In 2010, St. Joseph of the Pines received funding to develop a mobile rural health unit. Two years later, community leaders recognized another critical need: access to dental care. In 2012, the organization launched its Mobile Dental Unit, focusing on urgent dental services such as fillings and extractions for adults with limited incomes and no dental insurance.

Since then, the MDU has treated more than 1,300 patients and performed over 3,000 procedures, with many patients requiring multiple treatments.

“The dollars that come in are multiplied through the impact of the services we provide,” Williams said. “And every patient deserves the chance to leave with a healthier smile.”

Operating one or two clinics each month, the volunteer-driven program typically serves about 14 to 15 patients per clinic day. To date, the value of services provided through the MDU exceeds $775,000.

“The need will continue to grow,” said Lead Volunteer Dentist Philip Benton. Benton is a retired dentist and describes volunteering his time to lead the MDU team as a dream come true.

Referrals come from churches, hospitals, veterans organizations, urgent care facilities,
and local nonprofits.

On average, patients often travel 20 to 30 minutes for care, while some drive more than an hour to reach the clinic.

The unit primarily operates on the St. Joseph of the Pines campus, but was even deployed to western North Carolina to assist communities impacted by Hurricane Helene in 2024.

A recent Sharing Success Community Grant from Randolph EMC is helping extend that impact even further. The grant funds patient care packets that include a toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, and educational materials, encouraging good oral hygiene.

For MDU Coordinator Carla Williams, the program’s greatest reward isn’t measured in procedures or dollars. It’s measured in the people it serves.

Some families have returned generation after generation, bringing mothers, fathers, daughters, and grandmothers through the clinic doors.

As demand continues to increase, Williams hopes to recruit additional volunteer dentists and expand clinic availability. With a waiting list of approximately 30 patients, she believes the program could easily support an additional clinic each month.

“The dollars that come in are multiplied through the impact of the services we provide,” Williams said. “And every patient deserves the chance to leave with a healthier smile.”