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Dental Area Gets a Makeover

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Mountain Hope Dental Unit Before Renovation

Mountain Hope Clinic’s dental area is getting a sparkling new look, thanks to hard-working volunteers from a local bank and a grant from a dental insurance company.

Laurie Sullivan and six co-workers from BB&T rolled up their sleeves when the Clinic closed for the evening one Tuesday. They pulled off baseboards and set to work painting the rooms and corridor that comprise the dental area. Four of them returned the next day to add another coat of paint. By that Thursday, the rooms were back in use.

“This is the third year in a row we’ve been working for Mountain Hope,” said Laurie, who is the captain of BB&T’s Lighthouse Project. Employees in BB&T bank branches can choose their own projects, which are then approved and funded by the bank. Sevier County branches chose the Clinic and Sevier County Food Ministries for their projects this year.

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Mountain Hope Dental Unit After Renovation

Not only did the bank employees wield paintbrushes, they also donated an examination table and a urinalysis machine. Medical Assistant Teresa Large is particularly pleased with the new machine. “This machine’s easier to use and faster,” she said.  A grant from Delta Dental’s Smile 180 Foundation is paying for the dental area renovation, which will also include much-needed new flooring. “Our clients in the community use the Clinic,” said Allison Hall, another of the BB&T painters. “We just helped kick (the renovation) off.”

In past years BB&T employees have supported the Clinic in several ways. Two years ago they donated a scanner that is being used to move the Clinic from paper to electronic records. Last year they donated a large, powerful shredder.

“The BB&T employees’ work on the dental area renovation will improve our dental patients’ experience,” said Ashley Burnette, the Clinic’s director of fund development. “We really appreciate everything that they have done for us.”

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What Does Your Donation Buy?

Donate to Mountain Hope Good Shepherd CliniWhen you make a donation to Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic, your money goes a long way. In fact, it goes a lot farther than what you spend on your own health care.

Here’s what we charge our patients. Some of them can’t afford even these prices:

Thirty dollars buys one office visit, a tooth extraction, or baseline blood work. (One of our staff members noted that her insurance billed $661 for the same blood work.)

An echocardiogram (EKG) costs $20 at the Clinic.

If we have them in stock, we charge $5 for common medications such as routine antibiotics.

A dental filling is $60, and teeth cleaning $50.

These low prices are the result of careful management. Many of our medical and dental providers are volunteers (though all are skilled and experienced).

Nevertheless, the actual cost of each visit is much more than the prices we charge. Every time a patient walks in, the cost to us is $94.42, not the $30 we charge. We have to make up that $64.42 deficit through fund raising, grants — and, of course, donations.

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Clinic Now Has Human Resources Manager

scott williamsScott Williams has been hard at work since January this year as Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic’s first human resources manager.

“I handle legal compliance and payroll” among other duties, he said. The Clinic has 20 paid employees. His part-time job also includes coordinating activities of the Clinic’s 30 volunteers.

He has a Master’s degree in organizational management and also in human resources development, both from Tusculum College.

He grew up in Gatlinburg and attended Gatlinburg-Pittman High School before spending five years in the U.S. Army. He was a forward observer for the 101st Airborne Division. Later, for 15 years he worked as a licensed paramedic in various agencies in East Tennessee, serving as a firefighter and SWAT deputy.

Scott is married to Yanci Williams, counselor at Caton’s Chapel School. The couple are in the process of adopting two boys, ages 8 and 13. They live in Sevierville.

“I love SCUBA diving,” he said, though his opportunities for doing it are limited. He enjoys spending time with his family, hiking and target shooting.

As for his new job, “I love it,” he said. “It has its challenges,” for example researching labor law on the computer, but he enjoys research and interacting with other Clinic employees.

Ober Gatlinburg Fundraiser for Mountain Hope

Sevier, Cocke, Jefferson County Days at Ober Gatlinburg

Ober Gatlinburg Sevier County DaysGatlinburg, TN – Ober Gatlinburg will offer Sevier, Cocke and Jefferson County Days from Saturday, June 4th through Friday, June 10th with 100% of the proceeds to benefit the Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic.

A $3 donation (per person) can be exchanged for an Attraction Wristband that includes Ober Gatlinburg’s Aerial Tram, Alpine Slide, Ice Rink, Wildlife Encounter, Scenic Chairlift, Water Raft Rides, Carousel, Amaze’n Maze, Mini-Golf and Chair Swing!

Qualifying Sevier, Cocke or Jefferson County residents or Sevier County Employees, may bring one guest or their spouse & dependent children. Eligible participants must be over the age of 16, possess a valid Sevier, Cocke, or Jefferson County ID or recent pay stub from a Sevier County business and valid ID. For more information call 865-436-5423.

The Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic is located in Downtown Sevierville and us the only health care ministry in Sevier County that exclusively treats the medically uninsured.  Since the population of Sevier County is largely based on tourism and many jobs are seasonal in nature many citizens are without medical insurance. Mountain Hope was founded to provide a medical home to those in need of care. The clinic provides primary medical care, limited dental care, and helps patients apply for pharmaceutical assistance. They also make referrals to outside medical specialists for conditions that cannot be treated on site.

 

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Nascar Speedpark to Round Up for Mountain Hope

IntimidatorTN_new_fullNascar Speedpark will again offer its visitors the option to “Round up for Mountain Hope” during the month of June, 2016.  Last year’s rounding up event at Nascar Speedpark’s Sevierville attraction was a rousing success and raised $2,696.20 for Mountain Hope Good Shepherd Clinic.  Proceeds from the customers who choose to round up the cost of their admission prices to the next nearest dollar amount will again benefit those who live or work in Sevier County and depend on Mountain Hope Clinic for their medical and dental care.

With more than 21,000 patients of record, Mountain Hope Clinic serves the uninsured of Sevier County and must make up a deficit of approximately $65.00 per patient visit.  “Fundraisers like this one go a long way in providing medical and dental services for our patients,” said Mary Vance, Mountain Hope’s Executive Director, “We are grateful for Nascar Speedpark and all they do for our friends and neighbors, and–of course–we hope everyone visiting Nascar Speedpark during the month of June will support our ongoing work in Sevier County.”