The National Association of Dental Plans estimates that about 74 million Americans have no dental coverage.

That means about 23% of the population, or more than double the percentage of the population that lacks health insurance, could be unable to afford basic dental services like cleanings, fillings or extractions.

The good news is that there are several great local resources, including some pop-up missions and some ongoing clinics, that will provide free or reduced-cost dental services and some medical services to people in need.

Here are some clinics on the fall calendar.

Free medical clinic

There is a three-day Community Medical Clinic, with free medical and dental services, Sept. 12-14 at Church of the Messiah, 88 Lafayette St., across from Cameron Prep School in downtown Nashville.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. The clinic — which will include the Brentwood Mobile Dental Units set up to perform X-rays, cleanings, extractions, fillings and more — has taken place every fall for more than a dozen years. Sponsored by Church of the Messiah, Brentwood Baptist and Generation Changers, the clinic will offer vision screenings, readers, flu shots, HIV testing and counseling.

"We expect to serve over 400 people this year," said Dr. Michael Vaughan, one of the organizers. All services are offered at no charge.

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Free dentistry day

Village Crest Family Dental is having a free dental day Sept. 13, where residents in Smyrna and the surrounding area can receive a free cleaning or extraction.

Dentistry Day hours are 7 a.m.-1 p.m. at the dental office at 315 Sam Ridley Parkway West in Smyrna. Patients will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. The dental office hopes to serve more than 100 patients.

Details: 615-220-3440

Dentistry from the Heart

Dr. David Roach's eighth annual Dentistry from the Heart free day of dentistry is Nov. 1 at his 3824 Bedford Ave. office in Green Hills. The volunteer staff will provide one free service per patient, with a choice of free filling, cleaning or extraction to the first 100 patients that day.

The team starts seeing patients at 7:30 a.m. but the line forms much earlier.

Last year, Roach's office helped about 100 patients.

Details: www.greenhillsdentist.net

Interfaith Dental Clinic

One of the most active providers of dental care to the elderly, uninsured and working poor is the Interfaith Dental, which has clinics in Nashville and Murfreesboro.

The two clinics served 3,022 patients last year, which translates into more than $6.7 million in services. All patients pay on a sliding-fee scale, with most paying 20% of market cost.

The clinic's model is to ask patients to pay what they can, to use as many clinical volunteers as possible to provide the care (more than 5,000 volunteer hours last year) and to cover the remaining costs through fundraisers and other initiatives.

Details: interfaithdentalclinic.com

Matthew Walker Centers

Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Centers in Nashville and Clarksville offer a full range of affordable dental care services, including dental exams and cleanings, teeth whitening, oral cancer screenings, dentures, partials, fillings, crowns, tooth extractions, root canal and implants. Fees are on a sliding-income scale.

Details: mwchc.org/services

Neighborhood Health

Neighborhood Health Centers, with three dental centers in Nashville and one in Lebanon, offers a wide range of affordable dental care services, including exams and cleanings, dentures, partials, fillings, crowns and tooth extractions. The centers serve everyone from children through elderly, and those without insurance as well as those with TennCare or commercial coverage. In 2018 Neighborhood Health provided dental care to 3,633 patients. Fees are on a sliding-income scale.

Details: neighborhoodhealthtn.org/services

Chrysalis Oral Health Care

Chrysalis Oral Health Care Alliance is a non profit that partners with existing agencies like Faith Family Medical Center to provide access to preventative and restorative dental care to underserved, underinsured and vulnerable populations in the Nashville area. Fees are determined on a sliding scale. Patients just need to provide proof of income. There are no stipulations regarding employment and they see patients who are referred by partnering non-profits as well as others.

Details: chrysalisohca.org

Student clinics

The Tennessee State University Dental Hygiene Clinic has a student clinic offering dental screenings and basic cleanings for children and adults for reduced fees.

Details: tnstate.edu/dentalhygiene/clinic.aspx or 615-963-5791

Meharry Medical College's School of Dentistry also has a student clinic, which offers services such as fillings, dentures, crowns and bridges at about one-third of private practice rates. Meharry also has a free, student-run Saltwagon Clinic at various locations that offers dental services on some Thursday evenings.

Details on both Meharry clinics: 615-327-6900

Reach Ms. Cheap at 615-259-8282 or mscheap@tennessean.com. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/mscheap, and at Tennessean.com/mscheap, and on Twitter @Ms_Cheap, and catch her every Thursday at 11 a.m. on WTVF-Channel 5’s “Talk of the Town.”