Students who have a massive toothache and no dental insurance can now receive dental services at a reduced cost.

The Story County Community Dental Clinic, 126 S. Kellogg Ave., opened its doors two weeks ago. The clinic provides a full range of services to people without dental insurance, including exams, screenings, X-rays, cleanings, fluoride treatments, fillings, extractions, emergency pain relief, anesthesia, nitrous oxide and oral health education.

The clinic costs $10 per patient, unless they have Medicaid. The need for an inexpensive dental clinic in Ames has existed for years, said Va Linda Parsons, director of the Story County Community Dental Clinic.

Before the Community Dental Clinic opened, “at least one person would show up at the Mary Greeley Free Medical Clinic, complaining about their teeth,” Parsons said. “We had no ability to help them. Fortunately, this clinic will fill a large, large demand.”

Students without dental insurance will also be able to use the facilities, but only if they have a legitimate need, she said. Students under their parents’ dental insurance won’t be able to use the clinic.

“We want this to be a place for those who can’t receive dental care any other way,” Parsons said.

While the Story County Community Dental Clinic offers the same services as any other clinic, the similarities end there.

Parsons said the Community Dental Clinic was different from private dental practices, because those establishments operate to make a profit.

“We’ll be losing money in this operation,” she said. “I definitely won’t make as much money as a hygienist here than I would in a private clinic.”

Funding for the clinic comes from three grants. The Wellmark Foundation gave $50,000, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gave $75,000 and the Melsa Foundation gave $25,000.

The Melsa Foundation is funded by James Melsa, dean of Iowa State’s College of Engineering. He said the need for inexpensive clinics are needed on a national scale, but also a local scale.

“I realized there was an unfulfilled need for [a clinic], especially among young children and the elderly,” Melsa said.

Public Information Coordinator Julian Ohlendorf said the clinic didn’t appear overnight, but was the culmination of years of hard work. A dental task force was commissioned in Story County to determine the need of such a clinic, and they responded with an overwhelming “yes,” Ohlendorf said.

“[The task force] has pushed for a cheap dental clinic for two years,” she said. “It’s been a long process to see this vision turn into a reality.”

The clinic is open on Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m. A hygienist is available from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Friday.

Each patient pays $10, but if they earn more than $16,400 annually, a sliding fee scale will be used to determine costs of services for uninsured individuals. Services are by appointment only.

To schedule an appointment, call (515) 956-4595.