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STD Clinics in Dallas: Public Health, Planned Parenthood and Community Options Compared

Updated · Sources are cited in the text

STD Clinics in Dallas: Public Health, Planned Parenthood and Community Options Compared

This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Dallas has more than one kind of STD clinic. Some are run by the county. Some are nonprofit health centers. One is a community center that grew out of Dallas's LGBTQ+ community. Planned Parenthood is also part of the picture.

They differ in cost, in how you get an appointment, and in what they offer beyond testing. This guide compares them side by side so you can pick the one that fits your situation.

It is a comparison of clinic types, not a ranking of who is best. Hours, prices and services change, so confirm details with a clinic before you go.

Why the choice of clinic matters in Dallas

Dallas County has a high volume of reported infections. Texas DSHS reported 22,073 chlamydia cases in Dallas County in 2022, a rate of 848.7 per 100,000 people. For the same year, DSHS reported a statewide chlamydia rate of 519.9 per 100,000.

DSHS also reported 10,696 gonorrhea cases in Dallas County in 2022, a rate of 411.3 per 100,000. The statewide rate that year was 207.0.

These numbers describe the whole county, not any one person. They are a reason testing is routine health care here. They are not a reason for worry or blame.

Most clinics test for the same core infections. What changes from place to place is the price, the wait, the privacy options and the extras, such as PrEP, a teen-friendly setting or Spanish-language support.

The options at a glance

This table uses only the clinic information on our Dallas fact sheet. "Not listed" means we could not confirm the detail from a source, so please ask the clinic.

OptionCost informationAppointment or walk-inPrEPOther notes
Dallas County Sexual Health Clinic (public health)County page lists no fees. CDC GetTested says Medicaid is accepted.Appointments required. Same-day or next-day slots are offered.Yes, including for uninsured people (per CDC GetTested)Treatment on site. Routine testing without symptoms goes to the DCHHS Mobile Medical Unit.
Planned Parenthood of Greater TexasNot listedNot listedListed in the Texas DSHS PrEP directoryOther services not confirmed. Call to ask.
Resource Center Health (Nelson-Tebedo clinic)Several tests free; some visit and panel fees apply (details below)Request an appointment online. Walk-in not mentioned.Yes, PrEP and PEP prescriptions. Se habla español.Run by Dallas's LGBTQ+ community center
Prism Health North TexasSliding scale. Accepts Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and most private insurance.Schedule ahead. Walk-ins for urgent issues depend on availability.YesFive Dallas locations, one phone number
Foremost Family Health Centers (MLK Jr Family Clinic)Sliding scale. Insurance, Medicaid and Medicare accepted.Appointment (per CDC GetTested)Not listedHPV vaccine listed
Parkland Health (Southeast Dallas Health Center)Free HIV test listed. Sliding scale, insurance and Medicaid accepted.Appointment (per CDC GetTested)PrEP navigation offeredRapid HIV test and hepatitis C testing listed
AHF Healthcare Center - DallasSliding scaleWalk-in; CDC GetTested says no appointment is requiredPrEP navigation listedRapid HIV test listed
Neighborhood Medical CenterSliding scale. Insurance accepted.Walk-in; CDC GetTested says no appointment is requiredListed as a PrEP provider in the DSHS directoryHepatitis C testing listed
Children's Health AYA ClinicNot listedNot listedAdolescent PrEPTeen and young adult clinic. A parent or guardian gives general consent for treatment there.

Public health: Dallas County Sexual Health Clinic

Dallas County Health and Human Services (DCHHS) runs the Sexual Health Clinic at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, 1st Floor, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75207. The phone number is (214) 819-1819.

This is what most people mean by health department STD testing. The county page lists testing for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and mpox. It also lists treatment for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes outbreaks, plus PrEP and nPEP. The CDC GetTested listing adds rapid HIV testing and the HPV vaccine.

Per the county page, hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The phone line opens at 7:45 a.m. The clinic closes at 3:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month.

Pros

  • A full range of tests and on-site treatment in one public health setting.
  • The county page lists no fees, and CDC GetTested says Medicaid is accepted.
  • PrEP and nPEP are offered. CDC GetTested lists PrEP for uninsured people, though you should contact the clinic about eligibility.
  • Same-day or next-day appointments are offered.

Cons

  • Appointments are required, so there are no walk-ins.
  • Routine testing without symptoms is directed to the DCHHS Mobile Medical Unit. Ask the clinic where that unit is and when.
  • The county page says the clinic does not do routine herpes blood screening, Pap smears, or BV and yeast testing.
  • No doxy-PEP service is listed. If you want to talk about it, ask a clinician. CDC issued guidance on doxy-PEP in 2024.

Planned Parenthood in Dallas

Many people ask about Planned Parenthood in Dallas first, because it is a well-known name in sexual health care. This guide treats it as one option among several, and it has no affiliation with any clinic listed here.

We can only confirm one thing from our sources. The Texas DSHS PrEP directory lists Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas at 9100 N Central Expwy, with the phone number 214-368-1485, as a PrEP provider in Dallas.

We could not check Planned Parenthood's own pages for this guide. So we do not list its testing menu, prices, hours or walk-in policy here. Call and ask which STD tests it offers, what the visit costs with and without insurance, and whether you need an appointment.

Pros

  • Listed in the DSHS directory as a PrEP provider.
  • A familiar name for many people, which can make a first visit feel easier.

Cons

  • We could not confirm services, costs or hours from a source, so you will need to call.
  • The address in our sources is on the north side of Dallas, so check the travel time from where you live.

Community option: Resource Center Health

Resource Center is Dallas's LGBTQ+ community center. Its Nelson-Tebedo clinic is at 2603 Inwood Rd., Dallas, TX 75235, phone 214.528.2336. It welcomes everyone who needs testing.

Its testing page lists these prices:

  • A confidential rapid HIV antibody test, an RNA test for early HIV, and a syphilis test are free.
  • Gonorrhea and chlamydia tests are free with a $40 office visit.
  • An anonymous HIV antibody screening is $90.
  • A hepatitis A, B and C panel is $100.

The page does not mention a sliding scale or insurance. Ask about both when you book.

Resource Center also runs a PrEP Care Program that prescribes PrEP and PEP, at 214.540.4469. Staff there say "se habla español." Request an appointment online, since walk-in is not mentioned.

Pros

  • Several key tests are free, including HIV tests that look for early infection.
  • PrEP and PEP prescribing, with Spanish spoken.
  • A community-based setting that many LGBTQ+ people find comfortable.

Cons

  • Prices are mixed. Some tests carry a visit fee or a flat charge.
  • Walk-in availability is unclear.

Community health centers: Prism, Foremost, Parkland, AHF and Neighborhood Medical Center

Several nonprofit and safety-net health centers in Dallas offer STD testing with income-based pricing. They are the broadest category in this comparison.

  • Prism Health North Texas has its Oak Lawn Health Center at 2801 Lemmon Ave, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75204. Its phone number is 214-521-5191. It lists HIV and STI testing and treatment and PrEP at its other Dallas centers too: Oak Cliff, Uptown, South Dallas and Worth Street. It uses sliding fee rates based on household income and size. It accepts Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and most private insurance, and says it does not deny care based on ability to pay.
  • Foremost Family Health Centers runs the Martin Luther King Jr Family Clinic at 2922-B MLK Jr Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215, phone (214) 426-3645. The CDC GetTested listing shows insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and a sliding scale.
  • Parkland Health runs the Southeast Dallas Health Center at 9202 Elam Rd, Dallas, TX 75217, phone (214) 266-1600. CDC GetTested lists a free HIV test, a sliding scale, and PrEP navigation.
  • AHF Healthcare Center - Dallas is at 7777 Forest Ln Ste B 122, Dallas, TX 75230, phone (972) 383-1060. CDC GetTested lists a sliding scale and says no appointment is required.
  • Neighborhood Medical Center is at 5917 Belt Line Rd, Dallas, TX 75254, phone (972) 726-6464. CDC GetTested lists a sliding scale and says no appointment is required.

Four of these listings come from CDC GetTested rather than the clinics' own pages. Call to confirm hours and fees before you travel.

Pros

  • Income-based pricing at nearly every center.
  • Spread across the city, from Oak Cliff to Northeast Dallas.
  • Two walk-in options, AHF and Neighborhood Medical Center, per CDC GetTested.
  • Some also offer primary care, so STD testing can fit into a regular check-up.

Cons

  • The exact price depends on your income and household size, so you may not know the cost until you arrive or call.
  • Test menus differ from center to center.
  • Prism says to schedule ahead. Walk-ins there are for urgent issues and depend on availability.

For teens and young adults: Children's Health AYA Clinic

The Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Clinic is at 2350 N Stemmons Fwy, Ste F5200, Dallas, TX 75207. The phone number is (214) 456-9099. Children's Health lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, HPV and HIV among the conditions the clinic treats, along with adolescent PrEP.

Under Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003, a minor of any age may consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious disease. That covers reportable STIs and HIV, according to the Texas DSHS "HIV and Texas Law" publication. A parent or guardian does not need to consent for that care.

The same statute lets a physician tell a parent or guardian about the treatment, with or without the minor's consent. So no provider can promise a teen that a parent will never hear about it.

Children's Health says a parent or guardian must give general consent for a minor to be treated in this particular clinic. If you are a teen who wants care without a parent's involvement, ask other clinics what their process is before you book.

A no-clinic option: free mailed testing

Test for Texas, a program of the Texas Department of State Health Services, mails a free at-home self-testing kit for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. It is open to anyone in Texas aged 13 or older, and you do not need insurance. You can order at testfortexas.org.

A self-test does not replace a visit if you have symptoms or need treatment. A clinician can also talk with you about vaccines, PrEP and other options that a mailed kit cannot cover.

Best for: matching a clinic to your situation

  • You want testing and treatment under one public roof: the Dallas County Sexual Health Clinic. Plan to book ahead.
  • You want the lowest likely cost and can book ahead: the county clinic, or Resource Center for its free HIV and syphilis tests. Ask both about their current fees.
  • You want income-based pricing near your home: Prism, Foremost, Parkland, AHF or Neighborhood Medical Center. Pick by location and call to confirm fees.
  • You want to be seen without an appointment: AHF or Neighborhood Medical Center, both listed as walk-in on CDC GetTested. Call first anyway.
  • You want an LGBTQ+ community setting, or Spanish spoken: Resource Center Health.
  • You are looking at PrEP or PEP: the county clinic, Resource Center, Prism, Parkland, AHF, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas or the Children's Health AYA Clinic. The Texas DSHS directory lists 22 Dallas PrEP providers in all.
  • You are a teen or young adult: the Children's Health AYA Clinic. Also call other clinics, because minors can consent to STD care under Texas law.
  • You prefer to start at home: Test for Texas.
  • You are considering Planned Parenthood: call 214-368-1485 and ask about services, cost and wait time before you go.

Questions worth asking any clinic

  • Which infections do you test for, and which sample types do you use?
  • What will my visit cost if I have no insurance? Is there a sliding scale?
  • Do I need an appointment, and how soon can I be seen?
  • Is the test confidential, and who sees my results?
  • Can I get treatment here if a result is positive?
  • Do you offer PrEP, PEP or vaccines?

If a test finds a bacterial infection or trichomoniasis, a clinician can prescribe treatment, and these infections are curable. HIV and herpes are not curable but are treatable and manageable with care from a clinician.

Texas also allows expedited partner therapy. Per CDC's Legal Status of EPT in Texas, a physician may prescribe medication for the partners of an established patient, and pharmacists may dispense it. Ask your clinician if that applies to you.

Reportable infections, including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV, are reported to public health authorities under Texas rules. Texas DSHS lists these as notifiable conditions. This is standard public health practice.

The verdict

No single option is best for everyone. The right STD clinic in Dallas depends on what you need and how fast you need it.

The Dallas County Sexual Health Clinic is the strongest all-around public health choice. It offers a wide range of tests, on-site treatment and PrEP, with no fees listed on the county page. The trade-offs are that you must make an appointment and that routine testing without symptoms goes to the mobile unit.

Resource Center is the best fit for people who want free HIV and syphilis tests in an LGBTQ+ community setting, with Spanish spoken. The community health centers are the best fit for income-based pricing close to home, and AHF and Neighborhood Medical Center are the two to try if you want to skip the appointment.

Planned Parenthood is a legitimate option. We just cannot give a service-by-service comparison, because we could not verify its details from a source. A short phone call will tell you what you need.

Whichever you choose, the most important step is getting tested at all. For a fuller walk-through of pricing and what to expect, read STD testing in Dallas: where to get tested and what it costs. For the full list of places, see our local testing list.

You can also look up more locations through the CDC's testing locator at gettested.cdc.gov.

Sources