Piedmont Access to Health Services, Inc. (PATHS) announces the opening of a long awaited community dental clinic. The staff of PATHS Community Dental Clinic will begin training on Monday, January 4th at the facility located in Danville Community College’s new Foundation Hall. Funded in part with a grant from the Danville Regional Foundation in the amount of $358,000 and a partnership with Danville Community College, PATHS’ dream of providing access to dental care to the area’s most needy is coming to fruition.

“This is not a free clinic model,” states Kay Crane, CEO of PATHS, “but rather the dental clinic will accept all kinds of insurance and, for those without insurance, a payment plan will be arranged.” In order for the clinic to be successful it must operate as a business, but keeping in mind the philosophical mission of PATHS that everyone should have access to health care. This state of the art facility will operate in the same fashion as any private dental clinic in that all forms of dental insurance will be accepted, including Medicaid. Sliding scale fees will also be available for those who qualify. These sliding scale benefits will be made possible as PATHS generates revenue from care provided to insured/self-pay patients. “This is a true opportunity for the residents of the Dan River Region to pull together to help others get the quality oral health care that is so desperately needed in this community,” said Crane. “Oral health is critical to the people of this region. The new clinic, a joint venture between PATHS and Danville Community College, will help underserved patients throughout this region. DRF is happy to support this important step,” said Karl Stauber, President & CEO, Danville Regional Foundation.

While a date has not been firmly established as to when the clinic will begin seeing patients, hours of operation will be Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Follow-up announcements will be made as the project progresses. In the meantime, PATHS has developed a waiting-list process by which individuals needing access to oral health care can call PATHS’ Administrative Offices to be added at 434-791-3630. When the clinic does open, those on this list will be provided first opportunities for an appointment based on the order in which they were added.

PATHS notes and extends gratitude for, the support provided by the members of Danville/Pittsylvania County Dental Association.