By Jennifer McClure
Creative Design Manager
IT WAS BY CHANCE that Dr . Kenneth Fetter met Foster Friess during a golf outing at the Stonewall course in Elverson . Friess asked Dr . Fetter and his partner , Dr . Dallas Pulliam ( both PDA members who practice in Wayne ), if they would like to be involved in a dental clinic project in Chester . Dr . Fetter instantly said yes . He was ready to get involved with this local opportunity and serve his community .
“ I have been practicing for 36 years and have always been open to the idea and interested in mission work for quite some time now . I have attended a men ’ s Bible study and it has inspired me to become involved in the mission field ,” Dr . Fetter said .
It was four years in the making before the Chester Grace Dental Clinic opened its doors on May 4 . The state-of-the-art , two-operatory facility is located on the first floor of the Frederick Douglass Christian School . The K-5 school is run by World Impact , an urban ministry that provides children with a quality , Christian-based education . Friess , a former resident of Chadds Ford , had been a longtime supporter of World Impact and the school . He knew Chester was in great need for a facility like this and donated $ 100,000 to start the clinic . Friess learned there was an empty room in the school and construction began on the bleak concrete room .
Other businesses signed on and wanted to be involved to help support and facilitate the opening of the clinic . Equipment and services were donated from Benco Dental in Horsham , Carestream Dental of Atlanta , Cunningham Construction in Havertown and McGillian Architecture of Bala Cynwyd . The clinic has brand-new dental chairs and X-ray and sterilization equipment .
“ We ’ re offering a clinic in an environment that really needs it .” Dr . Fetter said . “ We ’ ve seen about 100 patients since we ’ ve opened and it is obvious that they haven ’ t seen a dentist for an extended period of time .”
Currently , the clinic offers basic care , dental hygiene exams , restorative care and X-rays . Patients also receive information about preventive care between their routine checkups . Chester Grace is a low-fee clinic , with patients paying only $ 10 for the care they receive .
Dr . Fetter is excited and optimistic about the future of the Chester Grace Dental Clinic . He anticipates that the clinic will be open more than one day a week .
“ As many days as the patients need us to be open ,” he said . He also hopes they can bring in specialists and offer more advanced treatment options . “ The ChesPenn Hospital is located in the neighborhood and they have two dentists on staff . They are able to see the patients with prosthetic needs . Unfortunately , we don ’ t have the finances to accept those patients yet .”
The ChesPenn Hospital also offers a sliding fee schedule and Dr . Fetter hopes to create a working relationship to better serve the community together .
Dr . Fetter is seeking community and financial support . “ People are enthusiastic and express interest as word spreads throughout the community ,” he said . By hosting open houses , Dr . Fetter hopes guests will gift a monetary donation or supplies . Ongoing efforts to host additional fundraisers will help offset the costs to operate the clinic .
The Chester Grace Dental Clinic is open every Friday from 9 a . m . to 5 p . m . Drs . Fetter and Pulliam take turns volunteering at the clinic on Fridays , allowing one of them to still see patents at their Wayne Family Dentistry office . If anyone is interested in contacting Dr . Fetter about the Clinic , he can be reached at kfonion @ aol . com .
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