Dentists in Amarillo

Before an Amarillo appointment, look the dentist up on the Public License Search run by TSBDE, the board over dentists, hygienists, registered dental assistants and dental labs. A result gives the current status and lists any public board action. At the office itself, look for the board's consumer information sign, which state rules require in plain view of patients.

Dental specialists in Amarillo

Texas recognizes 12 dental specialties, including orthodontics, endodontics, periodontics, pediatric dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery. The specialist label is earned through board certification or an accredited specialty program lasting at least two years, and a practice owner must avoid any suggestion that its general dentists are specialists. License certificates don't show specialties, so if it matters, ask where the dentist trained.

What a hygienist can do

Texas hygienists clean and polish teeth, take X-rays, apply fluoride and can give local anesthetic under a dentist's authorization, but they can't diagnose or prescribe. A dentist can delegate your cleaning to a hygienist if the dentist examined you within the past 12 months.

Delta Dental's national figures give a starting point; Amarillo offices set their own prices:

Ask any Amarillo office for a written estimate before treatment, and ask whether X-rays and the exam are billed separately from the cleaning. TSBDE doesn't handle fee disputes, so the price is settled between you and the practice. These figures are a price guide, not dental advice. See the Texas dentists guide for more.

An Amarillo child or young adult on Medicaid or CHIP usually gets dental care through one of three statewide managed care plans: DentaQuest, MCNA Dental or UnitedHealthcare Dental. Texas Health Steps, 1-877-847-8377, helps those families find a dentist or book a checkup on weekdays.

For adults without coverage, DSHS points to 2-1-1 (211Texas.org) and federally qualified health centers, some of which offer dental services. Call 2-1-1 and ask which clinics near Amarillo see dental patients. Of the four dental school clinics, Texas Tech's in El Paso (915-215-6700) treats patients with student dentists under faculty supervision, starting with a screening visit.

Texas hygienists can also work under a supervising dentist in alternate settings such as nursing homes, patients' homes, schools and public health clinics. If an older relative in Amarillo can't get to an office, ask local practices whether they send a hygienist out.

Amarillo water and fluoride

About 19.6 million Texans, 72% of the state, drink water that is fluoridated, either adjusted or naturally. The city supplies Amarillo's water from its own system; if fluoride matters to your family's dental plan, ask the city utility or your dentist whether Amarillo tap water is adjusted.

Questions about whether a treatment is right for you belong with a licensed dentist; this page explains how to find and check one.

A complaint about an Amarillo dentist's care, sanitation, conduct or abandonment of a patient goes to TSBDE. File on its complaint form by email to complaints@tsbde.texas.gov, fax or mail; anonymous complaints aren't accepted. Restitution is limited to out-of-pocket treatment costs in cases where care fell below the standard. Keep your treatment plan, receipts and records in case you file.

If you've just moved here, see the Amarillo city guide and Amarillo movers, or compare dentists in Lubbock.