Dental clinic likely to open in August
It may look like a mess of wires and wall frames now, but soon it will be Anderson County’s new dental clinic for the uninsured and state-insured.
County Mayor Terry Frank said the new dental clinic is set to open in August, replacing the county’s existing clinic and adding an additional patient room.
Like the current clinic, the new facility will be in the North Main Street complex, but will move to 710 N. Main St., Suite C-D.
A recent contract showed the county is spending $604,000 on commercial alterations for a space totaling 16,528 square feet.
Frank said the County Commission approved the spending.
She added that she does not anticipate any tax increases as a result of the project.
In October 2023, the county allocated $500,000 in federal American Rescue Plan funds toward the clinic.
The clinic will continue to serve uninsured individuals and recipients of TennCare and CoverKids, but will not accept patients with private insurance.
“There’s a huge demand; there’s a lack of services in that space,” Frank said of TennCare recipients.
She added that the larger space will allow the clinic to see more patients.
The renovations follow the county’s hiring of a dental hygienist.
Frank said the upgraded facility will allow the hygienist and dentist to work in separate rooms.
She also noted that the current clinic, located in the middle of the Health Department, lacks a dedicated entrance and parking, features the new location will include. The upgraded clinic will also have lab space and lead-lined walls for its X-ray room.
Frank said the move will allow future renovations in other parts of the Health Department to improve efficiency for visitors.
“You had people literally walking through just kind of a maze, instead of just being an operational flow,” Frank said.
“The biggest thing is having room to accommodate our citizens,” said Matt Childress, director of facilities for Anderson County. He added that the clinic will be able to serve more people, more quickly.
While the Anderson County Health Department is a state-run program, the dental clinic is operated solely by Anderson County.
Jeff Bateman, superintendent for Skilled Services LLC, said in March the project was still in its early phases.
Bateman said the renovated clinic will feature high-tech security clearance doors and updated dental equipment.
Frank said the area previously housed WIC (Women, Infants and Children) nutritional services, which have since been relocated elsewhere within the health department complex.
