This guide is for El Paso County families and adults who need dental care and are worried about the cost. It covers the dental school clinic at Texas Tech, the City of El Paso children's dental clinic, two community health centers that list dental services, and the state programs that pay for dental care for children and some pregnant women.
Very few programs here are free for every patient. Most charge reduced fees, accept Medicaid or CHIP, or set fees on a sliding scale based on family income and size. The table shows who each program says it serves and how to book. Every row was checked on the clinic's or agency's own website on 9 November 2026. We left out programs whose own sites did not confirm dental care.
Low-cost dental programs in El Paso County
| Program | Who it serves, as the program states | How fees work | How to book |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic (Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine) | The public. Insurance is not needed. Dental students treat patients under licensed faculty dentists, and the first visit is a screening to see if you are a fit for student care | Student care costs "as much as 50% lower than some fees charged in a private practice." Faculty dentist care costs about the same as a private practice. Takes a limited number of plans, including Texas Medicaid and Delta Dental. Payment is due at or before the visit | Call 915-215-6700, Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Visits often take 2 to 4 hours. ttdentalcare.com |
| City of El Paso Public Health, Rawlings Dental Clinic | Children from 6 months to their 21st birthday who live in El Paso County | Accepts Medicaid, CHIP, private insurance and Title V. Patients without other resources may pay on a sliding fee schedule based on family income. The city says services will not be denied for inability to pay | Call 915-212-8000, also the number for emergency appointments. Clinic days are posted monthly. elpasotexas.gov |
| Centro San Vicente | Registered San Vicente patients of all ages, with children's dentistry from 6 months. You register as a patient first | Discounted fees based on family size and income through its sliding discount program. Accepts various insurance, including Medicaid, CHIP and Medicare cards at registration | Register: 915-859-7545. Dental appointments: 915-225-3480. Dental hours Monday to Thursday, 7 am to 6 pm. Walk-ins for emergencies. sanvicente.org |
| Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe | Registered La Fe patients. Dental care is on its list of services, and its Child and Adolescent Wellness Center lists dental care for children | Says it serves all patients regardless of inability to pay, with discounts for essential services based on family size and income. Apply at the front desk | Central Clinic: 915-545-4550. Child and Adolescent Wellness Center: 915-545-7090. Ask which La Fe clinic offers dental. lafe-ep.org |
| Texas Health Steps (Medicaid) and CHIP | Most children and young adults age 20 and younger with Medicaid or CHIP, who get dental care through a managed care dental plan | Covered by the child's dental plan | Call Texas Health Steps at 1-877-847-8377, Monday to Friday, for help finding a dentist or booking a checkup. dshs.texas.gov |
| Title V Maternal and Child Health Fee-for-Service Program (Texas DSHS) | Low-income women and children who are not eligible for Medicaid, CHIP or another payer for the same service. People 21 and younger qualify for dental services, and pregnant women qualify up to three months after giving birth | Paid by the program for those who qualify | Ask a clinic that takes Title V. The Rawlings Dental Clinic lists Title V. dshs.texas.gov |
| 2-1-1 Texas | Anyone looking for local help, including dental programs | Free referral line | Dial 2-1-1 or search by ZIP code at 211texas.org. Help in more than 90 languages, any time of day |
How the dental school clinic works
The Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic is part of the Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine at Texas Tech Health El Paso. The clinic says its services and hours follow the schedules and learning goals of its student dentists. That means the care you are offered can depend on what the students are training to do that term.
Your first appointment is a screening with a student under faculty supervision. If you are a good candidate for student care, the clinic books a follow-up visit to start treatment. The clinic asks patients to bring a government ID, a payment method, original insurance cards and a list of current medicines. It asks you to arrive 30 minutes early to fill in forms.
Two rules matter if you are juggling work or children. The clinic treats a late arrival of 15 minutes as a missed appointment, and three missed appointments make a patient ineligible for care there. Young children and dependent adults may not wait alone in the clinic or lobby, so plan for someone to watch them. The clinic also says it offers interpretation for every officially recognized language if you call ahead.
Sliding fees at community health centers
Centro San Vicente and La Fe both set fees by income for patients who qualify. You apply when you register, not at the dental chair. Bring papers that show who you are, what your household earns and where you live.
Centro San Vicente asks self-pay patients to apply for its sliding discount program. Its list of documents includes a photo ID, pay stubs for the last four weeks or an IRS tax transcript, and a recent utility bill or lease as proof of address. La Fe asks for your latest pay stub or last year's tax return, a utility bill or rent receipt, an ID and any Medicare, Medicaid or insurance card.
The Texas DSHS page on low-cost dental care notes that some community health centers offer dental care and others do not. Before you go, call and confirm that the location you plan to visit has a dentist. Both centers also have clinics outside central El Paso: San Vicente lists a San Elizario clinic, and La Fe lists clinics in San Elizario and Canutillo.
Care for children
Children have the most options in El Paso County. A child on Medicaid or CHIP gets dental care through a managed care dental plan, and Texas Health Steps can help you find a dentist in that plan. A child with no coverage may still qualify for the city's Rawlings Dental Clinic, which serves El Paso County residents under 21 and charges a sliding fee to families without other resources.
The city clinic lists cleanings, fluoride, sealants, fillings, stainless steel crowns, root canals and extractions among its services. It also takes part in First Dental Home and Head Start programs for young children.
For how Medicaid, CHIP and private plans work at a regular practice, see our dental insurance and Medicaid guide. For national price ranges by treatment, see the El Paso dental cost guide.
Adults without insurance
Adult options are narrower. The Texas Tech clinic sees adults without insurance at reduced student rates, and both community health centers set adult fees by income. Pregnant women with low income may also have dental benefits through Medicaid or Title V, as the DSHS page explains. For anything else, dial 2-1-1 and ask for dental programs near your ZIP code.
If you have insurance or can pay a regular practice and want a visit soon, call us or book online and a local El Paso dental practice will call you to set a time.
Sources
All checked on 9 November 2026.
- Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic, becoming a patient: ttdentalcare.com/becoming-a-patient
- Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic, payment and insurance: ttdentalcare.com/financial
- Texas Tech Dental Oral Health Clinic, frequently asked questions: ttdentalcare.com/faq
- City of El Paso Public Health, Dental Clinic: elpasotexas.gov/public-health/services/dental-clinic
- Centro San Vicente, dental services: sanvicente.org/services/dental-services
- Centro San Vicente, registration and sliding discount program: sanvicente.org/register
- Centro San Vicente, locations: sanvicente.org/locations
- Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe, list of services: lafe-ep.org/list-of-services
- Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe, registering as a patient: lafe-ep.org/registering-as-a-patient
- Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe, clinic directory: lafe-ep.org/directory
- Texas DSHS, low-cost dental services: dshs.texas.gov/dental/Need-help-finding-a-dentist.aspx (page last reviewed 20 January 2026)
Common questions
Is there a free dental clinic in El Paso?
None of the programs in this guide say care is free for every patient. The City of El Paso children's clinic says it will not deny services for inability to pay, and La Fe says it serves patients regardless of inability to pay. Both set fees by income for those who qualify.
Does the Texas Tech dental clinic take Medicaid?
Yes. The clinic's payment page says it accepts a limited number of plans, including Texas Medicaid and Delta Dental. Call 915-215-6700 to check your plan.
Who can use the City of El Paso dental clinic?
The Rawlings Dental Clinic serves children from 6 months to their 21st birthday who live in El Paso County. It accepts Medicaid, CHIP, private insurance and Title V, and has a sliding fee schedule.
Do I need to register before a dental visit at San Vicente?
Yes. Centro San Vicente says you must register with San Vicente before you can book a dental appointment. Call its registration office at 915-859-7545.