Community Health Center
Upham's Corner Health Center - Business & Human Resources Office
500 Columbia Rd, Dorchester, MA 02125-2389 0.3 miles away
Community Health Center
Upham's Eye and Dental Clinic
636 Columbia Rd, Dorchester, MA 02125-3416
Upham's Eye and Dental Clinic is a community health center dental clinic in Dorchester, MA, operated by Uphams Corner Health Committee, which runs 3 clinics in Massachusetts.
The health center is open about 49 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.
Clinic Details
| Address | 636 Columbia Rd, Dorchester, MA 02125 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 617-825-9839 |
| Operated by | Uphams Corner Health Committee |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
| Published hours | Monday, Wednesday: 8:30 am – 8:00 pm |
Published hours describe the health center overall and may not reflect when dental appointments are available. Confirm current dental hours with the clinic.
Costs and Coverage
Fees follow an income-based scale, so the same treatment costs different patients different amounts. Because Uphams Corner Health Committee sets the thresholds itself, the same household can pay different amounts at two different health centers. 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.
No Medicaid registration has been recorded for this clinic, which is not the same as Medicaid being refused. Massachusetts 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:
- Emergency dental care
- Medicare
- Not currently accepting new patients
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
636 Columbia Rd, Dorchester, MA 02125
The published number is 617-825-9839. 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: 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.
Common Questions
What if I cannot get there?
Ask whether the clinic has transport assistance or can tell you what local programs exist — many health centers help with this and it is rarely advertised. Your county health department is the other place that knows.
Is anything done for anxiety?
Ask, because the answer changes what the visit costs. Talking it through, longer appointments and numbing gel before the injection are usually free; sedation is a billed extra and does not always fall inside the discount. Our guide to dental anxiety and what it costs covers what to ask for.
Is treatment free?
Usually not, though it can come close. Clinics like this one discount by household income and are required to see patients regardless of ability to pay, but a charge normally applies and the lowest band is a nominal fee rather than nothing. Uphams Corner Health Committee sets its own scale.
What if I need to be seen urgently?
If you think it might be an emergency, go to an emergency room rather than trying to book here — that is the one situation where the price of the visit is not the thing to weigh. Otherwise, call early in the day and say you are in pain, because it routes the call differently; some health centers hold same-day slots for exactly that and do not advertise them.
Is there help if I do not speak English?
Health centers are required to provide language assistance and most have interpreting available, in person or by phone. Say which language you need when you book rather than on the day, so an interpreter can be arranged for the appointment.
Can I get an itemized receipt?
Yes, and ask for one. You need it to claim from an HSA or FSA, to apply to a charitable program, and to get a second opinion on the same plan of work. A receipt that says only a total is not much use for any of those.
Other Clinics Operated by Uphams Corner Health Committee
Uphams Corner Health Committee operates 2 other clinics elsewhere in Massachusetts. Where an organization runs several clinics, the waits rarely match. It is worth asking which one has capacity before settling on the closest. 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
Distances are straight-line, not driving. Waiting times differ sharply between neighbors, so call more than one.
- Upham's Corner Health Center - Business & Human Resources Office — Dorchester, less than a mile away
- Upham's Corner Helath Center — Dorchester, less than a mile away
- GEIGER - GIBSON COMMUNITY HLTH CTR — Dorchester, less than a mile away
- DotHouse Health — Dorchester, about 1 mile away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based FeesEmergency Dental
Confirmed Dental Services
Emergency Dental
Call Upham's Eye and Dental Clinic
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
Upham's Corner Helath Center
415 Columbia Rd, Dorchester, MA 02125-2424 0.5 miles away
Community Health Center
GEIGER - GIBSON COMMUNITY HLTH CTR
250 Mount Vernon St, Dorchester, MA 02125-3120 0.9 miles away
Community Health Center
DotHouse Health
1353 Dorchester Ave, Dorchester, MA 02122-2987 1 mile away
Before you call
