Free and low-cost dental care in Tennessee: dental schools, free clinics, and how to get in
Tennessee has more legitimate low-cost dental care than most people know about: three dental schools, several hygiene schools, dozens of health department and community clinics, and free events that serve thousands. Each comes with tradeoffs: time, waitlists, eligibility rules. Here's who each option is for, what it costs, and exactly how to get in.
Tennessee's three dental schools offer supervised care below private-practice prices: UTHSC in Memphis (a $100 screening; fees typically about 50% of private practice; 901-448-6200), Meharry in Nashville (615-327-6900), and LMU in Knoxville (865-370-2128). Hygiene schools offer cheap cleanings. Health departments and community health centers charge by income. Truly free care comes from Remote Area Medical pop-up clinics (no ID or insurance needed), Dental Lifeline Network (for people 65+, with disabilities, or medically fragile), and charitable clinics. On TennCare? Your dental care is already covered.
How this page works: every clinic detail comes from the organization's own website or the Tennessee Department of Health's statewide directory, linked below. Phone numbers, fees, and eligibility rules change, and charitable clinics open and close waitlists often, so call before you go. We don't rank these options, and none of them paid to be listed.
Check this first: you may already be covered
Before paying anything, rule out coverage you might not know you have.
01 TennCare or CoverKids
Every adult TennCare member has had dental coverage since January 1, 2023, at no cost for medically necessary care, and children are covered until 21 (CoverKids until 19). Call Renaissance at 866-864-2526. Apply or renew through TennCare Connect at 855-259-0701. TennCare guide.
02 Uninsured Adult Healthcare Safety Net
Tennessee residents ages 19–64, uninsured, at or below 200% of the federal poverty level can get dental care through health departments and partner clinics. It served 22,562 dental patients in FY2025. The state publishes a county-by-county provider list.
Tennessee's three dental schools
At a dental school clinic, students and residents treat you under the supervision of licensed faculty dentists. Every step is checked, and fees are lower. The tradeoff is time: appointments are long, treatment takes more visits, and you have to be accepted as a suitable teaching case after a screening.
| School | How to start | Cost | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTHSC College of Dentistry 875 Union Ave., Memphis | Online new-patient application, or call 901-448-6200. Every patient starts with a screening appointment. | $100 screening includes exam and X-rays; student-clinic fees typically ~50% of private practice | Not free. Pay per procedure; select insurance and financing accepted. Adults and children. Disease is treated first (cleanings, gum therapy, fillings, extractions), then crowns, replacements, and cosmetic work. Separate dental hygiene clinic: 901-448-6617. |
| Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry 1801 Meharry Blvd., Nashville | Book through the patient portal, or call 615-327-6900. Walk-ins accepted; appointments seen first. | “Affordable, but not free” | Student clinics, pediatric, oral surgery, a General Practice Residency (615-327-6297), and the ABLE Clinic for adults with special medical needs. Also a clinic in Antioch (615-963-2866). Hours Mon–Fri, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. |
| Lincoln Memorial University College of Dental Medicine LMU Tower, 1705 St. Mary St., Knoxville | Call 865-370-2128 and leave a detailed message; staff call back. Starts with a screening (history, exam, X-rays). | Reduced cost | Tennessee's newest dental school; its student clinic opened in August 2024. Sessions run up to four hours, Mon–Thu at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Emergencies are referred to partner offices. |
Who dental schools suit best: people who need several procedures, have flexible schedules, and want careful, supervised work at lower cost. Who they suit less: anyone in pain today (call the school's emergency line or a community clinic instead) or anyone who can't take several half-day appointments.
Low-cost cleanings at hygiene schools
Dental hygiene students need patients for cleanings, X-rays, and sometimes sealants. Care is supervised, slow, and inexpensive, but only when classes are in session. These programs appear in the Tennessee Department of Health's directory:
| Program | City | Phone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ETSU Dental Hygiene | Johnson City | 423-439-4514 | Preventive care |
| Roane State Community College Dental Hygiene | Oak Ridge | 865-481-2016 | All ages; reduced fees when students are present |
| Chattanooga State Dental Hygiene | Chattanooga | 423-697-4488 | Discounted; the directory lists veterans and children under 13 as free |
| UTHSC Dental Hygiene | Memphis | 901-448-6617 | Separate from the dental student clinic |
Sliding-fee clinics: health departments and community health centers
These are the backbone of affordable dental care in Tennessee, especially in rural counties.
01 County health department dental clinics
The Department of Health ran 33 staffed dental clinics in local health departments in FY2025, mostly rural, serving children and adults who can't get care in private offices. They charge on a sliding fee scale based on income (the directory notes a $5 minimum at most) and accept TennCare. They saw 14,441 people in FY2025. Some counties limit adult services, for example to emergencies or extractions. Call your county health department first.
02 Community health centers (FQHCs)
Federally qualified health centers offer dental care at many Tennessee locations, with fees by household income, and TennCare says they provide services “regardless of ability to pay.” Examples from the state directory include Christ Community and Church Health (Memphis), Neighborhood Health and Matthew Walker (Nashville; Matthew Walker also in Clarksville), Cherokee Health Systems (East Tennessee), and Upper Cumberland Primary Care (Cookeville). Find the nearest one at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
The Department of Health's “Dental Care for Tennesseans” directory lists every county health department dental clinic, community health center, school clinic, and charitable clinic it knows of, with phone numbers: download the directory (PDF) or use the map at tn.gov/oralhealth.
Truly free care
Free care exists in Tennessee, but it's limited: by event dates, by waitlists, or by eligibility. Here's how each works.
| Program | Who it serves | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Area Medical (RAM) Based in Rockford, TN; ramusa.org | Anyone. RAM requires no ID and no insurance. | Pop-up clinics, often in East Tennessee, offering cleanings, fillings, and extractions. First-come, first-served, no appointments; the parking lot opens at midnight and people arrive earlier. You usually choose dental or vision, not both. Some events are medical-only, so check the RAM schedule for dental. |
| Dental Lifeline Network — Donated Dental Services 615-983-2601 | People who can't afford care and are 65 or older, have a permanent disability, or are medically fragile | Volunteer dentists provide comprehensive treatment (not emergency or cosmetic). At last check, applications were open only in Anderson, Davidson, Knox, Montgomery, Shelby, and Warren counties, except for medically necessary cases and veterans, who can apply from any county. |
| Mid-South Mission of Mercy | Underserved and underinsured people in the Memphis area | Annual free event since 2016, offering cleanings, fillings, and extractions, with no appointment or eligibility requirements, per 2023 coverage. Check for current dates. |
| Charitable and faith-based clinics | Usually local residents who meet income rules; often adults only | Application-based, frequently with waitlists, and often limited to extractions and basic care. Examples are in the regional table below. |
By region: where to start
A starting point for each part of the state, drawn from the sources above and the Department of Health directory. Eligibility varies; call first.
| Region | Dental school | Other options to call |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis / West TN | UTHSC: 901-448-6200 | Shelby County Health Dept. (901-222-9000); Christ Community Health Services; Church Health (901-272-7170); Memphis Health Center (901-261-2000); Mid-South Mission of Mercy |
| Nashville / Middle TN | Meharry: 615-327-6900 | Metro Lentz Public Health Center (615-340-5601, Davidson County residents); Neighborhood Health (615-227-3000); Matthew Walker (615-327-9400); Interfaith Dental Clinic, Nashville (615-329-4790) and Murfreesboro (615-225-4141), application required |
| Knoxville / East TN | LMU: 865-370-2128 | Knox County Health Dept. (865-215-5110); Interfaith Health Center (865-846-7330); Cherokee Health Systems; Remote Area Medical events |
| Chattanooga / Southeast | — (closest: LMU or UTHSC) | Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Dept. (423-209-8000); Chattanooga State hygiene clinic (423-697-4488); Karis Dental Clinic, Cleveland (423-457-8024, Bradley County residents) |
| Tri-Cities / Northeast | — (closest: LMU) | ETSU hygiene clinic (423-439-4514); Johnson City Community Health Center (423-926-2500); Keystone Dental Care, Johnson City (423-232-7919); Friends In Need, Kingsport (423-224-5691) |
| Upper Cumberland | — (closest: Meharry or LMU) | Putnam County Health Dept. (931-528-2531); Upper Cumberland Primary Care, Cookeville (931-528-7531) |
Phone numbers from the Tennessee Department of Health's “Dental Care for Tennesseans” directory and each organization's website. The state directory doesn't carry a publication date, so some entries may be out of date. If a number fails, check the organization's website or call 211.
Tips for actually getting in
- Call several places on the same day. Waitlists differ wildly; the clinic two counties over may have openings next week.
- Have your documents ready: proof of income, residency, and insurance status (or lack of it). Most sliding-fee and charitable clinics ask for them.
- Say clearly if you're in pain or have swelling. Many clinics triage urgent cases ahead of routine ones. For swelling spreading toward the eye or neck, or trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the ER.
- Ask about payment plans. Dental schools take payment per procedure, so cost is spread over the course of treatment.
- Price the big items twice. For dentures, crowns, or implants, compare the dental school's written estimate with a private office's. Our quote worksheet helps.
- Don't skip the follow-through. Free and low-cost care works best when you return for the full treatment plan, not just the emergency extraction.
Questions people actually ask us
In the words patients use — because the worry behind the question is usually the real question.
Truly free options include Remote Area Medical's pop-up clinics (no ID or insurance required; first-come, first-served), Dental Lifeline Network's Donated Dental Services for people who are 65 or older, have a permanent disability, or are medically fragile (615-983-2601), the Mid-South Mission of Mercy in Memphis, and charitable clinics that often have waitlists. TennCare members already have no-cost dental coverage.
Yes. UTHSC's College of Dentistry in Memphis says its student-clinic fees are typically about 50% of private-practice fees, after a $100 screening that includes an exam and X-rays. Meharry in Nashville and Lincoln Memorial University in Knoxville also offer reduced fees. None of the three is free, appointments are long, and you must be screened as a suitable teaching case.
UTHSC (Memphis): complete the online new-patient application or call 901-448-6200 to schedule the $100 screening. Meharry (Nashville): book through the patient portal or call 615-327-6900; walk-ins are accepted. LMU (Knoxville): call 865-370-2128, leave a detailed message, and staff will call back to schedule a screening.
RAM holds free pop-up clinics, many in East Tennessee, offering dental cleanings, fillings, and extractions. No ID or insurance is required. It's first-come, first-served with no appointments; the parking lot opens at midnight and people often arrive earlier. You usually choose dental or vision, not both. Some events are medical-only, so check RAM's schedule at ramusa.org.
Yes. The Uninsured Adult Healthcare Safety Net provides dental care through health departments and partner clinics for uninsured Tennessee residents ages 19 to 64 at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. County health department dental clinics and community health centers also charge on a sliding scale by income.
Medicare doesn't cover routine dental care. Options include Dental Lifeline Network's Donated Dental Services for people 65 and older who can't afford care (615-983-2601), dental school clinics at UTHSC, Meharry, and LMU, community health centers with sliding fees, and Medicare Advantage plans with dental benefits. Note the state Safety Net covers ages 19 to 64 only.
Dental hygiene school clinics offer supervised cleanings at reduced fees while classes are in session, including ETSU in Johnson City (423-439-4514), Roane State in Oak Ridge (865-481-2016), Chattanooga State (423-697-4488), and UTHSC in Memphis (901-448-6617). Health departments and community health centers also offer sliding-fee cleanings.
Call your county health department dental clinic or a community health center and explain that you're in pain; many triage urgent cases. UTHSC and Meharry have emergency services, and Meharry directs after-hours emergencies to Nashville General Hospital. Go to the ER for swelling spreading toward the eye or neck, trouble breathing or swallowing, or uncontrolled bleeding.
Sources & method
- UTHSC College of Dentistry — Dental Student Clinics — uthsc.edu: application, $100 screening, ~50% of private fees, payment terms, services, and location. UTHSC Dental Hygiene — uthsc.edu.
- Meharry Medical College — Dental Clinic — meharry.edu: clinics, portal and walk-ins, phone numbers, hours, “affordable but not free,” and after-hours emergency guidance. ABLE Clinic — meharry.edu.
- Lincoln Memorial University — “College of Dental Medicine Student Dental Clinic Now Accepting Patients” (August 19, 2024) — lmunet.edu: location, phone, screening, session length, reduced cost.
- Tennessee Department of Health — Dental Care for Tennesseans directory — tn.gov PDF: health department, community health center, hygiene school, and charitable clinic listings and phone numbers. Oral Health Services Annual Report FY2025 — PDF: 33 clinics, sliding fees, patients served, Safety Net dental patients. Office of Safety Net — tn.gov: eligibility.
- Remote Area Medical — Patient FAQ — ramusa.org: no ID or insurance, first-come first-served, midnight parking lot, dental-or-vision choice, dental services offered.
- Dental Lifeline Network — Tennessee — dentallifeline.org: Donated Dental Services eligibility, open counties, exceptions, and contact.
- Mid-South Mission of Mercy — WMC Action News 5, January 2023: annual event since 2016, services, and no eligibility requirements. TennCare — options if you don't qualify. HRSA — Find a Health Center.
Method in one line: every listing comes from the organization's own published information or the Tennessee Department of Health's directory, with dates where available; inclusion is based on public eligibility and legitimacy, never payment; and because clinic details change often, we flag that you should call before going.