GETTING TO GIVE

VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY MERGES EXCELLENCE AND UNIMPEACHABLE IN BUSINESS CARE WITH BLOCKBUSTER RESULTS

Reciprocity isn’t magic, but from a distance it often appears that way. Consider the business approach taken by the non-profit corporation VCU Dental Care, affiliated with Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry.  This highly evolved and efficient corporation invests every penny it raises back into the school. There’s no performative sleight of hand – it’s simply the magic of caring.

“The corporation’s sole purpose is to fund education, research, technology, residency programs, growth and development, and other markets,” explained Chad Lockhart, president of VCU Dental Care.

VCU Dental Care is the state’s largest provider of care to patients insured by Medicaid, and the school is the only facility in the region to house all oral health specialties under one roof. From advanced facial reconstruction to general dentistry, patients find the care they need in the school’s predoctoral clinic, eight specialty clinics and faculty practice. The unique academic model facilitates approximately 100,000 patient appointments each year, and VCU Dental Care staff are the backbone of clinical operations.

“We treat everybody from elected state officials and university administrative leadership to the most underserved individuals in the region. Directly affiliated with the only comprehensive dental school in all of Virginia, our corporate structure is vertically integrated to enhance all levels of dental education, practice and care.” said Lockhart.

“Our foundation is built on providing excellent patient care in a learning environment,” he said. “We take care of our staff, ensuring employment models that allow them to learn and grow within our ranks. And all of the revenue generated from the services we provide is reinvested back into our mission for the right reasons.”