Smiles That Heal: Expanding Care Beyond Medicine SPRING 2025
We are thrilled to provide an update on the new Charlottesville Free Clinic Dental Clinic that our wonderful community helped build. This clinic has transformed dental care for our patients, volunteers, and staff.
The expansion of this state-of-the-art dental clinic means more uninsured and underinsured Charlottesville and Albemarle residents will receive the dental care they desperately need.
With the new space, we've made further operational changes by updating patient eligibility guidelines to widen our safety net. We've broadened our reach by welcoming patients from 0-300% of the Federal Poverty Level, which ensures medical clinic patients can access dental care at the Free Clinic. Many of our medical clinic patients struggle with chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease, which can be directly related to poor oral health.
Another important update for dental clinic eligibility, is that we have lowered our age minimum. This change addresses a critical gap for teenagers who often lack dental care access during formative years.
"When we treat the whole person—both their medical and dental needs—we create lasting health impacts," says Tish Polgar-Bailey, our Clinic Director. "A patient's smile isn't just about confidence; it's about their complete health."
Finally, the new space now holds a permanent art exhibit from the Arc of Piedmont. The late CEO of Clinical Operations, Meghan Hinger, spearheaded this bright and beautiful project with her close friend Christin Child.
The Charlottesville Free Clinic is eternally grateful for the service, guidance, and friendship of our late CEO of Clinical Operations, Meghan Hinger.
A Celebration of Life honoring Meghan will be held on Saturday, June 14th at 1:00 PM at McLeod Hall, UVA School of Nursing. We invite you to join us to share the stories, laughter, and memories of the joy that she brought to our lives.
For eight years, Shane has relied on the Charlottesville Free Clinic while working the front desk at a local hotel that offers no health benefits A few weeks ago, a severe tooth abscess left him in unbearable, level 10 pain, forcing him to visit the Clinic without an appointment
Despite a packed schedule, the dental hygienist immediately assessed Shane’s condition instead of sending him to the ER The Free Clinic hygienist and dental assistant took x-rays, prescribed antibiotics, and scheduled a follow-up appointment with the dentist for the next day to have the tooth removed
Thanks to the Free Clinic’s swift and compassionate care, Shane was able to return to work without missing shifts, relieved that this health crisis wouldn’t derail him financially or disrupt his life.
Finding Relief at the Charlottesville Free Clinic Volunteer Spotlight: Lawrence “Buzz” Barnett III, LCSW
Few professionals have dedicated their lives to mental health care with the depth and heart of Lawrence “Buzz” Barnet III, LCSW.
After earning his master’s degree from the University of California, Berkeley in 1979, Buzz spent over 27 years at Region Ten Community Services Board, serving as Emergency Services Director and later as a clinical supervisor. He helped individuals navigate mental health crises, substance use challenges, and developmental disabilities with care and expertise.
In 2021, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Buzz answered the call to volunteer at the Charlottesville Free Clinic when mental health providers were needed most. Since then, he has shown up every Thursday, offering compassionate counseling to patients who might otherwise go without care.
Buzz was drawn to the Free Clinic’s “one-stop shop” model, where patients can access medical, dental, pharmacy, and mental health services under one roof. “UVA is a big institution, Region Ten is a big institution, but here it’s more streamlined,” Buzz explains. “You can go outside the door and talk to a nurse about a prescription, or if one of my patients has a toothache, I can just send them downstairs. It’s not a big deal. You can tell when people come here, it’s like being at home. They know the people at the front desk—there’s a real sense of community.”
Beyond his work in mental health, Buzz has a unique passion—beekeeping. A dedicated beekeeper for over 12 years, he even produces his own honey.
We are profoundly grateful for Buzz’s unwavering dedication to our patients and community. His compassion and service, both in times of crisis and every day, are truly inspiring.
A Voice Restored at the Charlottesville Free Clinic
When Amanda walked into the Charlottesville Free Clinic with her ready smile, you wouldn't guess the serious health challenges she faced At just 34 years old, this mother was juggling an optic nerve aneurysm requiring regular CT scans (the aftermath of a major concussion) and now frightening episodes that robbed her of her ability to speak normally.
Imagine the terror of suddenly finding your words transformed into "gibberish," accompanied by burning pain in your neck, left-sided weakness, and a possible facial droop. Imagine wondering if these symptoms which could mimic a stroke were related to your aneurysm. Imagine the heartbreak of seeing fear in your son's eyes as he watches his mother struggle to communicate For Amanda, this nightmare became reality.
Adding to her distress, she developed severe chest pain and heartburn so intense that she could only consume soft and liquid foods. Her complex symptoms left her medical team at the Free Clinic considering everything from seizures to unusual migraine syndromes
This is where your support makes all the difference.
Thanks to dedicated volunteer doctors at the Free Clinic, Amanda received comprehensive care including specialized neurological consultations, diagnostic tests, and a carefully tailored medication plan. The results were transformative. At her follow-up visit, she spoke in a normal voice, her debilitating headaches had vanished, and she could eat normally again
But perhaps the most powerful outcome came in her simple words: "And my son also," she added, referring to the relief they both felt.
Your donations to the Charlottesville Free Clinic don't just provide medical care they restore voices, rebuild confidence, and bring peace to families facing complex health challenges. With your continued support, we can write many more success stories like Amanda’s
Pharmacy A-Team
The Free Clinic Pharmacy, which fills over 18,330 prescriptions each year, recently passed its Board of Pharmacy inspection with a perfect score! These rigorous inspections ensure that pharmacies meet strict state regulations and protocols and the Free Clinic Pharmacy had zero deficiencies This outstanding result reflects the exceptional quality of care the Free Clinic is committed to providing for our patients Congratulations to the Pharmacy team for their dedication and excellence!
901 Preston Avenue, Suite 301
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Board of Directors
WillKnight,MD,Chair
JackKayton,DDS,ViceChair
SandhyaChhabra,MD,Secretary
MichaelBrooks,Treasurer
JulianaBueno,MD
KaraComer
TracyDowns,MD
TedHorn
JimmyLee,DDS
MaxLuna,MD
MaryMcKenzie
PorterNolan,JD
AmitShahane,PhD
KimberlySkelly
NateTricker,DDS
GreggWinston,MBA
PaulDeMarco,MD,Emeritus
MohanNadkarni,MD,Emeritus
RonTaylor