Volunteers Provide Medical and Dental Care in Great Barrington, Massachusetts

The Massachusetts Dental Society's MAC Van, Bridge Over Troubled Waters, and Volunteers in Medicine clinics are examples of health care professionals and other volunteers working together to provide care to local people in need. The origin of Volunteers In Medicine is the story of one compassionate physician working to improve the lives of his neighbors.

Dr Jack McConnell, of Hilton Head Island, Georgia, was in the habit of picking up neighbors who were walking to and from work. He would always ask where they got their health care. Learning that many of them had no where to go was the spark that lit the fire that became the first Volunteers In Medicine (VIM) clinic. In 1994, Dr McConnell and a group of retired physicians built and staffed Hilton Head VIM clinic. Now, there are over 70 VIM clinics around the country providing health care to over 80,000 patients. The complete story is available on their web site, www.VolunteersIn Medicine.org.

Country wide, VIM staff include over 7500 volunteer physicians, dentists, optometrists, nurses, dental hygienists and other support staff. The only VIM clinic in Massachusetts is in Great Barrington, about twenty minutes south of Lenox, Ma, near New York State. VIM Berkshires is a two and a half hour drive from Boston.

VIM patients can not afford regular health care, but earn too much to qualify for state aid. For example, a single person must earn between $10,400.00 and $20,800.00. A family of three must show income between $17,600.00 and $35,200.00. Furthermore, there is a residency requirement; Patients must be residents of Berkshire County or a number of adjacent communities. Patients range in from 19 to 64 years old. Even though there scope of patients is narrow, the wait for service is long. New dental patients of VIM Berkshires wait about 6 months for their first appointment.

For those who qualify, VIM Berkshires provides high quality, free health care including eye glasses (kudos to the Lyon's club for collecting and distributing a large selection of donated frames and lenses), prescription medications, and dental care.

A free health clinic is expensive even when all of the professionals and many of the staff are volunteers. VIM Berkshires spends more than $21,000 per year to fill their patients' prescriptions. Medication for diabetes costs about $100.00 per month. Medication for high blood pressure costs about $65.00 per month.

VIM Berkshires includes a full service two operatory dental office. The dental office is open an average of three and a half days a week. Barbara Postal, the Dental Practice Manager, has a surprisingly deep understanding of dentistry and the needs and preferences of the doctors and hygienists who staff her clinic. "These are volunteers. We have to keep them happy." That was her reply to a question about the choice of equipment and supplies that she orders for the dental clinic. The office is staffed an average of three and a half days a week.

A typical month in the dental clinic sees about 100 appointments. Procedures are typical for any general dental office - dentures, a crown or two a month, checkups and fillings (or as dentists say, "single visit restorations"). Dentsply Tulsa Dental supplied VIM Berkshires with up to date equipment and supplies for Root Canal Treatment. There is a sense that the volunteer dentists and hygienists take pride in providing care that is the same as they provide in their private offices.

The dental office is equipped with a combination of well cared for older equipment and newer equipment donated by dentists and dental suppliers. Dentists will recognize the names of these suppliers as companies they do business with on a regular basis. There are equipment and supplies in this clinic from Darby Dental Supplies, Henry Schein, and Patterson Dental Company. More supplies and equipment come from dental manufacturers including Pro-Dentec and 3M Dental. The Connecticut State Dental Foundation supports this clinic in Massachusetts with donations of used equipment, and new instruments and supplies. The Berkshire District Dental Society, a component of the Massachusetts Dental Society, and Dental Service of Massachusetts support VIM Berkshires financially. About fifteen dentists and dental hygienists support this VIM clinic with donations of time, money, equipment and supplies.

Anyone who feels that they would qualify for treatment in this clinic may call for an application. Those who would like to make a monetary donation can mail it in. VIM Berkshires has a Tribute Card program - purchase a pack of 11 cards for $100.00 to send as gifts. Volunteers range from college students to retired professionals. Those who would like to join the team are invited to contact the volunteer coordinator, Susan Minnich. The phone number is (413)528-4014. More information is available on the web site, www.vimberkshires.org.

This column always asks the reader to ask their own dentist for personal advice and information. Your dentist may donate to the Massachusetts Dental Society's Foundation which supports volunteer programs. Many dentists have already donated many hours to providing dental care in a clinic like VIM Berkshires', the MAC Van, or by teaching in a dental school clinic. Most dentists have provided free or low cost care quietly to patients in their own offices.