Both the size and the range of specialties here are unusual, and together they mean most patients will not need to leave the neighborhood for anything. Everything below comes from the practice registry.
What is listed in Central Tacoma
Thirty seven of the 75 listings are general dentistry, which is under half, and the specialist side is correspondingly deep: 10 periodontists, eight endodontists, six in oral and maxillofacial surgery, six pediatric dentists, five orthodontists and three prosthodontists, plus five dental clinics. Every specialty this directory tracks is represented.
S Union Ave holds 41 practices, more than half the neighborhood. S 18th St and S Cedar St have six each, S 19th St has five and S Washington St has four. That level of concentration makes comparing practices straightforward, but confirm the building and suite number when you book.
Fifty one listings are registered as individual practitioners and 24 as organizations. Fifty of the 75 have been registered since before 2010, a high proportion, and the oldest registration in Central Tacoma dates to 2005. None of the 75 has published a website or opening hours through this directory, and none has been claimed by its owner.
How to choose between them
The depth of specialist cover means you can usually go directly to the right kind of practice. Ten periodontists and eight endodontists is more choice than most cities offer in a single neighborhood, which matters when you want a second opinion on a large treatment plan rather than accepting the first one.
For routine care, 37 general dentists is a good field. Call several and ask each whether they are taking new patients, whether they are in network with your plan, how soon you could be seen and what they treat in house. Because half the neighborhood shares one street, ask for the suite number as well.
- Six pediatric dentists and five orthodontists means families can compare options rather than take the first appointment offered.
- Twenty four listings are organizations. Ask how many dentists work there and whether you can request the same one.
- Fifty of the 75 have been registered since before 2010, which points to a stable set of practices rather than to quality.
If you need something Central Tacoma does not have
No specialty is missing here. Every one this directory tracks has a listing in the neighborhood, and most have several practices, so there is no type of dental care you would have to travel for. The reasons to look elsewhere are availability, insurance, or wanting an opinion from outside the area.
If you do widen the search, the nearby neighborhoods are all small by comparison. South Tacoma has 22 practices 1.8 miles away, Hilltop has 20 at 1.5 miles and Oakland Madrona has 18 at 0.8 miles. North End has eight at two miles, 6th Avenue has seven at 0.9 miles and Proctor has three at two miles.
Insurance and paying
Our listings come from the national practice registry, which records the practice, the address and the specialty. It holds no fees, no opening hours and no insurance information at all, so nothing on this page can tell you what treatment costs or which plans a practice takes. Claiming a listing is how an owner publishes that, and none of the 75 in Central Tacoma has been claimed.
So check by phone before treatment begins. Ask the practice about network status for your exact plan, then confirm it separately with your insurer. For anything beyond an exam and cleaning, ask for a written estimate with procedure codes and what your plan is expected to cover. With this many practices nearby, a second opinion is easy to arrange and often worth the time.
If it is urgent
For a broken tooth, a lost crown or pain that painkillers are not touching, work along the general practices on S Union Ave and ask each whether they hold same day emergency appointments. Six oral surgery practices and eight endodontists are listed here, so most urgent problems can be handled locally. You can also search by distance from where you are at dentist directory.
Certain symptoms mean an emergency room rather than a dental office. Go to hospital if swelling is spreading toward your eye or down into your neck, if breathing or swallowing has become difficult, if you have a fever with facial swelling, or if bleeding from the mouth will not stop.
Questions patients ask
How many dentists are in Central Tacoma?
Seventy five dental practices are listed, out of 495 across Tacoma. Thirty seven are general dentistry, with 10 periodontists, eight endodontists, six oral surgery practices, six pediatric dentists, five orthodontists, three prosthodontists and five dental clinics. Forty one of the listings are on S Union Ave, and 50 have been registered since before 2010.
Which street has the most dentists in Central Tacoma?
S Union Ave, with 41 of the 75 listings, more than half the neighborhood. S 18th St and S Cedar St have six each, S 19th St has five and S Washington St has four. Confirm the suite number when you book.
Do I need to leave Central Tacoma to see a specialist?
No. Every specialty this directory tracks has a listing in the neighborhood, and most have several practices, including 10 periodontists and eight endodontists. That is enough choice to compare opinions rather than accept the first treatment plan offered. Six oral and maxillofacial surgery practices and six pediatric dentists are listed here as well.