Atlanta, GA Dentists | 841 Ranked

Braces, public clinics and dental costs from Buckhead to Atlanta's west side

Lower-cost dental care around Atlanta includes Ben Massell for uninsured adults after an income and residence review, and Fulton County's children's clinics taking Medicaid and PeachCare.

How Georgia Medicaid approves a child's braces

Georgia reviews medical need for braces. Crowding for appearance alone doesn't qualify. The review uses the child's bite and the dentist's findings. A severe problem can qualify even when the family first noticed it as a change in looks.

CareSource says the dentist handles the request for braces approval. Its member-help line is 855-202-0729. A severe open bite or a front tooth stuck under the gum can meet the state's rules. Each case gets its own review.

Among Atlanta orthodontists, Buckhead Orthodontics uses digital tooth scans to plan clear-aligner treatment. Its options include Invisalign, Spark and its in-house EvoAligners.

Adult Medicaid pays for more than tooth removal

Georgia's adult dental benefit includes medically needed exams, preventive care, fillings, gum care, root canals, dentures and surgery. Adult braces have stricter medical rules. Georgia Families members use their plan's dental network.

Health Check covers eligible children and young adults through age 20. PeachCare for Kids serves children under 19. Georgia's dental handbook also protects members from a balance bill for covered care. A dentist needs written consent before giving care outside coverage.

Fulton's dental visits for children start with the first tooth

The county's oral-health program serves children from the first tooth through high school. It accepts Medicaid and PeachCare. Children without insurance can qualify through household income, family size and school lunch rules. Care includes cleanings, fillings and sealants, with selected crowns and space maintainers.

Adamsville is at 3700 Martin Luther King Jr Drive SW, phone 770-520-7323. The College Park site is at 1920 John Wesley Avenue, phone 770-520-7201. The county's children's dental services include sealants for first and second molars from ages 3 to 17.

• Adamsville dental hours: Monday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• College Park dental hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Children's cleanings are offered every 6 months. Well-baby exams are for children under 3; full exams start at 3.

English Avenue and Vine City have a county-Mercy dental option

Fulton County and Mercy Care provide dental services for adults and children at Neighborhood Union Health Center, 186 Sunset Avenue NW. The partnership serves the west side, including English Avenue and Vine City. It also takes referrals from the county's Ryan White clinics.

The children's dental line for Neighborhood Union is 770-520-7351. The county lists weekday dental hours of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at this location.

Mercy Care's income-based fees on Decatur Street

Mercy Care lists dental care at 424 Decatur Street SE and at 5134 Peachtree Road in Chamblee. Its central appointment line is 678-843-8600. The clinics treat adults and children.

Mercy Care uses your household size and income to set a fee discount. You sign a form to confirm those facts. A current photo ID and insurance card, if you have one, are part of its new-patient instructions. Registration is renewed each year.

Both sites post weekday building hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Chamblee also has Spanish-speaking staff. At Decatur Street, you can get dental, medical, vision and mental health care.

Ben Massell's free adult care has income and residency rules

Ben Massell Dental Clinic serves adults 18 and older without dental insurance. You must live in its 13-county metro area. Its household income cap is 125% of the federal poverty level. Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Clayton and Gwinnett are among those counties.

The clinic is at 700 14th Street NW, phone 404-881-1858.

Care includes fillings, tooth removal, dentures and selected root-canal and gum treatment. The clinic excludes dental implants and bridges. The application needs income and residency documents, and review can take 4 weeks. Applications go online or by email, mail or fax.

A $45 teaching cleaning in Dunwoody takes longer

Georgia State's Perimeter dental hygiene clinic charges $45 for a routine cleaning at age 13 and older, or $30 for children 12 and under. It's at 2101 Womack Road in Dunwoody, NC Building 1400. The clinic phone is 770-274-5140. Panther ID holders receive a $15 discount.

The first adult screening is free and takes about 45 to 60 minutes. Later visits last 3.5 hours, and care often needs at least 2 visits. You pay by credit or debit card.

Patient parking is in lots 8 and 10, with accessible parking in lot 9. The first assessment reviews your health and mouth. Needed X-rays are planned for a later visit.

Its gum-care services cost $55 to treat gum inflammation or to keep gums healthy after gum disease. Deep cleaning is charged per quarter of the mouth.

The clinic can complete Georgia's Form 3300 for children who receive its care. A parent or guardian remains in the waiting room during a minor's treatment. Non-English-speaking patients must provide an adult interpreter.

Hospital dental care for kids at Scottish Rite

Children's Healthcare of Atlanta treats kids who meet its health rules. These include some heart, blood and cancer problems, as well as craniofacial disorders. The dental clinic is at 5461 Meridian Mark Road NE, Suite 200, in the Scottish Rite Medical Office Building. Its number is 404-785-2072.

The team provides children's dental care with sedation or hospital anesthesia for kids who need it. Its braces service treats children with conditions affecting the shape of their head and face.

Emory staff dental plans and braces limits

Emory University's Aetna PPO pays up to $1,500 per person each year for covered dental care. Braces have a $1,500 lifetime limit and 50% coverage.

The university's DMO uses network dentists and a chosen main dentist, with referrals for specialists. Its braces copay is $2,000 for one course during a lifetime. Aetna's member line is 877-238-6200.

Tooth pain, root canals and Grady's oral surgery clinic

Grady's Correll Pavilion has a mouth and jaw surgery clinic at 80 Gilmer Street SE. The team removes wisdom teeth and treats jaw injuries, serious infections and nerve damage. It also offers jaw surgery for severe sleep apnea, which stops breathing during sleep.

Grady handles surgical dental problems, not routine cleanings or fillings. Its dental infection service treats infections that spread beyond the mouth. For major facial injury or trouble breathing from infection, call 911; Grady Memorial's emergency department is at 80 Jesse Hill Jr Drive SE.

Grady also treats nerve injuries after root canals or dental implant procedures. Its oral-surgery appointments go through 404-616-1000.

Ben Massell's free program excludes urgent tooth problems. For weekend care, 35 Atlanta offices list Saturday hours, while Atlanta emergency dentists treat toothaches, broken teeth and other urgent problems.

Gilmer Street parking for a Correll Pavilion visit

The pavilion parking deck entrance is off Gilmer Street. Parking costs $2 per 30 minutes, capped at $10 per day. Cash, credit and debit are accepted on exit.

The deck's weekday hours are 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Georgia State station is the rail stop named in Correll's directions.

MARTA fares for Atlanta dental visits

MARTA's regular rail and bus fare is $2.50. It includes up to 4 transfers within 3 hours when you use the same payment method.

Transfers cover one-way travel; boarding the same route again for a return trip needs another fare. Streetcar travel uses its own $1 fare. Seniors over 65, people on Medicare and riders with disabilities can apply for the $1 reduced bus and rail fare.

Mobility rides and language help can change the visit

MARTA Mobility gives rides to people who can't use regular buses and trains because of a disability. You fill out part of the form; a health professional fills out the rest. The help line is 404-848-5826, and a single ride costs $4.

At Mercy Care, trained interpreters and sign-language help are free through its central booking team; relay service is 711. Translated material and accessible formats are also available.