Dental Program as of October 2025

At Help and Outreach Point of Entry (HOPE), our dental program works to reduce oral health disparities by providing compassionate care to individuals experiencing homelessness and financial hardship.

Beginning October 2025, our limited funding will be focused on clients with active dental infections to help prevent avoidable emergency room visits and ensure timely care.

We are actively pursuing new funding opportunities and will notify those on our waiting list as resources become available. To prioritize staffing, we are not accepting new dental applications at this time. Only individuals with emergency dental needs should apply by meeting with staff Tuesday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m. to complete a dental intake and determine eligibility.

Experiencing a Dental Emergency?

If you are experiencing a dental emergency, you will be directed to use the walk-in services at Chesapeake Health Care in Princess Anne which are available Monday-Friday at 7am on a first-come-first-served basis with limited appointments (please call 410-651-5151 for specific instructions).

If you are unable to access those services, assistance with scheduling may be available in certain circumstances — particularly for individuals presenting with visible swelling from a dental abscess or those who have recently visited an emergency room or urgent care for a dental issue.

Program Limitations

Due to limited funding, we are no longer able to assist with scheduling routine dental exams or cover the cost of treatment beyond the initial limited exam and follow-up extraction with a general dentist for uninsured clients. At this time, we are also unable to cover the cost of oral surgery for uninsured clients.

If you have private dental insurance, please contact the member services phone number listed on the back of your insurance card for assistance locating in-network providers.

We are aware of several oral surgery providers that accept Maryland Medicaid (Maryland Healthy Smiles). Once you have seen a general dentist and obtained a referral and x-rays you may contact one of the Oral Surgeons below to request an appointment.

Fort Washington Oral Surgery

  • 301-292-6900

  • 10905 Fort Washington Rd, Ste 214, Fort Washington, MD 20744

Sunrise Oral Surgery

  • 301-762-0062

  • 16069 Comprint Cir, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

University of Maryland, Baltimore (Dental School Clinic)

  • 410-706-7101

  • 650 W Baltimore St, Baltimore, MD 21201

Please contact your local health departments medical transportation if you need help getting to appointments.

for those with existing Approved Funding

If you qualified for assistance and your dentist was provided a Promissory Letter, we will honor promised funds, however there are some exclusions:

  • These letters are typically only valid for 3–6 months. It is your responsibility to notify us if you are unable to use the funding within this timeframe. All current promissory letters have been extended until 12/31/2025. If you are unable to complete your treatment before then, you must come in to meet with our staff to re-apply.

  • Our partner providers work hard to ensure appointments are scheduled as quickly as possible.

  • Extensions are not guaranteed, so every effort should be made to complete your care as soon as possible. If appointments are missed or you fail to follow care instructions, we will be unable to extend your promissory letter.

  • Insurance benefits must be utilized; we are unable to assist with out-of-network providers or non-covered services.

  • Certain grants require active Medicaid status, if your status and/or income level changes please notify us as you are at risk of us being unable to cover your treatment as planned if we find out after receiving an invoice.

Local General Dentists

These providers have agreed to accept our Promissory Letters and are approved by our grant partners.

  • Uninsured and Medicaid Clients will be referred here for emergency appointments for visible swelling or advised to utilize their walk-in services for dental pain.

    12165 Elm Street
    Princess Anne, MD 21853
    Tel: 410-651-5151

  • Clients with Medicaid, Medicare Advantage and Private insurance will be referred here for emergency dental appointments.

    3019 Merritt Mill Rd, Salisbury, MD 21804

    Phone: (410) 348-8431

we are able to provide these services thanks to grants received from: