Whether you can apply depends on your county as well as the state, and on how full the list is this month.
For ongoing care, Minnesota also has 25 community health center dental locations offering income-based fees.
Free Dental Care in Minnesota
Named charitable programs serving Minnesota, with the application status each one publishes. Check that status before applying — several states have closed their waiting lists.
Donated Dental Services (DDS)
Operated by Dental Lifeline Network
Closed in some countiesMinnesota applications
The counties listed on the program page are not accepting applications. If yours is not on that list, you can apply. Note this is the reverse of how several other states word it, so read the list carefully.
Check the program page for the current county list and application instructions.
Who qualifies: no way to afford care, and aged 65 or over, permanently disabled, or in need of medically necessary dental care. Not covered: emergencies and cosmetic work. Full description of the program.
Who in Minnesota knows the local picture
The programs that are easiest to find online are rarely the only ones operating. Local offices tend to know about the rest, including one-day events that are never listed anywhere.
- Minnesota state oral health program — the oral health office inside the state health department. It may provide information about school sealant programs and safety-net dental initiatives.
- Minnesota state oral health plan — the state’s published strategy and a possible source of program and partner names.
- Your county health department — local staff may know about free clinics and charitable dental events in the county.
- The Minnesota dental association — state dental associations may organize one-day charitable events under names such as Mission of Mercy and Give Kids A Smile. Services and eligibility vary by event.
- The NAFC free clinic finder — member free and charitable clinics nationally, some of which offer dental care.
If this program cannot take you
The eligibility rules above rule out most applicants, and none of these programs handle emergencies. The alternatives below take a wider range of patients:
- 25 community health center dental locations — income-based fees for eligible patients.
- 1 dental school — contact each school to confirm public clinic services, fees and appointments.
- 10 dental hygiene programs — contact each program to confirm public preventive care appointments.
- The NAFC free clinic finder — member free and charitable clinics nationally, some offering dental care.
- Your state dental association, which may list upcoming charitable dental events.
None of the programs here handle emergencies. Anything you think may be an emergency belongs in an emergency room. For pain without those signs, see which door to use when you cannot pay.