Frequently Asked Questions

Comfort Dental has 196+ locations across 10 states: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington. So there's a good chance we're close by. Use the search tool on our Find a Dentist page to find your nearest location, find out more and make an appointment.

All Comfort Dental locations welcome new patients, and your first exam and X-rays start at just $19 at most offices. Whether you haven't been to the dentist in a while or you're just looking for a fresh start, we'll get you taken care of.

Just the basics: a photo ID and your insurance or Medicaid card, if you have one. If you have a list of current medications or any relevant dental records, bring those along too.

Some Comfort Dental locations offer the option to fill out new patient paperwork ahead of time online, to save waiting-room time.

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We make it easy.

You'll check in at the front desk, fill out a short health history form (if you haven't already done it online), and get started.

Your dentist will do an exam, ask about pain or concerns you've had, and typically take X-rays too.

Afterward, your care team walks you through what they see and explain the next steps you can take toward keeping your dental health at its best. No pressure, no surprises. Find more details on our New Patient Info page.

The Comfort Dental $19 New Patient Exam includes a full dental examination and X-rays. It'll cover everything your dentist needs to understand where your oral health stands and what, if anything, needs attention.

The $19 offer is available to new patients at most Comfort Dental locations (check with your dentist). Payment is due at the time of service.

Comfort Dental's $19 New Patient Offer is available at most Comfort Dental locations, but not all. Since each office is independently owned and operated, some may not participate.

If you want to make sure, call your dentist to confirm. Find your Comfort Dental location with our search tool.

Many Comfort Dental locations do have Spanish-speaking team members or offer language assistance services. But since offices are independently owned and operated, availability varies by location.

If language access is important to you, we'd recommend calling ahead. The team will let you know what's available. Find your Comfort Dental location with the search tool on our site.

Our care staffs shine when it comes to nervous patients. A lot of people come to Comfort Dental after years of avoiding the dentist, whether it was because of anxiety, cost, or a mix of both. We get it and we've got you.

Our teams are trained to work at your pace and communicate clearly about what's happening, so nothing feels surprising or scary. For patients who need a little extra help relaxing, most of our locations offer sedation options including nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and oral sedation.

If dental anxiety is keeping you from making an appointment, give us a call. We can help take the stress out of dental care.

Walk-ins get the same care and attention as scheduled appointments, because every patient deserves to feel like a priority — a cracked tooth, a lost filling, or a sudden flare-up of pain.

And it isn’t only for emergencies. If you’ve been putting off care because scheduling feels like a hassle, we make it easy to just come in.

Please visit our locations page and find your practice. Each location has a specific online scheduling link you can find.

Please call or email your practice. Find your location on our locations page.

Every office is open 7:30 a.m.–7:30 p.m. Monday - Friday and 7:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. on Saturdays, making it easier to fit dental care into your schedule.

Weekend appointments at select locations, with Saturday hours from 7:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. for families, busy professionals, and anyone who needs care outside the workweek.

We stay open later on weekdays so you can come after work or school, with no need to take time off. Every office is open 7:30am-7:30pm.

Comfort Dental offers emergency dentistry at locations across 10 states, and in most cases we do our best to see you the same day. New patients welcome, with extended and Saturday hours at many locations. Please visit our Emergency Care page for more information.

Most dentist appointments take between 30 and 60 minutes, but the exact time depends heavily on the type of procedure you are having.

Our Discount Plan is Your Solution! Our membership program makes preventive care available at predictable monthly rates with no surprise bills. It even covers discounted braces and other services.

At Comfort Dental, we believe that quality dental care should be accessible to everyone regardless of their financial situation. That's why we proudly welcome patients with Medicaid at many of our locations. Find out more about Medicaid at Comfort Dental.

Comfort Dental works with most major dental insurance carriers, and our teams are trained to help you get the most out of your benefits. We’ll file your claims for you and walk you through what your plan covers before treatment begins. Learn more about insurance plans accepted at Comfort Dental.

The Comfort Dental Gold Plan is a discount dental plan, not insurance, created for patients who do not have dental coverage. For one low yearly or monthly cost, members get their routine care included and save on nearly everything else at participating Comfort Dental locations. $15 a month or $150 a year. Learn More

Visit the "Fee Schedule" section of our Gold Plan page to see what is covered by state.

Prices start at $5, but it varies by state. Visit the "Fee Schedule" section of our Gold Plan page to see what is covered in each state.

Comfort Dental offers general dentistry (cleanings, exams, fillings, crowns, bridges, sealants, fluoride treatments) along with braces and clear aligners, dental implants, oral surgery (extractions, wisdom teeth), periodontics (gum disease treatment), endodontics (root canals), pediatric dentistry through Comfort Kids, and emergency and same-day appointments — all under one roof at most locations. Visit our services to learn more.

Most patients should plan on a check-up and cleaning every six months. Some patients — including those with a history of gum disease, diabetes, weakened immune systems, or who smoke — may benefit from more frequent visits, such as every three to four months. Find your location today.

Through Comfort Dental's Gold Plan, braces start at $99/month with no down payment and no start-up fee — roughly half what many other orthodontists charge. Exact pricing varies by case complexity and location, so a consultation will give you a specific quote.

Yes. In addition to traditional metal braces, Comfort Dental offers invisible/clear aligners (including Invisalign at many locations) as a removable, nearly invisible alternative for mild-to-moderate misalignment. Learn more.

Yes. Implants are one of their core services — a titanium post is placed in the jawbone to support a custom crown, bridge, or denture, replacing both the root and visible portion of a missing tooth. Mini-implants are also available for patients with lower bone density. Learn more.

Yes, through their endodontics service. When decay or damage reaches the inner pulp of a tooth, a root canal removes the infected tissue and seals the tooth to relieve pain and save the natural tooth rather than extracting it.

Yes. Our oral surgery service covers simple and complex tooth extractions, wisdom teeth removal, and related procedures, with sedation options available for patient comfort.

Comfort Dental positions itself as a one-stop shop — general dentistry, orthodontics, implants, oral surgery, periodontics, and endodontics are all available in their network. For more complex cases, your general dentist may refer you to an in-network specialist (periodontist, endodontist, oral surgeon, or orthodontist), and their offices note they work with these specialists so care stays coordinated.

Yes. Regular checkups catch problems like early decay or gum disease before symptoms appear, when treatment is simpler and less costly. Checkups also include a professional cleaning that removes tartar your toothbrush can't reach.

Bleeding is most often an early sign of gingivitis — gum inflammation caused by plaque buildup at the gumline. It can also result from brushing too hard, a new flossing routine, certain medications, or pregnancy. If it persists, it's worth having your dentist take a look, since untreated gingivitis can progress to more serious periodontal disease.

A deep cleaning (periodontal/scaling and root planing) targets plaque and tartar buildup below the gumline, deeper than a routine cleaning reaches, and is used to treat gum disease. Signs you may need one include bleeding, swollen or receding gums, persistent bad breath, or loose teeth — your dentist can confirm with a periodontal exam. Afterward, many patients need maintenance cleanings every three to four months rather than the standard six.

Comfort Kids is Comfort Dental's dedicated pediatric dentistry program, staffed by dentists who've completed an additional 2–3 years of specialized training beyond dental school. It's built around prevention, education, and building trust — with child-sized equipment, kid-friendly language, and a gentle approach designed to make dental visits something kids look forward to rather than fear.

As soon as your child's first tooth appears, or by their first birthday at the latest — whichever comes first. Starting early helps catch potential issues sooner and gets kids comfortable with dental visits from the start.

Yes. Comfort Kids dentists are trained to treat patients from infancy through age 18, including toddlers, kids with dental anxiety, and children with special healthcare needs. Some locations even offer hospital dentistry for kids who need treatment in a hospital setting.

Yes. Comfort Dental Braces treats patients of all ages, including children and teens, offering both traditional metal braces and clear aligner options (including Invisalign and Reveal Clear Aligners at many locations) depending on the case.

Common signs include crowding or overlapping teeth, visible gaps, early or late loss of baby teeth, difficulty biting or chewing, thumb-sucking habits past early childhood, or a noticeable overbite/underbite/crossbite. The best way to know for sure is a consultation — Comfort Dental's orthodontic team evaluates your child's teeth, bite, and jaw development and recommends whether treatment (and when) makes sense.

Yes, in most cases. Comprehensive dental coverage for children under Medicaid is federally mandated, and the large majority of Comfort Dental offices accept Medicaid patients — though acceptance can vary by specific office and plan, so it's best to call ahead and confirm with your local location.

Comfort Dental was founded in 1991, making us 35 years old!

Dr. Rick A. Kushner, D.D.S., who graduated from Marquette University School of Dentistry in 1977 and built Comfort Dental around the idea of accessible, fairly priced dentistry. He remains President, Founder, CEO, and CFO of the company today.

Not exactly. Each Comfort Dental office is independently owned and operated by a licensed dentist, so specific services offered, doctors, and day-to-day practices can vary somewhat from office to office, even though all locations share the same brand mission of affordable, accessible care.

Comfort Dental is a franchise model. Every Comfort Dental-branded office is an independent franchise owned and operated by a licensed dentist — not a corporate-owned chain — which the company says lets dentists work as owner/partners rather than on an hourly or production-based schedule.

Comfort Dental has 196+ locations across 10 states: Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, and Washington.

To get to know our dentists better, explore the Comfort Dental blog, where we regularly share updates about dental care and more.

Care Day is Comfort Dental's annual day of free dental care, held each year on December 23rd from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Anyone can walk in for free treatment — no insurance, no cost, no appointment needed. The tradition started in 1984 in Colorado, and since then Comfort Dental offices nationwide have donated over $22.8 million in free dental services, seeing more than 3,500 patients and donating over $1.4 million in care in 2023 alone. Find out more about the annual Care Day at Comfort Dental locations.

Visit the Our Story page here on our website.