Community Involvement
Dental OPTIONS is a program provided through a joint partnership between the ODA and the Ohio Department of Health that helps qualified, uninsured adults in Ohio obtain access to dental care.
Receiving quality dental care is important, but many Americans must often choose between dental care and other daily living expenses – and dental care is often sacrificed.
Nationally, access to affordable dental care is a major problem; however, organized dentistry in Ohio has been visionary – responding to this need with statewide programs that provide needed access to oral health care to qualified individuals.
One such program is Dental OPTIONS, sponsored jointly by the Ohio Dental Association and the Ohio Department of Health. It is a program that links qualified, uninsured Ohioans with participating volunteer dentists.
Since 1997, over 15,000 uninsured Ohioans have received renewed oral health and are smiling brightly because of the dental care given by volunteer dentists in the Dental OPTIONS program. Many patients report that their lives are changed significantly for the better because of a caring dentist and staff! Watch the video below to see their testimonials …
Resources
- Click here for enrollment information and frequently asked questions (For Patients)
- Click here for an OPTIONS dentist brochure and learn how the program works for Ohio dentists
- Click here to download a Dental OPTIONS dentist enrollment form
- Click here to download a dentist treatment form. (Reporting treatment values of Dental OPTIONS patients is an important component of the program. If you have questions or need assistance, contact your referral coordinator at 1.888.765.6789)
The Ohio Department of Health provides information on finding dental care, including Safety Net Dental Care programs in the state and information on Healthy Start, Dental OPTIONS and more. A Safety Net program offers sliding fee schedules, reduced fees or free care to those who cannot afford a private dentist. For information on Safety Net programs, contact a referral coordinator of the OPTIONS program at 1-888-765-6789.
Ohioans in need of dental care can find a listing of Safety Net dental clinics in their communities online at www.ohiodentalclinics.com. Provided by the Ohio Department of Health, this site also includes other consumer and healthcare professional oral health resources.