Jackson County reports nearly 16 syphilis cases per 100,000 residents, closer to the US average. Whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening in Dodson Branch, Tennessee, you have options. Community and public clinics often provide low-cost or free services, whereas private labs typically offer faster results and more flexible scheduling.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Dodson Branch, TN. The nearest, Tennessee Department of Health, is about 7.7 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
Tennessee Department of Health in Gainesboro is a public health department, which means STI care sits alongside TB, hepatitis, and family planning under coordinated public-health oversight. The standard panel runs free, same-visit treatment covers bacterial infections, and an appointment is required. All at no fee.
Every test, vaccine, and treatment visit is funded through public health appropriations. Not billed to patients, not means-tested at the front desk, not contingent on insurance status. The fee structure is zeroed out across the entire service catalog, from the initial HIV test to STI treatment to the hepatitis A and B vaccine series.
Interpretation services for non-English languages are available at this clinic, meaning language access is coordinated as part of scheduling rather than improvised at intake. Clinical staff can conduct the full appointment (history, counseling, results) through a supported interpreter rather than working around a language gap mid-visit.
The Tennessee Department of Health in Gainesboro carries hepatitis C treatment through to completion on-site, direct-acting antiviral therapy prescribed and overseen by the same public health clinical staff who ran the initial hepatitis C test. Viral load monitoring and treatment response stay within the department rather than moving to a separate provider.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Choice Health Network, a Positively Living Company in Cookeville, is a dedicated HIV and sexual health organization: meaning STI testing, treatment, and prevention are its core work, not a side service. The standard panel covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis B and C, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, all at no fee. Appointments are required.
Every test, treatment, vaccine, and prevention service at Choice Health Network costs nothing, which means PrEP, PEP, and hepatitis C treatment are as financially reachable as a basic HIV screen.
Leaving a testing appointment without a prevention prescription means an extra provider visit, extra time, and often extra cost before protection begins. Choice Health Network carries both PrEP and PEP on-site, so prevention doesn't stall between diagnosis and pharmacy.
Choice Health Network treats hepatitis C on-site, so a reactive test doesn't hand patients a specialist's name and a waiting period; clearance of the virus begins within the same organization that found it.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jan 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Upper Cumberland Regional Health Department in Algood requires an appointment, and that single visit covers rapid and conventional HIV testing, hepatitis A, B, and C, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and TB, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, all at no fee.
Upper Cumberland Regional Health Department structures its entire operation around a no-fee model: testing, STI treatment, PrEP prescribing, DoxyPEP, hepatitis C treatment, and HIV/AIDS medical management are all staffed and dispensed on-site without any charge attached to any service line.
Staff at Upper Cumberland Regional Health Department communicate directly in American Sign Language, Chinese, French, and Haitian Creole, along with Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, and Vietnamese: meaning clinical conversations about medication adherence, PrEP regimens, or hepatitis treatment happen in the patient's own language without a relay.
Leaving Algood with only an HIV-negative result but no prescription pathway means prevention stalls before it starts. Upper Cumberland Regional Health Department closes that gap by prescribing and managing PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP directly. All three regimens dispensed and monitored within the same clinic, at no fee.
Languages
American Sign Language, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 8 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Dodson Branch, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Jackson County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
115 North Peachtree Avenue, Cookeville, TN 38501
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1 Medical Center Boulevard, Cookeville, TN 38501
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
1 Medical Center Boulevard, Cookeville, TN 38501
CMS-certified lab
225 North Willow Avenue, Suite 3, Cookeville, TN 38501
CMS-certified lab
435 North Cedar Avenue, Cookeville, TN 38501
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Dodson Branch. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 132 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Dodson Branch. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 43 offer telehealth.
Douglas Dycus, MD
Internal medicine · 3698 South Grundy Quarles Highway, Gainesboro
Keith Hill, MD
Family medicine · 100 Jettie Mabry Lane, Gainesboro
Rebecca Zadroga, MD Telehealth
Infectious disease · 1 Medical Ctr Boulevard, Cookeville
Mark Pierce, MD
Infectious disease · 1 Medical Ctr Boulevard, Cookeville
John Ekong, MD
Internal medicine · 1 Medical Ctr Boulevard, Cookeville
Jody Haddock, MD
Internal medicine · 1 Medical Ctr Boulevard, Cookeville
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Dodson Branch, TN publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Gainesboro Drugs
7.6 miAnderson & Hale Drugs
7.6 miSuper D Drugs
9.8 mi
9.9 mi 
9.9 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Dodson Branch, TN.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Dodson Branch, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Jackson County, the county that includes Dodson Branch, compare with Tennessee and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~32% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#80 of 95 Tennessee counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 16% of the state
| Infection | Jackson County | Tennessee | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 169.9 21 cases ▼ 67% | 517.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 64.7 8 cases ▼ 65% | 186.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 16.2 2 cases ▲ 9% | 14.8 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 32.4 4 cases ▲ 182% | 11.5 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 16.2 2 cases ▼ 39% | 26.4 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Jackson County, chlamydia has fallen from 241 to 169.9 per 100,000 (30%), gonorrhea has fallen from 120.5 to 64.7 per 100,000 (46%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 8.6 to 16.2 per 100,000 (88%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Jackson County.
Local HIV snapshot
Jackson County HIV care continuum (2022)
Jackson County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2022), against 14.8 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Jackson County residents living with HIV, 72.7% are in care · 63.6% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Jackson County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Folks in Dodson Branch who work or spend time near Tater Knob know the area well enough to notice what's there and what isn't. STD testing isn't something the town offers within its own limits, but the clinics and urgent care centers listed on this page sit close enough that a screening visit doesn't require a major expedition. For residents managing tight budgets, cost matters as much as convenience: several of those nearby facilities work with people on limited income, and some offer sliding-scale fees. Young adults in their twenties and thirties make up a real presence here, and many of them understand that regular testing is part of staying healthy.
A screening caught early, before symptoms show, can mean simpler treatment and peace of mind. The confidentiality built into STI testing is straightforward: your results don't flow to employers, landlords, or anyone else in your life unless you choose to share them. Getting tested in or around Dodson Branch means stepping into a clinic where staff expect your questions and won't make you feel rushed. Whether you're checking in because of a specific concern or because it's simply been a while, the process is the same: direct, private, and designed to give you the information you need to move forward.
Getting there
At 7.07/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Dodson Branch generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 38501 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 38501 area around Dodson Branch: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Dodson Branch alone.
Dodson Branch sits in Jackson County, ZIP 38501. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Dodson Branch? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Jackson County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Tennessee law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Dodson Branch-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Dodson Branch often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on Tennessee law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In Tennessee, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Tennessee permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in TennesseeSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
Some clinics and labs take walk-ins for same-day testing; call ahead to confirm hours.
Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.
Yes, community and public clinics test the uninsured, with sliding-scale fees.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 170 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the Tennessee average.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
In Tennessee, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
It means an infection was found; a provider confirms it and starts treatment, most STIs are curable or manageable.
Medical records are protected under federal HIPAA law, ask the clinic how it handles your information.
HPV and hepatitis B vaccines prevent those infections, ask a provider if you're due.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.