Community Health Center
PCHC Dental Clinic
335R Prairie Ave, Providence, RI 02905-2426 0.4 miles away
Community Health Center
557 Broad St, Providence, RI 02907-1467
Thundermist Special Populations Providence is a community health center dental clinic in Providence, RI, operated by Thundermist Health Center, which runs 4 clinics in Rhode Island.
The health center is open about 8.5 hours a week and may run only one or two days, so dental appointments are scarce.
| Address | 557 Broad St, Providence, RI 02907 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 401-767-4100 |
| Operated by | Thundermist Health Center |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
Fees follow an income-based scale, so the same treatment costs different patients different amounts. Because Thundermist Health Center 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. Rhode Island 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.
The treatments available at this clinic are not listed publicly. Health center dental programs usually cover examinations, cleanings, X-rays, fillings and extractions; root canals, dentures and oral surgery are the ones that vary, and are often referred out.
557 Broad St, Providence, RI 02907
The published number is 401-767-4100. 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, whether your insurance or Medicaid dental plan is accepted, by plan name, and what to bring for the sliding fee application.
Yes, this site operates under the federal Health Center Program, which is what obliges it to discount by household income and to see patients regardless of ability to pay. It does not make the care free, and it does not decide which treatments are offered here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Depends on what you booked. A cleaning is normally a hygienist; an examination, filling or extraction is a dentist. Some clinics run hygiene appointments on different days from dentist appointments, which is worth knowing before you take time off.
Thundermist Health Center operates 3 other clinics in 3 other communities in Rhode Island. 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.
Distances are straight-line, not driving. Waiting times differ sharply between neighbors, so call more than one.
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Community Health Center
335R Prairie Ave, Providence, RI 02905-2426 0.4 miles away
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