Patient Information

Services

Preventive Care

During a patient exam our team offers educational materials on best dental hygiene and home care for patients following their visit. These materials offer information related to how to prevent decay at home and the best dietary habits and hygiene routines to support optimal oral health.

Extractions

Our Clinic offers dental extractions to our patients for a tooth or teeth that cannot be saved by restorative methods such as fillings. Teeth that need to be extracted often have been impacted by a dental illness or dental injury.

Cleanings

Our Clinic offers dental cleanings in the fall and spring seasons of the year. Our clinic partners with local dental hygiene programs and their dental hygiene students to offer these services. These students are supervised by one of our clinic dentists to provide excellent hygiene care to our patients.

Exams and X-Rays

Our clinic provides first time patients with exams and x-rays. Our clinic also completes updated x-rays for established patients on an annual basis. These exams and x-rays are completed to better understand a patient evolving dental needs.

Restorative Care

Our clinic periodically offers a restorative care program that is presently limited to simple fillings. No crowns or implants are offered through our program. Patients who seek restorative care beyond the scope of our program are referred to other agencies in our community.

Denture Program

Our Clinic offers a denture creation or partial denture program to our patients who have missing teeth and want to create a new smile. Our denture program is a part of our program where our patients see the most dramatic transformations when it comes to their appearance. Many of our patients see increased functionality of their mouth when eating food.

What To Expect

What do folks need to qualify for our program:

Our program has special qualifiers because many of our grants have certain criteria and focus areas to better identify and serve those most at need in our area. The following documents indicate that a patient fits our grant criteria:

Criteria includes:

Blount County resident
Being 18 years of age or older
Photo ID
Proof of residence, i.e. something current with name, and address such as a utility bill, bank statements or voter registration

One of the following financial indicators:

Food stamp card/letter
Cherokee Good Samaritan Clinic patient
Public Housing voucher
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) letter

How to make an appointment

To make an appointment please call 865.681.0770. Appointments will be made as space is available for patients who qualify. New patients must fill out an information packet at their initial visit. Established patients need to update their information each year.

Cost of services

While part of a patient visit is covered by our grants program, there is a portion of the visit that remains the patient’s responsibility. The fees below are itemized for the cost of patient care:

New Patient Exam/X-Ray	$30.00
Update Exam/X-Ray (over 2)	$30.00
Limited Exam	$10.00
Panoramic X-Ray	$20.00
Simple Extractions	$30.00
Complex Extractions	$50.00
Prophylaxis (Cleaning)	$30.00

Patient Forms Downloads

Medical History

Notice of Privacy Practices

FAQ

What will happen on my first visit?

At your initial visit, the clinic will record your personal details, such as your address and date of birth. The clinic will collect your qualifying documents. Every new patient should present an ID, piece of mail and proof of a financial qualifier such as: proof of being a food stamp recipient, proof of being a recipient of Social Security Income, proof of living in Public Housing or Proof of being a Cherokee Patient. Returning patients will be asked to renew this information each year.

The clinic will also collect a full medical history to make sure that clinic providers are fully aware of any medical conditions, allergies, illnesses or medication that a patient may be taking in order to properly approach dental treatment.

The Dentist will then carry out a full check-up and chart all of your teeth and previous treatment, they will also assess the condition of your gums and your general oral hygiene. They may also take diagnostic x-rays.

If you need to have any dental treatment, our clinic dentist will discuss this with you. They may give you a treatment plan and explain that there may be costs associated with treatment.

You can make any further appointments as necessary.

How long will my visit to Trinity take?

The length of your visit will depend on the reason for your visit, the visit could take a few minutes to a couple of hours. Then it is always possible that an unforeseen dental situation may arise causing your appointment time to run a bit longer. On average an appointment for a cleaning or extraction takes roughly 2 hours.

What are some reasons that a person would visit Trinity?

Come and visit our dentist if you are having dental pain or discomfort that you feel may be related to a dental illness or injury.

Common reasons a person visits Trinity include one or more of the following:

The presence of mouth sores
The presence of Jaw pain
Redness
Swollen face or gums
Tooth sensitivity
Broken teeth
Needing dentures to eat or speak properly

Why are there costs related to my visit?

Our clinic is considered a charitable clinic, meaning that some of the visit is covered by grants and special programs and some cost (low costs) is the patient’s responsibility.

Will my procedure be painful?

Our Dentist and clinic team are very concerned about your comfort and take every measure to avoid inflicting any pain. They will discuss with you before the procedure starts how to let them know if you are feeling pain and if so they will stop immediately. You will be invited to offer input and share concerns throughout your appointment.

Resources

Resource Guide From Safety Net of Tennessee

United Way Resource Guide