Community Dental provides accessible and affordable oral health care services to strengthen the community and help our patients build healthier lives. We focus on oral health education and disease prevention through preventive services, also offering restorative and emergency oral care to those in need. Our veteran staff of dedicated dentists and hygienists see over 16,000 patients of all ages each year, with the strong conviction that every child, adult and senior deserves the opportunity to experience quality, comprehensive dental care throughout their lives. We serve Southern and Central Maine, as well as The Western Foothills; our dental centers are located in Portland, Biddeford, Lewiston, Rumford, and Farmington.
At the height of the Spanish Flu in 1918, a group of volunteers occupied a small office in the Children's Hospital on High Street in Portland, Maine to provide dental care to children. By 1921, the American Red Cross had taken over day-to-day operations, and it became known as the Red Cross Dental Clinic, maintaining the creed of dental care for the public. 13 years later, on September 28th, the clinic was incorporated under the name of the Children's Dental Clinic, still operating out of the Children's Hospital. When the hospital closed its doors and moved its patients to Maine General Hospital -later to become Maine Medical Center- the Children's Dental Clinic was forced to find a new home. In February 1948, the clinic moved to India Street and began providing services at the City Dispensary.
On their 52nd anniversary, the Children's Dental Clinic became known as the Center for Community Dental Health and expanded their scope of service to include the whole family; children, parents, and grandparents. The organization continued to expand, opening locations in other areas within southern Maine, reaching up to the Western Foothills and central Maine before changing their name to Community Dental in 2003.
100 years since that small office on High street, Community Dental has become one of the most comprehensive non profit dental organization in the country. Constantly expanding the services we offer to the community, Community Dental is a five-center, state-of-the-art, oral health care organization. True to our mission, we have provided quality, comprehensive dental care to generations of smiling families.
For more information about a specific dental center, including requesting an appointment, click here.