Bill Text: VA HJR263 | 2022 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending Mark Crabtree, DDS.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-03-03 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ263ER) [HJR263 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-HJR263-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Mark Crabtree, DDS, an esteemed dentist and public servant and the president of the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation, has greatly served the communities of Martinsville and Henry County for many years; and
WHEREAS, a native of Collinsville and a graduate of Wake Forest University and the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry, Mark Crabtree opened his dental practice, Martinsville Smiles, in 1985; and
WHEREAS, following the economic downturn that resulted from a loss of jobs in the Martinsville and Henry County communities, Mark Crabtree worked with the West Piedmont Health District, the Harvest Foundation, and the Martinsville/Henry County Dental Advisory Committee to develop a dental clinic that would serve the needs of low-income residents; and
WHEREAS, Mark Crabtree founded the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation alongside Edward Snyder of Snyder Orthodontics and Ann Huffman of Martinsville Smiles, and its Community Dental Clinic opened in Martinsville in 2006; and
WHEREAS, with support from government agencies, grants from private foundations, and donations from businesses and individuals, the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation has raised approximately $4 million to date, allowing Mark Crabtree to hire staff, recruit volunteer dentists, and support other operations to serve the patients of the Community Dental Clinic; and
WHEREAS, Mark Crabtree arranged with the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry to have fourth-year students come to Martinsville to provide care to the Community Dental Clinic's patients, broadening the organization's ability to serve the community while facilitating the training of approximately 1,400 dental students since the clinic's founding; and
WHEREAS, over the past 16 years, the Community Dental Clinic has administered more than 57,000 patient visits, providing more than $12.6 million in dental services to low-income and uninsured adults and children; and
WHEREAS, effective October 31, 2021, Mark Crabtree and the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation transitioned management of the Community Dental Clinic to the Martinsville Henry County Coalition for Health and Wellness, enabling the clinic to offer wider access to care and expanded services to Medicaid patients, while ensuring its long-term financial stability; and
WHEREAS, in addition to his service with the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation, Mark Crabtree is a past president of the Virginia Dental Association and the Virginia Board of Dentistry and serves as a delegate to the American Dental Association House of Delegates; and
WHEREAS, an active and engaged citizen committed to the well-being of others, Mark Crabtree has served as mayor of Martinsville, chair of the Martinsville Henry County Chamber of Commerce, rector of the Board of Visitors of Longwood University, and trustee of both the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Danville and the Virginia Museum of Natural History; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of his tireless efforts to improve access to dental care in Martinsville and Henry County, Mark Crabtree was presented the Emanuel W. Michaels Distinguished Dentist Award from the Virginia Dental Association in 2015; and
WHEREAS, through visionary leadership and steadfast dedication, Mark Crabtree and the Board of Directors of the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation have exemplified the compassionate and generous nature of the Martinsville and Henry County communities and demonstrated why the area is a wonderful place to call home; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Mark Crabtree, DDS, an accomplished dentist and president and founder of the Piedmont Virginia Dental Health Foundation, for his legacy of service in Martinsville and Henry County; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Mark Crabtree, DDS, as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for his passion for patient care and for his many contributions to the Commonwealth.
