The Blue Ridge Free Clinic has expanded with a new annex, housing a dental clinic and mental health facilities. The new building provides workspace for dental and mental health professionals, allowing them to provide care alongside the main clinic.
Staff members say the goal is to provide more support for all aspects of people’s lives.
“Our mission is to provide holistic care for each patient—body, mind, spirit, soul, and teeth. This is truly a dream come true,” says Susan Adamson, a family nurse practitioner and the clinic’s executive director.
“At our clinic, we don’t just check a patient’s mouth or blood pressure—we assess all of their health-related needs during their visit and do our best to meet them,” she says.
“It all just clicked. We know oral health is just as important as physical health—they’re interconnected,” Adamson explains.
The clinic is also taking steps to make care more accessible. For example, they’ve established a charitable fund to help patients pay for transportation, such as Uber, to cover the cost of dental care.
“Our mission is driven entirely by donors and volunteers. We have over 100 volunteers and supporters, including Sentara RMH Medical Center. These donations make this possible,” said Adamson, adding that the clinic wouldn’t be possible without the community’s support.
“This is a brand new clinic with state-of-the-art equipment. We have three treatment rooms and can see a large number of patients,” said Johnson. “This helps fill the gap in care for those who truly need it but can’t afford it.”
The mental health clinic is expected to begin operations in about a month, further enhancing the clinic’s ability to serve the community.