SUPPORTING THE COWETA SAMARITAN CLINIC

The session is excited to announce that it has approved unanimously to fund the equipping of three brand new Dental Operatories within the Coweta Samaritan Clinic. The pledged commitment from NPC is approximately $135,000 and represents one of the largest gifts to the clinic as part of its effort to bridge this vital gap in healthcare for Coweta’s most vulnerable citizens. 

Studies show that poor dental health is a major contributor to heart disease and at present, the clinic is only able to meet 10% of the demand for oral healthcare. Our tithe will ensure that the remaining 90% of clinic patients will receive the preventative dental care that will help them lead healthier and longer lives. 

In the days ahead, the clinic will be announcing NPC as one of its lead givers and the session is proud to know that our generosity will go to serve this church in preserving our historic sanctuary, replacing HVAC systems, and paying off debt. However, the reach of our gifts will not stop with our own church family. Instead, our generosity will help to save the lives of God’s children living on the margins of Coweta County. 

For some context, beginning in 2018 NPC began to plan for its Bicentennial Celebration in 2028 by embarking on a three-part capital campaign where we expected to raise over a million dollars to fund a variety of projects to preserve and enhance our campus. As part of that undertaking, the session covenanted to tithe the campaign, offering 10% of what we raised to benefit the larger community of Newnan and Coweta County. 

Most of you are aware that we face delays in our fundraising as we await more information from our tornado damage lawsuit. Despite those delays, the session remains committed to tithing our total funds raised in the months and years ahead. With that in mind, the session is excited to strengthen the partnership of Newnan Presbyterian Church with the Coweta Samaritan Clinic as it seeks to enhance and expand its ability to save lives in Coweta County. 

Gratefully, 

Bob Coggin - President of the Corporation

Jacob Story - Clerk of the Session

Rev. David Jones, II - Pastor 

Dental Care and Doing the Math

● The CSC provides quality, compassionate care to 500+ new and existing patients each year.

● Baseline dental care (for a healthy mouth) is two cleanings a year = 1000+ dental visits.

● This does not include restorative work and/or extractions that are needed for most, if not all, patients. 

● In 2023 110 dental visits were available for our patients.

Based on this information, the Clinic is currently meeting only 10% of the dental care needed,  while roughly 90% is unmet. 

Oral Health and Heart Disease:

These are connected by the spread of bacteria and other germs from your mouth to other parts of the body through the bloodstream. When these bacteria reach the heart, they attach themselves to any damaged area and cause inflammation.  This can result in illnesses such as endocarditis, an infection of the inner lining of the heart. According to the American Heart Association, other cardiovascular conditions such as atherosclerosis (clogged arteries) and  strokes have also been linked to inflammation caused by oral bacteria. 

Based on these findings and the fact that most, if not all Clinic patients, have not had access to  dental care in years, we must take action to address the need for additional dental care in the  immediate. 

Efficient Utilization of the Sam Brown Medical Building:

Within the existing building, six offices were identified as no longer in use by staff or volunteers;  with renovation, these offices will prove an opportunity to expand patient services in a centralized space to include: 

● Three dental operatories for hygiene, restorative work, and extractions

● X-ray and specialty equipment room

● Lab and sterilization suite

● Charting room for volunteer dentists

These renovations would provide an optimal and cost-efficient option that would allow us to utilize the existing space within the building and add much needed dental care services for patients of the clinic. 

Affordable, State-of-the-art Equipment

Properly equipping the dental clinic is of the utmost importance. The clinic is committed to doing this with affordable dental care equipment, tools, supplies, furnishings, and software to support the patient care provided within the facility. 

This is where Newnan Presbyterian comes in. NPC is committed in its tithe of our Bicentennial Campaign to cover the estimated $135,000 cost to equip the three operatories. In the months ahead, the Strategic Planning Ministry will keep the congregation informed of when the final leg of the capital campaign will kick off.