Dientes Community Dental Care

What Dientes Community Dental Care does

Dientes Community Dental Care is a nonprofit community dental provider founded in 1992 and headquartered in Santa Cruz County, California. It operates five fixed-site dental clinics plus an outreach site, serving more than 16,000 patients annually, with a cumulative patient base of 50,000+ since inception. In fiscal year 2022-2023 it delivered 45,174 visits to 12,319 unique individuals, with the patient population predominantly composed of Medi-Cal beneficiaries and uninsured or underinsured residents.

The organization delivers preventive, restorative, and emergency dental services supported by digital X-ray and electronic health record infrastructure. It augments its clinical capacity through a dental residency program hosted in partnership with NYU Langone Health and a Dental Assistant Apprenticeship program launched in 2024. Outreach channels extend through partnerships with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Housing Matters, and Salud Para La Gente, generating referrals into school-age, homeless, and broader safety-net populations.

Revenue is generated from Medi-Cal reimbursements, sliding-scale patient fees calibrated to income, and grants and philanthropic donations, including a $5M Senior Oral Health Coalition investment from Delta Dental. The operating model combines direct clinical care with clinical training and workforce development, positioning the organization as a community-embedded safety-net dental platform rather than a transactional dental practice.

Name

Dientes Community Dental Care

Legal name

Dientes Community Dental Care

Website

https://dientes.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Dientes Community Dental Care is a nonprofit safety-net dental provider operating five clinics and an outreach site in Santa Cruz County, California, serving Medi-Cal beneficiaries and uninsured residents through sliding-scale fees and grant-funded care.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Dental Care

NAICS

Offices of Dentists (621210), Offices of Dentists (6212), Offices of Dentists (62121)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Community & Public Health Dentistry Clinics (FQHC/School-Based/Nonprofit) (HLABAAAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medicaid/Community-Focused DSOs (HLABAKAM), General Dentistry Group Practices (HLABAKAB), School/Community-Based Preventive Dental Programs (HLABAHAM), Geriatric & Special Needs General Dentistry (HLABAAAH), Medicaid/CHIP Dental Managed Care Plans (HLAEAIAI)

Keywords

• Community dental care
• Medi-Cal dental services
• Sliding scale dentistry
• Pediatric dental clinic
• Nonprofit dental clinic

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Cruz

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Medi-Cal/Denti-Cal Reimbursements: Primary revenue stream from serving Medi-Cal beneficiaries. Organization is one of very few dental providers in Santa Cruz County accepting Medi-Cal. Pregnant women with Medi-Cal are covered on a limited basis.
2. Sliding Scale Patient Fees: Affordable sliding scale fees based on Federal Poverty Guidelines for uninsured/cash patients. Fee scale determined by proof of income.
3. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, foundations, and corporate partners. 100% of donations go directly to patient care. Major grants from Delta Dental Community Care Foundation and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Dientes Community Dental Care provides affordable, comprehensive dental care through five clinic locations in Santa Cruz County and an Outreach Program at schools, nursing facilities, and community hubs. Services include exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals, dentures, oral surgery, and pediatric dentistry, with sliding scale fees for uninsured patients and Medi-Cal (Denti-Cal) coverage acceptance. The organization has served 50,000+ patients since its founding in 1992, with 97% of patients living at or below the Federal Poverty Level.

Product overview

Dientes Community Dental Care operates as a community dental clinic network providing affordable, comprehensive dental care services. The organization offers a unified portfolio of dental services through five clinic locations in Santa Cruz County and an Outreach Program. Core services include general dentistry (exams, cleanings, fillings, extractions), specialty care (endodontics, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry), and prosthodontics (dentures, stay plates). The clinic serves Medi-Cal beneficiaries and uninsured patients through sliding scale fees, and offers workforce development through a dental residency program in partnership with NYU Langone Health.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Dental Care Services Comprehensive dental care services including exams, cleanings, X-rays, fillings, crowns, extractions, root canals, and emergency care for patients of all ages in Santa Cruz County.
• Pediatric Dental Services Specialized dental care for children from toddlers through teenagers, including checkups, fluoride treatments, dental sealants, and gentle compassionate treatment. Includes wheelchair-accessible equipment for disabled patients.
• Dentures and Stay Plates Full and partial dentures and stay plates for patients who have lost teeth. Dientes is the only Medi-Cal dental provider in Santa Cruz County offering these prosthodontic services.
• Specialty Care Program Endodontic (root canal) and oral surgery services for patients who previously had to leave the county to access these services, including extractions and surgical procedures.
• Sliding Scale Fee Program Affordable dental care for uninsured patients with fees determined by income based on Federal Poverty Guidelines. Requires proof of income for fee determination.
• Outreach Program Mobile dental services bringing care to underserved residents at schools, skilled nursing facilities, and community hubs, including an outreach clinic at Housing Matters.
• Medi-Cal (Denti-Cal) Services Dental coverage for Medi-Cal beneficiaries; Dientes is one of very few dental providers in the county serving Medi-Cal patients, including limited coverage for pregnant women.
• Dental Residency Program Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency program in partnership with NYU Langone Health, training dental school graduates in community dentistry serving predominantly low-income patients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of patients live at or below Federal Poverty Level
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Santa Cruz County Office of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership for Dental Assistant Registered Apprenticeship Program offering didactic and paid on-the-job training. The apprenticeship creates an ongoing pipeline of qualified dental assistant candidates in the county.
• Grey BearsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership to provide dental care and hygiene kits to seniors in need through Grey Bears' senior services program.
• Health Quality Partners (HQP) of Southern CaliforniaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2023New coalition partner added to Delta Dental Senior Oral Health Coalition Program through expansion announced in March 2023.
• Delta Dental Community Care FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2022Multi-year Senior Oral Health Coalition Program to address the oral health crisis among older adults. Dientes and Salud Para La Gente are coalition members working to promote the connection between oral health and overall health, improve access, and create greater equity in care for seniors. The coalition received a $5 million program investment.
• NYU Langone Health (NYU Langone Dental Medicine Postdoctoral Residency Programs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Partnership to train the next generation of dental professionals through an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency program. Dientes is the first residency program site in Santa Cruz County, providing hands-on training for dental school graduates in a community health setting. Residents gain experience serving a predominantly low-income patient population.
• Salud Para La GentecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-member of Delta Dental Senior Oral Health Coalition. Partner in addressing senior oral health crisis in Santa Cruz County.
• Housing MatterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost site for Outreach Clinic providing dental services to homeless and underserved populations. One-chair outreach clinic at Housing Matters campus serving those who might not otherwise access dental care.
• Workforce Santa Cruz CountyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkforce development partner supporting RDA-EF and Hygiene Scholarships for staff training and career advancement.
• Pajaro Valley Unified School DistrictcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOne of six school districts receiving oral health education and preventive services through Dientes outreach program at 30+ schools.
• Oral Health Access Santa Cruz County (OHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner24-member coalition led by Dientes' Dr. Sepi Taghvaei as inaugural co-chair. Multi-partnership effort to improve oral health of Santa Cruz County residents through cross-sector collaboration.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Salud Para La Gente: Federally qualified community health center serving Santa Cruz and Monterey counties with medical, dental, and behavioral health services. Directly comparable as a fellow Medi-Cal-accepting FQHC in the same region and a named coalition partner with Dientes in the Delta Dental Senior Oral Health Coalition.
• La Clínica de La Raza: Large California FQHC network with extensive dental services across the Bay Area serving primarily Medi-Cal and uninsured patients. Highly comparable nonprofit community dental model with sliding scale fees, bilingual services, and similar mission focus.
• LifeLong Medical Care: East Bay FQHC providing comprehensive primary care including dental services to low-income and uninsured populations. Comparable community health center model with sliding scale, Medi-Cal acceptance, and outreach to underserved communities.
• Asian Health Services: Oakland-based FQHC offering dental care among other services to low-income patients with strong multilingual capability. Comparable community health nonprofit serving a high proportion of publicly insured and uninsured patients.
• Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center: Alameda County FQHC providing medical, dental, and behavioral health services to underserved populations. Directly comparable as a California community health nonprofit with sliding scale dental services and Medi-Cal focus.
• Gardner Health Services: Santa Clara County FQHC network operating multiple clinic sites with dental services for low-income and uninsured residents. Comparable multi-site community dental nonprofit in adjacent Northern California geography.
• CommuniCare Health Centers: Yolo County FQHC providing medical, dental, and behavioral health to Medi-Cal and uninsured populations. Comparable nonprofit community dental model with sliding scale fees and outreach programs.
• Petaluma Health Center: Sonoma County FQHC with integrated dental services serving low-income and Medi-Cal patients. Comparable community health nonprofit with sliding scale dental and similar patient demographics.

Regional players

• Santa Cruz Community Health Centers: Local Santa Cruz County FQHC providing primary care with co-located dental services at some sites. Operates in the same county as Dientes and competes for the same Medi-Cal population, though its dental offering is less extensive.

Broad incumbents

• Borrego Community Health Foundation: Large multi-site California FQHC system with dental services across Southern California. Comparable as a broad community health nonprofit but operates at much larger scale and different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCCu3TmPyzfb8gQduAYORtmw
• Facebookfacebook.com/pages/Dientes-Community-Dental-Care/154506604585881
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dientes-community-dental-care
• Instagraminstagram.com/dientescommunitydentalcare

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dientes Community Dental Care