Community Health Center

Bobbie Sterne Health Center (formerly Elm Street)

1525 Elm St, Cincinnati, OH 45202-6995

Bobbie Sterne Health Center (formerly Elm Street) is a community health center dental clinic in Cincinnati, OH, operated by City of Cincinnati, which runs 8 clinics in Ohio.

The health center is open about 40 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.

Clinic Details

Address1525 Elm St, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone513-352-3092
Operated byCity of Cincinnati
ProgramHealth Center Program (federally funded)
Site scheduleFull-Time
Operating calendarYear-Round

Costs and Coverage

Fees follow an income-based scale, so the same treatment costs different patients different amounts. City of Cincinnati 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. Ohio 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.

Dental Providers at This Clinic

Alongside general dentistry, providers registered in dental hygiene, for cleanings and preventive care and dental public health practice at this address. That is not the same as the clinic taking new patients for those treatments, or the discount covering them, so name the treatment when you call.

Planning Your Visit

1525 Elm St, Cincinnati, OH 45202

The published number is 513-352-3092. 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

City of Cincinnati provided 40,837 dental visits and 20,704 dental patients in 2025, with the equivalent of 78.4 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 Medicaid accepted?

A Medicaid billing registration is on file for this clinic, so probably yes — but participation runs plan by plan. In most states the dental benefit runs through separate managed care plans, so call with the dental plan name printed on your card rather than asking about Medicaid in general.

Can I get dentures here?

Many health centers do dentures, and the discount can make them dramatically cheaper than private practice. The catch is laboratory costs, which are often billed on top of the discounted fee and are the bulk of the price. Ask for the total including laboratory work.

What if I have no fixed address?

Say so when you call rather than leaving the field blank. Health centers see people without stable housing routinely, some hold a specific program for it, and a shelter or day center address is normally accepted for the paperwork. Not having an address is not a disqualification.

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.

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.

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.

Other Clinics Operated by City of Cincinnati

City of Cincinnati operates 7 other clinics elsewhere in Ohio. Where an organization runs several clinics, the waits rarely match. It is worth asking which one has capacity before settling on the closest. 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

Measured straight-line rather than by road. Availability varies enough between them that a second call is usually worth making.

Confirmed Payment Options

Income-Based FeesMedicaid

Call Bobbie Sterne Health Center (formerly Elm Street)

Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.

513-352-3092

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