Dental services at the Northern Neck – Middlesex Free Health Clinic have expanded to five days and four evenings each week.

The NNMFHC is home to a Medical Clinic, open five days and two evenings each week, and a Pharmacy as well as the six-station Dental Clinic. The dental staff includes a dentist, hygienist, two dental assistants and a dental coordinator. The dentist oversees VCU School of Dentistry senior dental and dental hygiene students on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; on Tuesdays and some Mondays, when students are not present, he manages a denture program and handles emergencies.

In September the Clinic hired Antonia Kimble, a Registered Dental Hygienist who sees patients Mondays through Thursdays during the day and in the evenings. Through a remote supervision agreement for safety net clinics such as the NNMFHC, nursing homes, and other settings beyond private practices, she can see both new and established patients for services and treatments specified by the Virginia Board of Dentistry without the presence of a staff dentist; new patients receiving the care also are scheduled to see the dentist for a comprehensive examination and final treatment plan.

At the NNMFHC, the remote supervision agreement allows an additional full day of patient appointments on Mondays, and scheduling of late-day appointments between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The availability of appointments after normal work hours is a significant development in making health care accessible to all.

The Dental Clinic is open to the uninsured, under-insured, Medicaid recipients, and those on Medicare whose incomes are at or below 300% of the federal poverty level. During 2023, the Dental Clinic has served 1,406 individuals.

If you or someone you know needs dental care, contact the Clinic at 804-435-0575. Evening dental appointments have just begun, and openings are currently available. Daytime appointments generally are booked four to six weeks out, though emergencies are handled as soon as possible.