Community Health Center
Damien Center - Mosaic
1420 E Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46201-3847 0.9 miles away
Community Health Center
HealthNet Homeless Initiative Program
901 Shelby St, Indianapolis, IN 46203-1384
HealthNet Homeless Initiative Program is a community health center site in Indianapolis, IN where dental care is provided, operated by Health Net, which runs 5 clinics in Indiana.
The dental service here sits inside a clinic set up for something else, so ask for the dental appointment line rather than the main desk. The health center is open about 5.5 hours a week and may run only one or two days, so dental appointments are scarce.
Clinic Details
| Address | 901 Shelby St, Indianapolis, IN 46203 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 317-957-2275 |
| Operated by | Health Net |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
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 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.
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.
How soon could I be seen?
Dental waits at health centers are frequently longer than medical waits, and can run weeks for a routine appointment. Ask for the next available and also whether they hold same-day slots for pain, which is a different queue.
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.
Do I need to be a US citizen?
No. The Health Center Program does not set citizenship or immigration status as a condition of being seen, and clinics in it are not required to ask. What they do need is something to work out your fee, which is income and household size rather than status. If this is the thing keeping you from calling, ask what they require before you decide not to go.
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.
Costs and Coverage
This clinic prices by household income and family size instead of charging everyone the same. Where the thresholds fall is decided by Health Net, so what a friend paid elsewhere is not a guide. 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 Indiana 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
901 Shelby St, Indianapolis, IN 46203
The published number is 317-957-2275. 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
Health Net provided 28,570 dental visits and 8,724 dental patients in 2025, with the equivalent of 29.12 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 Health Net
Health Net operates 4 other clinics elsewhere in Indiana. 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
Distances are as the crow flies. Wait times are set clinic by clinic, so ask each one rather than assuming.
- Damien Center - Mosaic — Indianapolis, less than a mile away
- Barrington Health Center — Indianapolis, about 2 miles away
- Peoples Health Center — Indianapolis, about 2.1 miles away
- Southwest Health Center — Indianapolis, about 2.6 miles away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based FeesMedicaid
Call HealthNet Homeless Initiative Program
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
Barrington Health Center
3401 E Raymond St, Indianapolis, IN 46203-4744 2 miles away
Community Health Center
Peoples Health Center
2340 E 10th St, Indianapolis, IN 46201-2097 2.1 miles away
Community Health Center
Southwest Health Center
1522 W Morris St, Indianapolis, IN 46221-1499 2.6 miles away
Before you call
