By MARK MCGEE
The Spanish writer Miguel de Cervnantes is quoted as saying, “Every tooth in a man’s head is more valuable than a diamond.”
Thanks to the generosity of the Meharry School of Dentistry low income and uninsured patients in Bedford County can have smiles as bright as diamonds through the Community Clinic of Shelbyville & Bedford County (CCSBC).
To honor Meharry’s donations to the clinic the “Bringing Healthy Smiles to Bedford County” Gala is planned for April 12 at The Humble Baron at Nearest Green Distillery.
“Until Meharry School of Dentistry brought its tractor-trailer mobile unit in 2019, the Bedford County community had no access to dental care,” CCSBC executive director Fredia Lusk said. “The low-income and uninsured endured years of the lack of dental care until the CCSBC Dental Clinic officially opened on June 11, 2021. Since the opening and the employment of a part-time dental provider, CCSBC has provided the community with low-cost or no-cost dental care.”
Credited with the vision for the dental clinic are Dr. James Tyus and Dr. Cherae Farmer-Dixon.
The clinic was approved as a formal teaching site by the State of Tennessee in 2021.
“As other Tennessee rural communities struggle to provide dental and medical care for its low-income and uninsured, Bedford County is blessed,” Lusk said. “Mayor Chad Graham and the Bedford County Government supported the vision in 2019. The GALA will acknowledge the successful partnership with Meharry School of Dentistry.”
The clinic provided care for 65-plus adults weekly (45 TennCare patients and 27 65-plus adults in fiscal 2024.
Children aged 3-to-17 receive free dental care with 61 treated in fiscal 2024.
According to the clinic dental encounters increased from 300 to 1,072 in fiscal 2024 thanks to the hiring of Dr. Danny Foster.
The goal of the GALA is $200,000 with 50 percent for CCSBC and 50 percent for Meharry.
The GALA, a semi-formal/black tie event, is scheduled from 6-to-10 p.m., includes a VIP reception, a four-course dinner and cocktails and dancing.
Individual tickets are $250. Several sponsorship levels are also included including a $10,000 Legacy which includes a table for eight, a $5,000 Platinum sponsorship with a table for eight and Gold level at $2,500 for a table for eight. Based on the level of sponsorship perks like VIP parking are included.
Special donations of $140 are being requested to celebrate the 140th year of Meharry’s School of Dentistry.
State Senator Shane Reeves is the featured speaker. State Representative Pro Tem Pat Marsh will introduce Reeves.
Also scheduled to speak are Graham and Shelbyville Mayor Randy Carroll.
Several guests from out-of-town are expected to attend making it a tourist event for the county.
For more information contact Lusk at 931-684-6772 or at shelbyvilleclinic@att.net or Paypalme@CCSBC.
