Dentists in Lubbock

TSBDE licenses and oversees Texas dentists, hygienists, registered dental assistants and dental labs. Its license search covers dentists and hygienists, and shows disciplinary actions that are public. Texas dentistry law sits in the Occupations Code, with the board's rules in Title 22 of the Administrative Code.

Specialist claims at Lubbock dental offices

Texas recognizes 12 dental specialties, among them orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, pediatric dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics and orofacial pain. A dentist may advertise as a specialist only after an accredited specialty program of at least two years or board certification. Practices must not suggest that general dentists are specialists. The license certificate won't show specialty status, so ask where the dentist completed specialty training. A dentist can ask TSBDE to update the licensing record with an accredited specialty certificate, so the board may be able to confirm it.

Before a first visit, ask the office which insurance plans it is in network for, what a new-patient exam and X-rays cost without insurance, and how it handles emergencies after hours.

Lubbock offices set their own fees, so ask for a written estimate with each procedure listed. DSHS lists Texas's four dental school clinics in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and El Paso, none of them in Lubbock. These figures are a price guide, not dental advice. More on costs is in our Texas dentists guide.

Hygienists in Texas clean and polish teeth, smooth root surfaces, apply fluoride, take X-rays and can give local anesthetic under a dentist's authorization. They can't diagnose, prescribe or do irreversible procedures that cut tissue. A dentist can delegate your cleaning to a hygienist without being on the premises, as long as the dentist examined you within the last 12 months.

Hygienists can also work under a supervising dentist in schools, nursing homes, patients' homes and public health clinics, which can help family members who can't easily get to an office. Ask your dentist whether they supervise any of that care in Lubbock.

For a Lubbock child on Medicaid or CHIP, the dental plan on the card is usually one of three statewide managed care plans: DentaQuest, MCNA Dental or UnitedHealthcare Dental. Ask a Lubbock office whether it takes that plan, and whether it has openings for new patients, before you book. Texas Health Steps, 1-877-847-8377, helps families find a dentist or book a checkup on weekdays. DSHS also points people to 2-1-1 and to federally qualified health centers, some with dental clinics.

For fluoride, DSHS says about 72% of Texans drink adjusted or naturally fluoridated water. Ask the City of Lubbock Water Utilities Department whether yours is, then tell your dentist. TSBDE investigates complaints over quality of care, sanitation, professional conduct and patient abandonment, and it helps police with unlicensed-practice cases. Keep your treatment plan, receipts and records in case you file. Complaints go on the board's form by email, fax or mail; it won't take anonymous complaints or settle fee disputes. This page explains the system and isn't dental advice, so ask a licensed dentist about your treatment. See our Lubbock guide, or compare dentists in Midland.