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The Stanly County Dental Clinic is celebrating 20 years of providing Stanly County children and youth dental care services.

“This is a great public health service, because it offers all children and youth access to dental care,” Health and Human Services Director Dave Jenkins said.

The establishment of this Dental Clinic took many years through the advocacy of
Angela Croyle until it found a home at the Stanly County Health Department.

“When we arrived on our opening day, there were already Head Start children lined up around the building to be seen in the Dental Clinic,” said Angela Herrin, the first dental assistant hired for the Dental Clinic. “The parents had been told that their children could receive dental services at this new clinic and they turned out to make sure their children got the dental care they needed.”

“The need for this service has not diminished from that very first day. Our clinic’s mission today and tomorrow is to ensure that all children and youth receive quality comprehensive dental care,” added Dr. Mindy Turner, Stanly County Dental Clinic director and pediatric dentist.

Services provided in the clinic include exams, cleanings, fillings, sealants, crowns, fluoride treatment, education, space maintainers, pulp therapies and tooth removal. Turner established operatory services with Atrium Health Stanly for those who need extensive dental care.

“Our services have expanded to beyond our dental clinic setting to include the community setting,” Turner said. “We provide dental screening, sealants, cleaning, fluoride varnish, oral hygiene education and oral hygiene supplies to elementary and middle school children and were temporarily interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

These school-based dental services were funded by several Duke Endowment grants.

Mouth Care without a Battle is a dental program now being offered to Monarch residents through the Stanly County Dental Clinic. This project involves a dental hygienist training Monarch staff how to teach their residents good oral health practices. This project was funded by a Duke Endowment grant.

The Stanly County Dental Clinic has seen thousands of children these past 20 years.

Children and youth, up to age 18, who are covered by Medicaid, N.C. Health Choice, private dental insurance or private pay are eligible.

For more information about the Stanly County Dental Clinic, call 704-986-3845.