by Shawn Nowlin
The percentage of Roanoke Valley families that can afford to take their child to see a dentist at a moment’s notice is less than one in five. According to the American Dental Association, more than 34 million hours of school have been lost in recent years due to urgent needs for dental appointments, among other factors.
On Oct. 26, a combination of concerned parents, healthcare professionals and engaged locals gathered next to the Williamson Road Civic Mall for a pediatric dentistry ribbon-cutting ceremony. Part of New Horizons Healthcare, a variety of services will soon be offered to children of all ages.
Made possible by generous donations from the Roanoke Women’s Foundation, the Carilion Community Foundation and others, inside the building are multiple operating rooms, state-of-the-art technology and much more.
“The opposite of poverty is not necessarily wealth. I want to submit that it is actually justice,” New Horizons CEO Jonathan Stewart said. “Dr. Martin Luther King often spoke about the story of the good Samaritan. It was about someone who reached across societal barriers to administer life-saving care to someone else. If I had to take a stab as to why we are all here today, it’s in part because we want to support the good Samaritans among us.”
He added, “We can’t hire enough good Samaritans to deliver the care at the rate at which they are becoming sick in our current system.”
The New Horizon Healthcare Board Members are Chair Melanie Ham, Vice Chair Linda Manns, Treasurer Dr. William Lee, Secretary Belinda English, Darlene Bannister, Maria Conley, William Farhbach, Dina Hackley-Hunt, Kimberly McNeil, Brooks Michael, Barbara Phifer and Sherman Stovall. Many were in attendance for the ceremony as were Councilwoman Stephanie Moon Reynolds and Delegate Sam Rasoul.
When people walk through the doors, the first thing they see is a wall painting done by muralist Katrina Legans. For her efforts, Legans received a standing ovation. “It is always a good feeling when people appreciate your hard work. I am beyond grateful for this opportunity,” she said.
The American Association of Pediatrics recommends that children have a dental check-up within six months of their first tooth coming in.
“Decay starts even before the first tooth arrives. Bacteria is transmitted from the mother to the child and this starts the whole pattern,” New Horizons Dental Director Dr. Keith Wilkin said. “We are looking forward to partnering with early childhood education organizations so we can have a seamless transition to take care of our kids all the way through graduation time.”
“There is still a huge amount of need out there as far as what can be treated,” he continued. “Most Medicaid offices aren’t accepting new patients. While today is exciting, we want to better meet the needs of the community and partner with other safety net providers.”
Created to break new life into the Roanoke community and beyond, a sliding financial scale will be available for low-income residents to afford the services.
For the most up-to-date information, visit newhorizonshealthcare.org.
