Dentists in Texas

No Texas-only fee survey is available, so the figures below are national, from Delta Dental's cost pages, for patients paying without dental benefits or out of network. The year each figure is based on is shown where Delta Dental gives one.

Delta Dental says a crown price generally includes materials, the temporary crown, anesthetic, lab costs and the dentist's time. For bigger work, such as implants, ask for a written, itemized treatment plan with a fee for each procedure, and ask what your plan covers before you book. If cost is the barrier, the low-cost options further down this page are worth a call. None of this is dental advice; confirm treatment and fees with a licensed Texas dentist.

Every Texas dentist, dental hygienist, registered dental assistant and dental laboratory falls under the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE). Texas dentistry law sits in Title 3, Subtitle D of the Occupations Code, and the board's rules are in Title 22 of the Texas Administrative Code.

TSBDE license verification steps

1. Open TSBDE's Public License Search.
2. Search the dentist or hygienist by name or license number.
3. Check that the license status is current.
4. Read any public actions listed. TSBDE says all disciplinary actions and remedial plans now appear in this search.

TSBDE updates the data daily and calls the site a secure, primary source for license verification. You can also check a license through the State of Texas Licensing System.

The dental board sign in the office

Texas dental offices must post TSBDE's consumer information sign in plain view of patients, under board rule 108.3. If you can't see it in the waiting area, ask where it is.

Texas dental rules (22 Tex. Admin. Code §108.54) recognize 12 specialty areas: endodontics; oral and maxillofacial surgery; orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics; pediatric dentistry; periodontics; prosthodontics; dental public health; oral and maxillofacial pathology; oral and maxillofacial radiology; oral medicine; dental anesthesiology; and orofacial pain.

A Texas dentist may advertise as a specialist only after completing an accredited specialty program of two or more years or becoming board certified in a recognized specialty. Such dentists should use "specialist in" or "practice limited to". The practice owner has to avoid any suggestion that its general dentists are specialists.

How to check a dental specialist

Specialty recognition isn't printed on a Texas dental registration certificate. Dentists can ask TSBDE to update their licensing record by sending their accredited specialty certificate. So ask the dentist where they completed their specialty training or which board certified them, and compare that with what the office advertises.

Your treatment needs are a clinical question, so confirm them with a licensed Texas dentist.

Under Chapter 262 of the Occupations Code, a Texas dental hygienist can remove tartar, deposits and stains, smooth roughened root surfaces, polish teeth and restorations, apply topical drugs such as fluoride, and take dental X-rays. Since September 1, 2023, a hygienist can also give a local anesthetic under a dentist's authorization and supervision.

A hygienist may not diagnose a dental disease, prescribe treatment or medication, or perform any irreversible procedure that cuts soft or hard tissue.

Dental cleanings without the dentist in the room

A dentist can delegate a cleaning to a hygienist if the dentist examined you at the time or within the previous 12 calendar months, and doesn't have to be on the premises while the hygienist works. Hygienists may also work under a supervising dentist in alternate settings such as nursing homes, patients' homes, schools, hospitals and public health clinics. If you're offered a cleaning in one of those settings, ask which dentist supervises the hygienist.

Medicaid and CHIP dental coverage

Most Texans age 20 and younger with Medicaid or CHIP get dental care through one of three statewide managed care dental plans. Texas Health Steps (1-877-847-8377, Monday through Friday) helps families find a dentist or book a checkup. Medicaid can also cover low-income pregnant Texans, and the Medicaid managed care health plan may include dental benefits. Ask the plan what it covers.

Community dental help

The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) suggests calling 2-1-1 or visiting 211Texas.org as a first step, with help in more than 90 languages, at any hour. Federally qualified health centers serve many uninsured Texans, and some offer dental care. The Title V Maternal and Child Health program covers dental care for eligible people 21 and younger who aren't covered by Medicaid or CHIP. See DSHS's find a dentist page for the links.

Texas dental school clinics

Texas has four dental schools with clinics open to the public, where students treat patients under licensed faculty supervision. Fees and waits vary, and visits often take longer than at a private office.

• Dallas, Texas A&M College of Dentistry: adult screening is $120, covering registration, the screening and X-rays, with no fee if you're not accepted. Adult clinics don't take dental insurance but charge much less than private offices. Child screening is $5.00, and Medicaid and CHIP are accepted for children.
• Houston, UTHealth Houston School of Dentistry: student clinics offer supervised, affordable care. The urgent care exam fee is $32, more if extra imaging is needed, and most urgent treatment fees are under $200, paid in full before treatment.
• San Antonio, UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry: the Student Dental Clinic charges about 60% less than private practice for adults 18 and over, after a $50 screening, but appointments take two to three times longer. It doesn't take dental insurance.
• El Paso, Texas Tech's Woody L. Hunt School of Dental Medicine: new patients start with a screening appointment (915-215-6700). Call the clinic to ask about fees.

Quality of care, sanitation, professional conduct and patient abandonment are the kinds of complaint the dental board investigates. It also helps local police with cases of practicing without a license.

How to file a dental board complaint

Use TSBDE's complaint form and send it by email to complaints@tsbde.texas.gov, by fax to 512-649-2732, or by mail to Texas State Board of Dental Examiners, Attn: Investigations Division, 1801 Congress Ave., Suite 8.600, Austin, TX 78701. TSBDE doesn't accept anonymous complaints, and it updates complainants in writing on the case status at least quarterly.

Billing disputes with a dental office

TSBDE has no jurisdiction over fee disputes. It can order restitution only in limited cases where treatment fell below the standard of care, and never beyond your out-of-pocket treatment costs. For anything else, TSBDE points patients to a legal professional; our attorneys guide covers how to check a Texas lawyer. Confirm your options with a licensed Texas attorney before you act.

DSHS says about 105 Texas public water systems, serving 9.7 million people, adjust the fluoride level in their water, and a little over 19.6 million Texans (72%) drink water with adjusted or naturally occurring fluoride. Texas has a long record here: Marshall began community water fluoridation in 1946, the first Texas city and one of the first three in the US to do so.

You can look up your own water system on the CDC's "My Water's Fluoride" page. Tell your dentist what you find.

1. Look the dentist up on TSBDE's Public License Search and read any public actions.
2. For a specialist, ask where they trained or which board certified them.
3. Ask whether the office takes your insurance, or Medicaid or CHIP for a child.
4. Get a written, itemized treatment plan with a fee for each procedure.
5. Compare the fees with the national ranges above.
6. If cost is a barrier, call 2-1-1 or a dental school clinic.
7. Look for the TSBDE consumer information sign in the office.
8. Keep your records and receipts in case you need to file a complaint.

Our city pages rank dental offices on public review data, explained in our terms of service; the ranking doesn't check licenses, so run the TSBDE search yourself. Confirm any treatment decision with a licensed Texas dentist.

Find your city for a list of local dental offices and its local notes, grouped by region.

Dentists in Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas, Preston Hollow, Garland, Irving, Mesquite, Grand Prairie, Carrollton, Richardson, Fort Worth, Arlington, Bedford, North Richland Hills, Southlake, Grapevine, Plano, Frisco, McKinney, Allen, Prosper, Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Little Elm, Highland Village, Argyle, Rockwall, Weatherford, Burleson. Region guide: Dallas-Fort Worth.

Dentists in North Texas and Texoma

Sherman, Valley View, Wichita Falls. Region guide: North Texas and Texoma.

Dentists in Houston and the Gulf Coast

Houston, Clear Lake, Pasadena, Cypress, Webster, Baytown, Katy, Sugar Land, Conroe, The Woodlands, Pearland, League City, Friendswood, Dickinson, Texas City, Galveston, Santa Fe, Alvin, Angleton, Freeport. Region guide: Houston and the Gulf Coast.

Dentists in Southeast Texas

Beaumont. Region guide: Southeast Texas.

Dentists in East Texas

Tyler, Longview. Region guide: East Texas.

Dentists in Austin and the Hill Country corridor

Austin, Pflugerville, Round Rock, Georgetown, Cedar Park, Kyle, Buda, San Marcos, Wimberley, Dripping Springs, Lockhart. Region guide: Austin and the Hill Country corridor.

Dentists in Central Texas

Killeen, Waco. Region guide: Central Texas.

Dentists in San Antonio and the Hill Country

San Antonio, New Braunfels, Canyon Lake, Boerne. Region guide: San Antonio and the Hill Country.

Dentists in South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley

Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen, Brownsville, Harlingen. Region guide: South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley.

Dentists in West Texas

El Paso, Midland, Odessa, Abilene, San Angelo. Region guide: West Texas.

Dentists in Panhandle and South Plains

Lubbock, Amarillo. Region guide: Panhandle and South Plains.