U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, visited Connect Health + Wellness in Martinsville to discuss rural health care and tour the organization’s dental clinic.
“The Martinsville-Henry County area is served by dedicated health care professionals, like those at Connect Health + Wellness,” Griffith said. “I am thankful for the opportunity to tour their dental facility in Martinsville. As the new chairman of the Health Subcommittee, I support finding ways that help our rural hospitals provide critical health care access to rural communities.”
During his visit, Griffith met with staff and dental students working at the clinic as part of a residency training partnership.
“At Connect Health + Wellness, we are deeply committed to expanding access to high-quality and affordable medical and dental care, particularly in the rural communities we serve,” said CEO Marcus Stone. “We are honored to welcome Representative Griffith and to have the opportunity to showcase our work as part of the ongoing conversation about strengthening rural healthcare in our region.”
Griffith privately met with staff before touring the building, where he learned about the clinic’s student dental program. The clinic partners with Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to host dental students in weekly rotations.
“We have VCU dental students rotating in weekly,” Stone said. “Every week, it’s a new set, and they help us care for patients—real patients—in a real-world setting.”
Stone said the program significantly expands the clinic’s capacity.
“We have two dentists, and then three students come in. We basically triple how many people we can see by having the students here,” he said.
The program is part of the National Health Service Corps and is supported through federally managed residency placement programs, some of which are governed by Congress.
“This is about more than just dental school—it’s part of a broader effort to fix provider shortages,” Stone said.
To support the student rotations, the clinic offers housing on-site. Dorm rooms are located upstairs above the clinic, where students stay during the week.
“They come in, work with us in the clinic, then go upstairs in the evenings,” Stone said. “They walk to restaurants, coffee shops, and they actually live here for a week.”
The clinic provides snacks and helps the students feel connected to the community. According to Stone, the program has already had an impact on recruitment.
“We’ve seen it already,” he said. “They do the rotation, and then some come back to live and work here.” Two former students have since committed to becoming full-time dentists at the clinic.
Griffith praised the model, calling it “exactly what rural health care needs more of.”
He noted that rural health has long been a legislative priority, particularly in Virginia’s 9th District, which has more federally qualified health centers than any other district in the state.
Griffith acknowledged ongoing challenges related to Medicaid policy and hospital funding but said programs like the one in Martinsville could play a key role in addressing long-term gaps in care.
“When you get to the Medicaid stuff, it can affect the hospital some. It will,” Griffith said. “But we’re looking for ways that we can perhaps make some beneficial changes there. The Senate put in a $50 billion fund—it doesn’t do a lot. But for rural hospitals, we have to get that defined.”
“I hope to work with the administration to define that so it actually helps rural hospitals, and not get sucked away like some of the other money to hospitals that are centered in a big city and might have one rural outlet. Sometimes that happens.”
Stone said the program offers something meaningful for both patients and future providers.
“You’re going to see a million patients in your career,” he said, “but the people you see here will always remember how you treated them.”
Griffith called the facility a “great asset” and commended the clinic for its ability to train and retain new dentists.
