469-4699. 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, whether your insurance or Medicaid dental plan is accepted, by plan name, and what to bring for the sliding fee application.
Other Clinics Operated by Unity Health Care
Unity Health Care operates 13 other clinics elsewhere in District of Columbia. The wait differs between them, sometimes by weeks, so ask which site could see you first rather than assuming the nearest is quickest. 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
Straight-line distances. The nearest clinic is not reliably the one that can see you soonest, so try a couple.
- CCNV Shelter — Washington, about 1.1 miles away
- Central Union Mission — Washington, about 1.3 miles away
- The Michelle Obama Southeast Center of Bread for the City — Washington, about 1.8 miles away
- Anacostia Health Center — Washington, about 1.9 miles away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based Fees
Call Southwest Health Center
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
Central Union Mission
65 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001-1431 1.3 miles away
Community Health Center
The Michelle Obama Southeast Center of Bread for the City
1700 Good Hope Rd SE, Washington, DC 20020 1.8 miles away
Community Health Center
Anacostia Health Center
1500 Galen St SE, Washington, DC 20020-4913 1.9 miles away
Before you call
