Community Health Center
Lincoln Community Health Center
1140 S Vienna St, Ruston, LA 71270-5834 0.2 miles away
Community Health Center
Mercy Dental
900 S Vienna St, Ruston, LA 71270-5830
Mercy Dental is a community health center dental clinic in Ruston, LA, operated by Mercy Medical Health Center.
The health center is open about 32 hours a week, so dental capacity is limited and the wait can be long.
Clinic Details
| Address | 900 S Vienna St, Ruston, LA 71270 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 318-251-0334 |
| Operated by | Mercy Medical Health Center |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
| Published hours | Mon-Thurs 7:00am-4:00pm |
Published hours describe the health center overall and may not reflect when dental appointments are available. Confirm current dental hours with the clinic.
Planning Your Visit
900 S Vienna St, Ruston, LA 71270
The published number is 318-251-0334. 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: 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.
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.
Costs and Coverage
Charges are set against household income and household size rather than a fixed fee schedule. Mercy Medical Health Center sets its own income bands, so a quote from another clinic tells you nothing about this one. 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.
This clinic has a Medicaid billing registration on file, which is a good sign but not a guarantee for your particular plan. What Louisiana 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
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.
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.
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.
What should I bring to the first appointment?
Photo identification, proof of address, and documentation of household income — recent pay stubs, a benefits award letter or a tax return. Take your insurance or Medicaid card if you have one, and a list of any medications you take.
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.
How long does the discount last?
A determination usually runs for a set period, often a year, and then has to be reapplied for with current income documents. If your circumstances change in between — a job lost, a household member moving out — ask for a reassessment rather than waiting.
Other Clinics Operated by Mercy Medical Health Center
Mercy Medical Health Center has no other locations, so there is nowhere else within the same organization to ask. Work down the nearby clinics below if this one is full.
Other Dental Clinics Nearby
Measured straight-line rather than by road. Availability varies enough between them that a second call is usually worth making.
- Lincoln Community Health Center — Ruston, less than a mile away
- CommuniHealth Services - Downsville Clinic — Downsville, about 15 miles away
- PHSC West Monroe Family Health Center — West Monroe, about 28.4 miles away
- Pinnacle Family Health, Inc. — West Monroe, about 29.7 miles away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based FeesMedicaid
Call Mercy Dental
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
CommuniHealth Services - Downsville Clinic
4787 Highway 151, Downsville, LA 71234-5145 15 miles away
Community Health Center
PHSC West Monroe Family Health Center
301 McMillan Rd, West Monroe, LA 71291-5385 28.4 miles away
Community Health Center
Pinnacle Family Health, Inc.
101 Crosley St, West Monroe, LA 71291-2913 29.7 miles away
Before you call
