Community Health Center
Sea Mar CHC - Bellingham Cordata Parkway
4455 Cordata Pkwy, Bellingham, WA 98226-8037 5.7 miles away
Community Health Center
UCNW North Whatcom
6060 Portal Way, Ferndale, WA 98248-7833
UCNW North Whatcom is a community health center dental clinic in Ferndale, WA, operated by Unity Care Northwest, which runs 3 clinics in Washington.
The health center is open about 51.3 hours a week, though dental sessions are usually a subset of that.
Clinic Details
| Address | 6060 Portal Way, Ferndale, WA 98248 |
|---|---|
| Phone | 360-676-6177 |
| Operated by | Unity Care Northwest |
| Program | Health Center Program (federally funded) |
Planning Your Visit
6060 Portal Way, Ferndale, WA 98248
The published number is 360-676-6177. 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: 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.
Dental Services
Service and coverage information recorded for this clinic includes:
- Emergency dental care
- Medicaid
- Sliding fee discount
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. Because Unity Care Northwest sets the thresholds itself, the same household can pay different amounts at two different health centers. 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 Washington 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.
Dental Providers at This Clinic
Alongside general dentistry, providers registered in dental hygiene, for cleanings and preventive care 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.
Common Questions
How do they work out what I pay?
From your household income and family size, checked against a scale the clinic sets itself. That is why a quote from another clinic tells you nothing about this one. Our guide to applying for the discount lists the documents to take.
I have private dental insurance. Is it worth using here?
Often yes, and the two combine: the clinic bills your plan and the discount applies to what is left. Ask whether they are in network for your plan, because out-of-network billing can leave you paying more than the discounted cash price.
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.
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.
Does my partner’s income count?
If you share a household, generally yes, and household size counts in your favor at the same time — the scale reads income against the number of people it supports. Say who lives with you and who depends on that income, rather than giving a single figure and letting them assume.
What if I need more work than I can afford?
Say that plainly at the start. A dentist who does not know the budget will quote the ideal plan. Told the constraint, they can usually say which item is urgent, which can wait a year, and where a cheaper option is clinically reasonable. Ask for the plan in writing so you can stage it.
Size of the Dental Service
Unity Care Northwest provided 42,290 dental visits and 13,502 dental patients in 2025, with the equivalent of 64.49 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 Unity Care Northwest
Unity Care Northwest operates 2 other clinics elsewhere in Washington. Asking the scheduling line which site can see you soonest is usually faster than calling each in turn; the shortest wait is not always the closest clinic. 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 straight-line, not driving. Waiting times differ sharply between neighbors, so call more than one.
- Sea Mar CHC - Bellingham Cordata Parkway — Bellingham, about 5.7 miles away
- UCNW 220 Unity — Bellingham, about 8.9 miles away
- UCNW 1616 Cornwall Avenue — Bellingham, about 8.9 miles away
- Sea Mar CHC - Mt. Vernon N. LaVenture Rd. — Mount Vernon, about 32 miles away
Confirmed Payment Options
Income-Based FeesMedicaidEmergency Dental
Confirmed Dental Services
Emergency Dental
Call UCNW North Whatcom
Confirm current dental services, appointment availability, costs and accepted insurance directly with the clinic.
Nearby Affordable Dental Clinics
Community Health Center
UCNW 220 Unity
220 Unity St, Bellingham, WA 98225-4420 8.9 miles away
Community Health Center
UCNW 1616 Cornwall Avenue
1616 Cornwall Ave, Bellingham, WA 98225-4648 8.9 miles away
Community Health Center
Sea Mar CHC - Mt. Vernon N. LaVenture Rd.
1400 N Laventure Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273-2766 32 miles away
Before you call
