St. Luke Community Clinic seeks to expand dental care; adds women’s counseling

St. Luke Community Clinic at 316 N. Royal Ave. and its ‘Blessing Box’ out front where those who have, may leave; and those in need, may take the basic necessities of day-to-day life. Photo/Roger Bianchini

One of the most important buildings in Front Royal to many people is the unassuming structure at 316 North Royal Avenue best known to the less fortunate among us as St. Luke Community Clinic.

It’s the place that registered nurse Vickie Davies, RN, BSN, took over as executive director less than a year ago, a place she talks about on the local speaker circuit because she’s so proud of what the clinic does, how beneficial it is to its hundreds of patients, and because she’s pushing a new and necessary goal – the expansion of the clinic’s two-year-old dental program.

Grateful as she is to the four volunteer dentists and their staffs for establishing the dental program, “building it up” is a goal she has on the front burner. As an experienced member of the medical profession, she recognizes more than most the importance of dental health to one’s overall health. Many of those who depend on St. Luke for their health needs are unemployed, but most are hardworking people, including veterans, with families whose low incomes are stretched to the limit. Davies said dental care is expensive, generally not covered by Medicaid and Medicare or even private insurance, making visiting a dentist the last thing a needy individual would or could include in the household budget.

“Poor dental health can lead to many problems. We offer cleanings, fillings, extractions, and dentures,” she said,” but the waiting list is long (six months to a year) and our volunteers (Drs. Frederick and Daisy Broadhead, Harry Sartelle, and Arthi Marti) and their assistants struggle to get to patients before their general health deteriorates.”

Davies, a Warren County Rotary Club member, recounted the dilemma of providing timely dental service, among other agendas she is pursuing for St. Luke’s at a meeting of the neighboring Front Royal Rotarians on August 25.  The weekly Front Royal Rotary Friday luncheons, with featured community speakers, are now open to the public.

Reciting mind-boggling statistics for a small town, free medical facility, Davies got in a plug for a major fund-raiser on Sept. 30 costing $50 per dinner ticket and $25 more if you want to be one of a maximum 300 ticket holders vying for a $3,000-value prize (call 636-4325 for more information).

She reported 744 patients treated in 2016 and 537 so far this year. In 2016, the clinic issued 13,740 prescriptions and, so far in 2017, just over 6,000. The clinic has a mental health facility and tallied 224 visits last year and 120 so far in 2017. Referrals for diagnostic testing and specialists so far total more than 2,000 for this year and last, and lab work and x-rays for both years total 1,320. Dr. Frederick Broadhead, who spearheads the dental clinic, reported to the Royal Examiner last March that his group had provided free dental care to more than 2,300 patients

St. Luke offers primary care for acute and chronic illnesses, including diabetes, COPD and hypertension; women’s health care, including breast and cervical cancer screenings. An ear, nose and throat specialist visits monthly; Reiki, a healing technique, meets each Monday; women’s counseling (starts in September) and chiropractic care is provided.

Davies, with a budget of about $389,000, a small, paid staff and about 60 clinical and nonclinical volunteers, said money comes from certain government agencies. Valley Health is a major supporter while United Way is a generous donor, along with local churches, several civic organizations, including Rotary, and individual donations and fundraisers such as the Sept. 30 dinner at Shenandoah Golf Club. Local doctors also donate time.

The Lions Club visits the clinic once a month to take applications for free eye exams and glasses. Samuels Public Library hosts blood pressure readings every Tuesday. The clinic is open Monday-Friday and “sometimes on Saturday,” Davies said.