In the 1990s, Frank Lamson, a newly licensed pediatric nurse practitioner, returned to his hometown of South Royalton, Vermont, with a vision. Fresh from working at an urban school clinic in Massachusetts, he believed that a similar facility would greatly benefit a rural community.
He shared his idea with Dr. Becky Foulk, a pediatrician who had recently opened a private practice in town. Foulk agreed, and together with local school nurses and other community members, they founded HealthHUB, Vermont’s first school-based clinic.
Since opening in 1995, the nonprofit clinic—initially funded by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant through the state Agency of Human Services—has partnered with the South Royalton Health Center to provide in-school medical care, mental health counseling, and a mobile dental program, which expanded in 2009. What began as services for a few towns—including South Royalton, Sharon, Tunbridge, and Strafford—now serves students and their families across a dozen communities in the White River Valley, from Brookfield to Stockbridge.
While all of HealthHUB’s services are in high demand, including mental health care, its dental program is the most visible. Last school year, the mobile dental clinic alone recorded roughly 400 patient visits. Its signature silver-gray trailer, featuring a large smiling tooth on the side, is a familiar sight at local schools and summer stops such as Gifford Medical Center.
The original trailer, purchased with a $95,000 grant supported by U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, recently retired from active service and is now used for storage at the Royalton town office. Its replacement has been joined by a new addition to the fleet: a 42-foot mobile dental unit named “Rosie.”
Unveiled just a day before school resumed in the White River Valley, Rosie is a fully equipped motor home designed to provide comprehensive dental care. Lamson traveled to West Virginia to acquire the unit, which cost $125,000 and comes with two dental chairs and a panoramic X-ray system. The vehicle was previously used by the Morgantown health department and is being rebranded for HealthHUB.
HealthHUB employs a full-time dentist, dental hygienist, and dental assistant. Two years ago, hiring Dr. Colleen Anderson as the clinic’s dentist marked a major expansion of its adult services. “When she joined, we began offering full-service dentistry to adults, including cleanings, fillings, crowns, and more,” said Foulk. The clinic now serves adult patients, particularly those with Medicaid or Medicare, or those with limited transportation options.
Lamson emphasized the clinic’s core mission: keeping children in school while allowing parents to stay at work. “One of my mantras has always been to provide medical care where kids are—at school,” he said.
Foulk highlighted the importance of partnerships in sustaining HealthHUB. “Our growth has relied on building strong partnerships with local organizations,” she said. Today, the clinic serves 12 towns across eight locations, with students often bused from surrounding communities to access care. Partners include Gifford Health Care, Chelsea Health Center, the Town of Royalton, and the region’s three school districts.
Nurse Susan Schuhmann, who has worked in the White River Valley schools for 15 years, praised HealthHUB. “It’s a great service. Kids don’t have to miss class, and parents don’t have to take time off work,” she said.
Although no formal celebration is planned for HealthHUB’s 30th anniversary, Foulk noted ongoing challenges, including potential federal cuts to programs like Medicaid. The clinic is increasing fundraising efforts, starting in 2026 by appealing to each town it serves.
HealthHUB accepts Vermont Medicaid and is an in-network provider for Northeast Delta Dental. Foulk emphasized the clinic’s commitment to accessibility: “We don’t turn anyone away. If someone can’t pay, they don’t pay. We also offer a sliding scale for those who can contribute a little.”
Thirty years on, Lamson and Foulk’s vision remains as simple as when it began: bringing health care directly to children and their communities.
