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Drs. Richard Smith and Keith Haley

Botetourt’s Christian Free Clinic now offers dental care. For about a year, seventeen volunteer dentists, plus dental assistants and hygienists, from around the area have been working to create and staff this part of the clinic. Dr. Richard Smith, a retired dentist, has been acting as the dental clinic’s director, in partnership with Dr. Keith Haley, also retired. They emphasize that all the dental care comes under the umbrella of the main free clinic, run by Jenny Daniels, the executive director.

The same rules for patients who want to come for medical care apply to those needing a dentist. They must be Botetourt residents, not have insurance, and have low incomes. And just as with the medical care, patients get the same kind of treatment as they would get in a private dentist’s office. These dentists use novocaine, and other local anaesthesia, to prevent pain.

Dr. Haley, a long time resident of Botetourt now living in the Cloverdale area, has finally fully retired from his former practice located in Roanoke. After many years of commuting to Roanoke, he now finds his old practice is moving to Botetourt. He and Dr. Smith, friends of long standing, met when they attended Roanoke College.

Dr. Smith still fills in one day a week at a private practice. He has retired from teaching full time for ten years at Virginia Western in their dental hygienist program. Before that, he worked as a public health dentist in Hot Springs and Wythe county, returning to his Troutville birthplace in 1968. Before and after his teaching career, he practiced dentistry full time until his second retirement in 2004. You may have heard of him because of his late wife, Patricia Rader. And because of his missionary work in Jamaica, El Salvador and Honduras, through the Shenandoah Baptist Church’s mission program.

In response to those who say there’s no poverty in Botetourt County, Dr. Haley replies, “You should hang around the free clinic one night, and meet some of these people. There’s plenty of poverty in Botetourt County.” Counting up all the procedures performed in the fully equipped dental office at the free clinic, Haley estimates he and his other volunteer colleagues gave over $162,000 worth of services in this past year.

Daniels says the folks they help in the clinic are those who have to choose between food and medical care. She came to Botetourt County because of her husband’s job transfer. Originally from Alabama, she now loves it here, for both the scenery and the people. “I started as a volunteer [with the clinic]. After I served a year in charge of communications, the board decided to have someone in the position as an executive director.”

Daniels’ background as a homemaker, educator and parent equips her to deal with the complexities of the job. She represents the Botetourt clinic in the Virginia Association of Free Clinics. And she admires the great spirit of giving that sustains this clinic and others.

Those who need dental care should call first, because while they see medical cases as walk-ins, they want those seeking dental care to make appointments. “Although we do leave room for some walk-ins, so no one has to go too long with a toothache,” she added. The clinic starts at 5 :30 p.m. on Tuesday nights.

The location at the Fincastle Baptist Church on Route 220 just outside the Fincastle city limits makes finding it and parking there easy. So make sure you save this dedicated clinic line number, 540-353-0509. Spread the word, and don’t let poverty keep any Botetourt person from medical or dental care.