Volunteer Dentists
Our volunteer dentists are our heroes, selflessly giving countless hours of their time, receiving no compensation, and deriving benefits only from knowing that they are providing a more normal life to those who would otherwise live in pain. With well over 100 years of cumulative dental service, our team of dentists brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic. Volunteers in the Clinic allowed us to create an enduring culture of compassionate care while providing access to a variety of dental procedures for patients who could not otherwise afford specialty care. With the help of our volunteer providers, the Clinic can offer treatment plans that are often unheard of in a free dental clinic. The range of expertise and specialties includes: extractions, fillings, crowns, partials, dentures, assistance with TMJ disorders, endodontic root canals, periodontal care, and even expert oral surgery procedures. This extensive array of services allows us to offer the best personalized and long-lasting treatment, at no charge to the patient.
From 2004 through 2015, the Clinic’s efforts were rooted in the dedicated service of volunteer dentists. Volunteers in the Clinic allowed us to create an enduring culture of compassionate care while providing access to various dental procedures for patients who could not otherwise afford specialty care. This same culture exists today but with a greater staff capacity to serve more residents of WNC. Our current Clinic team--comprised of staff dental professionals and over 20 volunteer dental providers--restore hundreds of smiles to full health each year through treatment plans for all patients. All treatment plans include preventative hygiene appointments and therapeutic procedures. With the help of our volunteer providers, the Clinic can offer treatment plans often unheard of in a free dental clinic. The range of expertise and specialties includes; extractions, fillings, crowns, partials, dentures, assistance with TMJ disorders, endodontic root canals, periodontal care, and even expert oral surgery procedures.
Call us at 828-743-3393 for more information about volunteering
Current Volunteer Dentists
DR. PHILLIP ABBOTT General Dentistry, Endodontics DR. ROBERT BROCKET Oral/Maxillofacial Surgeon
DR. ASHLEY COLLINS General Dentistry DR. HARRISON CONNER General Dentistry
DR. DONALD COOPER General Dentistry DR. MATTHEW CORBIN General Dentistry
DR. MADISON CRUMLEY General Dentistry DR. CLAUDE D'ANTONIO General Dentistry, Pharmacology
DR. THOMAS DAY Endodontics DR. PAUL DECARLO Restorative Dentistry
DR. CHRISTOPHERDYER General Dentistry DR. MIKE HAMRICK General Dentistry, Mission Dentistry
DR. ROBERT HENKEL General Dentistry DR. DAVID JONES TMJ Specialist, Dentures
DR. MICHAEL MCDEVITT Periodontal Specialist DR. ERIN MEHAFFEY General Dentistry
DR. ROBERT KELLEY Oral Surgery, General Dentistry DR. NICHOLAS OSBORNE Emergency Extractions, General Dentistry
DR. FRED RODENBECK General Dentistry DR. KATHY SMITH General Dentistry
Volunteers
Deborah Lefevers, Registered Dental Hygienist Judy Gore Bradley Roberts Victoria Tran Teresa White
Please contact Michele Coward at 828-743-3393 to learn how you can volunteer with our team!
Clinic Staff
Melanie D. Jones | Executive Director
Michele Coward | Clinic Operations Director
Machelle Hensler, RDH | Program Director, Education & Outreach
Robby Cahill | Office Manager
Skylar Harrison | Dental Assistant
Liz Henkel | Dental Assistant
Paula Nix | Dental Assistant
DR. PAUL DECARLO has been a once-a-week volunteer with the free dental clinic since 2015. His specialty is restorative dentistry including fillings and crowns. Dr. Decarlo has also served on the clinic's board of directors for the past six years.
Board of Directors 2024
Dr. R. Douglas Trochelman, President
Bill Canby, Treasurer
Ron Freeman, Past-President
Dr. Paul DeCarlo
Fred Fischer
Ralph Greene
Miles Russ
Lynda Stinson
Make a donation.
The Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic delivers high-quality emergency, restorative, and preventative dental care to people who cannot otherwise afford these critically needed services. We restore lives—one tooth at a time. Since its beginning in 2005, the Clinic has performed over 76,000 procedures and over 24,000 patient visits with a value exceeding $12 million dollars. A comprehensive care model is simply not available to low-income residents of Western North Carolina without the Free Dental Clinic. The greatest challenge facing the Clinic is sustaining human resources and the associated expenses for personnel to meet the oral health needs of underserved residents. Frankly, without unrestricted funding for personnel, we are simply not able to offer our comprehensive model of care and operate at our highest capacity.
