Blue Ridge Free Dental

Clinic

Caring for our Neighbors

Our MissionThe Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic

delivers high-quality dental care to

people who cannot otherwise afford

these critically needed services.

Motivated by the beliefs and core

values of our contributors and

founding churches, we restore lives,

one tooth at a time.

We have come a long way!

From Dental Van

2003…

…to Dental Office

2005 - present

Current location in Cashiers, NC

We now have a permanent facility and 15 volunteer dentists, 10 of whom are pictured here.

Dr. Tom Smith

Dr. Michelle McDonald

Dr. David Silverstein

Dr. Mel Livernois

Dr. Craig Ashton

Dr. David Jones

Dr. Chris Dyer

Dr. Tommy Day

Dr. Bruce Walker

Dr. Claude D’Antonio

The Clinic has been

fortunate to find a

strong Executive

Director to direct daily

operations.

Karen Minton provides

us with her invaluable

experience in medical

and dental

administration.

Our Executive Director

Our Staff

Robby Cahill, Alisha Fricks, and Gale

Alford serve as Dental Assistants,

and Michele Collins works as Office

Manager…

while Nancy Buchanan

works as our hygienist.

Gale, Robby, and MicheleAlisha

Nancy

The Original Clinic – Pre-Expansion

The Free Dental

Clinic originally had

three treatment

rooms, an x-ray

room, a lab and a

sterilization area.

Today’s Clinic – Post-Expansion

In 2012, the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic perceived the need to

expand. We increased the number of treatment rooms and

upgraded our facilities to meet the increased demand...

An auspicious beginning!

New treatment rooms in the

completed portion of the

Dental Clinic...

…complete with state-of-the-art fiber-optic

handpieces, X-ray heads, and a

panoramic X-ray unit donated by the

Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley.

Panorex film of a patient in dire need of our services.

Our Patients

• Many have never

been to a dentist.

By the time we see

them, they are often

in pain and unable

to function

effectively in the

society

• Our patients are referred to

us by a number of sources,

including health departments,

local doctors and dentists, the

media, and other patients

• Median family income in

2013 85% of poverty level

Jackson County

46%

Macon County

34%

Transylvania

County - 20%

The Tooth Fairies!

Where would we be without that

dedicated troupe to promote awareness

and teach dental hygiene?

Dental Health Needs Expanding in Western NC

2013 Patient Report Est. Cost

New Patients 372

Returning Patients 927

Total Patient Visits 1299

Emergencies 404

Total Extractions 1130 $217,000

Root Canals 29 $25,000

Crowns & Dentures 52 $50,000

• Market value of procedures performed since inception: $4,485,700

OUR TIMELINE of

GROWTH2005

Inception to

Dec. 2013

Number of Dentists 1 15

Total Patient Visits 394 9,300

Emergencies 120 1,700

Total Procedures 1,779 32,600

Procedures per

Patient

4.5 10.8

Market Value $229,000 $4,485,700

But those are only statistics…

Ongoing Support

We are proud to have received major funding

from the following local churches…

• Cashiers UMC

• Church of the Good Shepherd

• Episcopal Church of the Incarnation

• Highlands First Presbyterian

• Highlands UMC

• Franklin First UMC

• Community Bible, Highlands

• St. Jude Catholic, Sapphire

• Lake Toxaway UMC

…Western North Carolina

philanthropic organizations,

• Cashiers Community Foundation

• Cashiers Cares

• Tis the Season, Highlands

• Cullasaja Women’s Outreach

• Mountain Findings, Highlands

• Highlands Community Foundation

• NC Community Foundation

• Rotary Club of Cashiers Valley

• Rotary Club of Highlands

• BlueCross/Blue Shield NC Foundation /

NC Association of Free Clinics

• Dawson Foundation

• Duke Endowment

• Kate B. Reynolds Foundation

• Gannett Foundation

• GlaxoSmithKline Foundation

• Hack Foundation

• NC Dept of Health and Human Services

• The Patterson Foundation

• Sisters of Mercy of NC Foundation

• Wade Hampton Foundation

…as well as these major foundations:

We are proud to receive additional funding from numerous

individuals, patients, and other churches and organizations as well.

In 2007, Robby Cahill introduced his idea of a

“Children’s Dental Health Project” to the Cashiers

Rotary Board of Directors.

Aimed at early prevention of dental decay, the project

was adopted by Rotary and implemented in 2008.

The program has three components:

Annual

Screenings

Weekly

Fluoride Rinses

Dental

Awareness

Days

In 2009 this program was

recognized by Rotary

District 7670 as Rotary

International’s

“Best Cooperative Project with

a Non-Rotary Organization”

Since then, the Highlands Rotary Clubs have begun

their own “Children’s Dental Health Project” and have

helped to raise money for the Clinic.

Blue Ridge Free Dental

Clinic Cashiers, NC

We restore lives, one tooth

at a time.

PO Box 451, Cashiers, NC 28717

www.blueridgefreedentalclinic.org

(828) 743-3393