Meeting Oral Health Needs Across the Community
Northern Neck Middlesex Free Health Clinic’s Dental Clinic is helping fill a critical gap in oral health care for uninsured and under-insured residents across Lancaster, Middlesex, Richmond, Northumberland and Westmoreland counties. In a rural region where all five counties are federally designated Health Professions Shortage Areas for physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists, and dental hygienists, the Clinic provides a vital access point for preventive, restorative, and emergency dental care. In 2025-26, the Dental Clinic served 1,525 unduplicated patients and provided 13,700 procedures, representing $1,684,794 in value of care. The team includes a full-time dentist, part-time dentist, two dental assistants, a full-time dental hygienist, and senior dental and dental hygiene students from the VCU School of Dentistry, who rotate through the Clinic during the academic year. Because dental need extends well beyond its immediate service area, the Clinic also supports residents from surrounding localities throughout the larger rural region.
The 2025-26 year marks the third year that the NNMFHC Dental Clinic has employed a full-time dental hygienist, a position that has become central to the Clinic’s ability to offer complete oral health care. Funded in part for the past three years by the generous support of a Virginia Health Care Foundation capacity grant, this role helps patients receive preventive services alongside restorative treatment and denture fabrication. Regular recall visits every three, four, or six months help patients maintain oral health, prevent future decay, and reduce the need for extractions. Healthy teeth and gums also support overall health, especially for patients managing diabetes or heart disease. NNMFHC’s dental hygienist works under remote supervision two days each week, an important provision of Virginia’s dental practice act that allows dental hygienists in public health and safety net settings to see new patients without the dentist physically present. As a result, more patients can receive care on days when the NNMFHC staff dentist is not working.
Carol Carr, RDH, is NNMFHC’s dental hygienist and began employment on May 19, 2025. With more than 30 years of practice experience and certification in the administration of local anesthesia, Carol brings deep clinical expertise to her work with patients in a safety net setting. She was preceded by Antonia Kimble, RDH, who began employment on September 1, 2023. Together, over the past three years, NNMFHC dental hygienists have provided oral health care to 2,403 unduplicated patients.
The results of this investment are visible in the number of patients reached, the preventive services delivered, and the value of care provided to residents who might otherwise go without timely dental treatment.
Highlights of the 2025-26 year related specifically to dental hygiene services include:
• 941 unduplicated patients were seen for a value of dental hygiene services of $594,261.
• 508 adult cleanings and 57 child cleanings were performed
• 527 periodontal scalings and 168 periodontal maintenance procedures were performed
• A total of 989 nutritional counseling and 67 tobacco cessation preventive education sessions were provided to patients
• The majority of patients seen by the dental hygienist had incomes of 200% of the FPL or below.
The Dental Clinic staff and VCU students are proud to help area residents achieve better oral and overall health outcomes. Persons with incomes at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Level are eligible for NNMFHC’s services. Medicaid is accepted, and persons without Medicaid pay a sliding fee based on income. More information about eligibility and services is available at www.nnmfhc.org or by calling 804-435-0575.