Dental Services
Limited availabIlity
Overview
Generally, the Berkeley Free Clinic provides lifetime dental care to a limited number of individuals who enter and win the monthly lottery. We prioritize seeing patients who are uninsured, unhoused, and/or low-income.
Currently, the clinic is only offering dental services to:
existing clients;
clients selected from the dental lottery;
frequent users of the Suitcase Clinic; or
selected refugees or asylum-seeking immigrants who do not have access to Denti-Cal or other forms of dental coverage (please apply using the Application for Friday Night Dental Services: Immigrants & Refugees).
For the individuals who have been taken on as clients via the lottery, we provide:
Dental examinations and check-ups
Dental cleanings
X-ray services
Fillings (plastic/composite and metal/amalgam)
Extractions
How do I enter the lottery to become a new lifetime client?
The dental lottery is currently suspended until 2025. We do not have enough providers to admit new patients over the summer. We will have a tentative reopening in 2025. Thank you for understanding.
Dental lotteries typically occur on the first Wednesday of each month. The number of people we take in any lottery depends on the number of dentists and assistants we have on staff. We typically take one person per month but have taken up to four in the past.
On some lottery nights, 40 people enter the monthly drawing. We recommend that those who are not selected enter in the next month's lottery. Please understand that we are a free clinic and our resources are limited.
The person(s) chosen from the lottery is eligible for lifetime treatment at the Berkeley Free Clinic.
Professional Volunteers
The Dental Section of the Berkeley Free Clinic needs professional dentists and registered hygienists as well as volunteer dental assistants (we provide training for volunteer dental assistants).
If you are a provider looking to volunteer with us, please email dentalcoords@berkeleyfreeclinic.org.
If you are interested in applying to volunteer as a dental assistant, please fill out the BFC Dental Section Volunteer Interest Form and we will contact you when the volunteer application cycle opens again.
How to Access
Appointment Availability
If you are an existing client of the dental services section of the Berkeley Free Clinic, please call (510) 548-2745 to schedule an appointment.
Dental services are available by appointment Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 6-9PM, and Tuesday from 7-9PM.
Dental Lottery
Dental Lottery Availability
The dental lottery will tentatively resume in 2025.
Dental Lottery Process
In order to become a client, you must both enter the lottery and you must be selected as a service recipient from the lottery. To be eligible for the lottery, you must submit a dental lottery slip before 6PM into the lottery fish bowl in-person at the clinic.
Only one entry per person is allowed each month. You cannot complete a slip for someone else.
From 6-6:30PM, all lottery participants will watch an oral health presentation. Dental goodie bags and referral sheets/resources will be available.
The name(s) chosen from the lottery will be announced at 6:30PM. If you are chosen from the lottery as a dental service recipient, you will be eligible for lifetime dental treatment at the clinic.
Important Notes on the Dental Lottery
We do not see clients under the age of 18.
We prioritize seeing patients who are uninsured, unhoused, and low-income.
If you are an immigrant or refugee without access to dental coverage, we have a separate process for becoming a client, which is outlined below.
Services for Refugees/Immigrants without Dental Coverage
Friday night dental services are specially reserved for refugees and immigrants who do not have access to Denti-Cal or other forms of dental coverage. If you identify as an immigrant or refugee without access to dental coverage and are interested in free dental services at our clinic, please complete the Application for Friday Night Dental Service: Immigrants & Refugees.
Please note that submitted applications will be placed on a waiting list, and we will only begin selecting patients from the waitlist as the dental clinic capacity allows.
Los servicios dentales del viernes por la noche están especialmente reservados para los refugiados e inmigrantes que no tienen acceso a Denti-Cal u otras formas de seguro dental. Si usted se identifica como inmigrante o refugiado sin acceso a seguro dental y está interesado en servicios dentales gratuitos en nuestra clínica, por favor complete esta Solicitud para Servicios Dentales en Viernes: Inmigrantes y Refugiados.
Tenga en cuenta que las aplicaciones recibidas van a ser puestas en una lista de espera. Empezaremos a seleccionar nuevos pacientes de las aplicaciones una vez que la clínica dental tenga más capacidad para aceptar nuevos pacientes.