Shenandoah Dental Clinic 

Woodstock, Va. 

Originally a part of the Shenandoah County Free Clinic, the Shenandoah Dental Clinic (SDC) serves low-income patients without dental insurance coverage. The clinic serves over 1,000 patients annually and provides services such as hygiene treatment and instruction, fillings, extractions, root canals and crowns. SDC is also a training site for college hygiene students.

Only 25% of persons over 60 have all of their original teeth. Older adults more commonly have severe gum disease, which along with other oral conditions often increases the risk for conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. The 2018 grant of $10,000 assisted in the Clinic’s program of providing dentures to about 20 patients. This enabled these individuals to preserve bone health in the jaw and eat healthier foods by being better able to chew.

Jean called in a panic when she learned that her mother, while being fitted for needed dentures, threw up on the dentist. It was her mother’s third attempt at being fitted, because the appliance holding the impression material is bulky and triggers the gag reflex. Jean was so relieved to hear that despite her mother’s reaction, the Clinic was not giving up – and mom was finally successfully fitted for her dentures.

To learn more about Shenandoah Dental Clinic visit: www.shenclinic.org and click here to view the Clinic’s 2018 Fall Newsletter, which features the partnership between the Shenandoah Dental Clinic and Impact1890.