Volunteer Dentists

Our Volunteer Dentists Change Lives—One Smile at a Time

At the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic, our volunteer dentists are true heroes—donating their time, skills, and heart without compensation, simply to relieve pain and restore dignity. With over 100 years of combined experience, they bring exceptional care and expertise to patients who would otherwise go without.

From extractions and fillings to crowns, dentures, TMJ care, root canals, and even oral surgery, our volunteers make it possible to offer treatment plans rarely seen in free clinics. Since 2004, their compassion has shaped a culture of care that continues today, now enhanced by a growing staff and more resources to serve our WNC neighbors.

Today, more than 20 volunteer dental professionals work alongside our clinic team to create hundreds of healthy, pain-free smiles each year—at no cost to patients. Every treatment plan includes preventative hygiene and necessary therapeutic procedures tailored to each individual.

Want to join our mission? Call us at 828-743-3393 to learn more about volunteering.

Call us at 828-743-3393 for more information about volunteering

Current Volunteer Dentists

DR. PHILLIP ABBOTT DR. DANIEL ASHTON DR. ROBERT BROCKET DR. ASHLEY COLLINS DR. DONALD COOPER DR. HARRISON CONNER DR. MATTHEW CORBIN DR. MADISON CRUMLEY DR. CLAUDE DANTONIO DR. THOMAS DAY DR. PAUL DECARLO DR. CHRISTOPHER DYER DR. MIKE HAMRICK DR. ROBERT HENKEL DR. DAVID JONES DR. CORY SATTERFIELD KUYK DR. MICHAEL MCDEVITT DR. RYAN ORLOSKY DR. NICHOLAS OSBORNE DR. ERIN “CAITLIN” MEHAFFEY DR. FRED RODENBECK DR. RAMSHA SAJJAD DR. KATHY SMITH DR. JAN SPAGNOLI DR. CAMERON SWIFT

Why Volunteer?

Volunteering is one of the most meaningful parts of life. It’s a reminder that even small acts of care can have a lasting impact. Providing dental care to those who might otherwise go without isn’t just about fixing teeth—it’s about restoring dignity, confidence, and hope.

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

Volunteers

  • Deborah Lefevers

  • Judy Gore

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

  • Diya Patel | Dental Assistant

  • Maddy Potts | Dental Assistant

  • Kaitlyn Richmond | Dental Assistant

  • Liz Henkel | Dental Assistant

Board of Directors 2025

Dr. Paul DeCarlo: Restoring Smiles, One Visit at a Time

Since 2015, Dr. Paul DeCarlo has generously volunteered his time each week at the Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic, bringing his expertise in restorative dentistry—especially fillings and crowns—to patients in need. Beyond the treatment chair, Dr. DeCarlo has also helped guide the Clinic’s mission as a dedicated member of our Board of Directors for the past six years.

  • Dr. R. Douglas Trochelman, President

  • Bill Canby, Treasurer

  • Ron Freeman, Past-President

  • Dr. Paul DeCarlo

  • Fred Fischer

  • Ralph Greene

  • Miles Russ

  • Lynda Stinson


Help Us Restore Smiles—And Lives

The Blue Ridge Free Dental Clinic provides life-changing emergency, restorative, and preventative dental care to those in Western North Carolina who simply can’t afford it. For many, we are their only option. We don’t just treat teeth—we restore confidence, dignity, and the ability to live without pain.

Since opening in 2005, the Clinic has provided over 76,000 procedures and welcomed more than 24,000 patient visits, delivering over $12 million in dental care—free of charge.

But we cannot do this without help.

Our biggest challenge isn’t the need—it’s having enough staff to meet it. The cost of maintaining our dedicated team of professionals is our greatest ongoing expense. Without unrestricted donations for personnel, we simply cannot continue to provide the level of care our patients deserve—or expand to reach those still suffering in silence.

Your gift helps us do more than fix teeth. It helps someone smile without pain, eat without fear, and face the world with hope.

Please consider making a donation today. Your support truly changes lives—one smile at a time.