Donated Dental Services
Dental Lifeline Network
Dental Lifeline Network is a national, humanitarian organization providing access to comprehensive dental treatment nationwide to people with disabilities or who are elderly or medically fragile and have no access to care.
Our flagship program, Donated Dental Services (DDS) has provided $330 million in dental treatment to 117,000 vulnerable people since DDS was founded in Colorado in 1985. This treatment is made possible through the generosity of more than 15,000 dentists and 3,700 labs that donate their time and services and companies that donate materials such as teeth, alloy and dental supplies used by dentists and by laboratories for fabrications. A network of DDS Program Coordinators also make these donated services possible by screening and matching patients with dentists and arranging for the involvement of specialists and labs, as needed.
Brenda, an Indiana DDS patient, (second from left) with (left to right) Dr. John Phelps, Markita Carter, and Kirk Berkhardt
Services
• DDS volunteers provide comprehensive treatment to eligible patients
• Volunteers do not provide emergency services
Eligibility
Applicants must lack adequate income to pay for dental care and:
• Have a permanent disability, or
• Are elderly: age 65 or older, or
• Qualify as medically fragile
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Contact Donated Dental Services
Adrienne Walker-Bell, DDS Coordinator
317.733.0585
317.873.2489 (fax)
awalkerbell@DentalLifeline.org
Dental Lifeline Network Indiana
6110 N. Technology Center Dr. Ste 100
Indianapolis, IN 46278
Donated Dental Services Application Process
ELIGIBILITY: Dentists across the country have volunteered to provide dental care. They do this for free to eligible applicants.
If you have a permanent disability, or over 65 years old, or medically compromised, and don’t have enough money to pay for dental care, you may qualify for free treatment through the DDS program.
COST: People who qualify usually pay nothing. Occasionally, people who can pay for part of their care may be asked to do so, especially if you need laboratory work.
DENTAL BENEFITS: If you have dental insurance (including dental provided through Medicaid), you need to use that first.
APPLICATION PROCESS:
Step One
Complete entire application to the best of your ability. The application will take time to complete. There is no option to save your progress, so please make sure you have allowed enough time to complete it.
Step Two
When we get your application, we will decide if you appear eligible for the program. If you appear eligible, we will put you on the waiting list in the order your application was received. If you are not eligible, we will send you a letter of denial. Depending on where you live, the wait will be several months or can be over a year. We cannot return phone calls about where you are on the waiting list due to the volume of calls we receive.
Step Three
When your application comes to the top of the waitlist, DDS will contact you. If the coordinator determines you are eligible, you will be referred to a volunteer. If a volunteer agrees to see you, you will schedule an appointment. Final acceptance into the program will be made only after the first appointment with the dentist.
We are sorry you are experiencing a dental problem and we hope the Donated Dental Services (DDS) program may be of some help.
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