Healthcare from the Heart - Person Family Medical & Dental Center

In this day and age, getting medical treatment and preventative care can be an incredibly stressful series of ordeals. From getting to your appointments to see each provider you’ve been referred to, struggling to find and maintain good insurance coverage, to worrying about how you’ll ever manage to pay for your therapies and prescriptions, “going to the doctor” is not a simple errand. These barriers so often force many to put off or avoid getting the help they need, which negatively affects their quality of life. There is one community health center that is set apart from other medical facilities, however. It is a place where you can find assistance in obtaining insurance, see a family healthcare provider, get mental health treatment, and receive dental care. This “one stop shop for healthcare” is Roxboro’s own Person Family Medical & Dental Center (PFMDC).

A Facility Set Apart

The PFMDC campus is situated at 702 N. Main Street. The building that is now home to the medical center was originally a Merita Breads bakery outlet, but now serves a greater purpose. “A group of people here in the county got together, and they knew that we needed care for those that may be not able to pay for healthcare services. So, they started the Person Family Medical Center in 1980,” said CEO Glenn Martin. To better serve its patients, Person Family Medical Center later added buildings dedicated to dental and behavioral care in 1996 and 2014.

The aim of PFMDC is to provide the highest quality of care to every patient. “We turn away no one,” Martin asserted. This means that regardless of financial status, insured or uninsured, anyone can access integrated healthcare from PFMDC’s board-certified providers. “Our core mission is to deliver compassionate, effective, and ethical care to every individual we serve,” said Dr. Safwat Nasrat, who serves as chief medical officer and family physician at PFMDC. Primary and urgent care, checkups and physicals, and preventative screenings and testing are available to patients of all ages at the medical center.

Beyond Family Medicine

At the dental center, Dr. Renee Gaskey-Foley and her team help people put their best smile forward. “Oral health care is critical to overall health… It [also] contributes to your social interactions, your mental health, and your self-esteem… It’s a gateway for everything,” said Dr. Gaskey-Foley. Symptoms of many conditions, such as diabetes, heart and autoimmune diseases, and even leukemia, are sometimes first noticed during dental check ups, making regular care all the more important. With a second location in Yanceyville, Person Family Dental Center proudly offers exams, x-rays, cleanings, deep cleanings, fillings, simple extractions, partials, dentures, and more.

The professionals at PFMDC know that wellbeing does not pertain only to the body, but to the mind as well. The behavioral health center exists to empower both children and adults who need general psychiatric treatment and medication, counseling and therapy, or help with substance abuse disorders. “We provide comprehensive mental health services with a focus on compassionate, personalized care,” said Dr. Alisa Paliy, PFMDC’s director of Behavioral Health. “Our team includes a psychiatrist, psychiatric nurse practitioner, and licensed clinical social workers who work together to support your mental wellness.” All departments of the PFMDC work in tandem to provide a holistic approach to health solutions. “Our goal is to help you feel better, function better, and live a healthier life,” Dr. Paliy added.

PFMDC is consistent across the board; each facility on the property boasts clean, inviting spaces staffed by friendly and helpful personnel. This community health center works with all health insurances, and those without coverage can take advantage of the sliding pay scale. For those who need a hand applying for coverage, PFMDC’s outreach and marketing team’s Certified SHIP and Application counselors can assist patients with Medicaid, Medicare, and ACA Marketplace insurance enrollment. In short: PFMDC professionals can help with each step of the medical process and tend to a myriad of needs, all from one campus.

A Heart for the Community

Aside from its multifaceted convenience, what makes PFMDC unique is just how civic-minded it is. As part of its two-fold purpose, the outreach and marketing team also coordinates events for the benefit of the community. For example, the center regularly partners with Invision Diagnostics to provide free 3D mammograms for anyone with any insurance plan to help detect and prevent breast cancer. The dental center, similarly passionate about prevention, performs both Head Start and early intervention screenings for young children enrolled in pre-K and elementary schools. These at-school checkups enable any oral health issues to be discovered early, and for positive impressions of dental care professionals to be made before any procedures may have to be performed.

PFMDC also works to empower others through education, so that community members can make informed decisions regarding their health. “One of the most pressing health needs in our community is the rising burden of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. This is often driven by lifestyle factors, limited access to preventive care, and social determinants of health like food insecurity and housing instability,” Dr. Nasrat explained. In response to the local prevalence of diabetes, PFMDC facilitates a free education and support group for those who are diabetic, prediabetic, or care for someone with diabetes. Meetings are hosted by practitioner John Illsley, PA-C, and take place at Roxboro Baptist Church the first Monday of each month.

In June of 2024, in recognition of Men’s Health Month, PFMDC held a basketball tournament, called The Battle of the Ballers, in the Roxboro Community School gymnasium, which was sponsored by local businesses. While attendees enjoyed the sporting event, PFMDC was also able to provide them with free screenings, like glucose and blood pressure checks, and some general information regarding men’s health. Last year’s first iteration was so well received that a second tournament took place this year.

Outreach and Marketing Director Jennifer Daye says that the event she is most proud of is PFMDC’s annual 50 Shades of Cancer Symposium. Twelve years ago, Daye envisioned a banquet that honored cancer survivors and those taken by the disease, and it has taken place each October since. “We started it to make people aware that cancer does not discriminate, it can affect anybody,” Daye explained. The festivities include dinner, informative and touching talks from guest speakers, music, vendors, wig giveaways, and door prizes. During the 10th annual symposium in 2023, PFMDC staff members put on a fashion show for attendees. This playful yet heartfelt display of love made the ABC11 WTVD news broadcast. “You’d be surprised how many cancer survivors just want to be able to come in and be relaxed and smile,” Daye said. The gala is a free event for the public and always makes for a memorable evening.

Tender, Loving Healthcare

PFMDC not only provides healthcare and dental services for the whole family, but its staff and providers treat one another, and their patients, like family, with the utmost compassion and respect. “If you ever come as a patient, you’ll feel it, you’ll see it. You’ll leave and say, ‘They really took care of me,’” Martin said. With true care and expertise, PFMDC professionals work as a team to help patients achieve their health goals holistically.

Same Mission, New Horizons

Looking to the future, PFMDC has set its sights on expansion. The board is currently working to secure capital grants in order to fund a $4 million building project that would put all of the center’s services under one roof in an updated facility. “Hopefully we can continue to be a big part of this county and continue to grow,” Martin expressed.