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Home > Community > Community Health > Care for All

Care for All

Learn how we are opening doors to quality health care for everyone through our community health practices and other programs

Teri's Total Makeover

A young woman's confidence soars thanks to her new-found friends in dental medicine

Like most teen-agers, Teri Palkow loves to laugh. Her pleasant giggle makes everyone around her smile, but last year, Palkow couldn't stand her own smile. A recipient of two kidney transplants (the most recent in 2002), Palkow's teeth were discolored, a side effect of medication that helped her replacement kidneys thrive.

"When she came to us, she seemed so unhappy - all because of her teeth," says Pat Atno, supervisor of the LVH--17th and Chew Streets Dental Clinic. "We knew a new smile would give her a fresh outlook."

So the dental team went to work. Atno obtained permission to administer free care. Working nights and weekends so Palkow, an 18-year-old high school student, didn't have to miss class, dental resident Deborah Campbell, D.M.D., and dentist Peter Davis, D.D.S., placed six porcelain veneers -- wafer-thin caps -- atop Palkow front teeth to make them white again.

"I was there almost every week for about two months," Palkow says. "Everyone made me comfortable -- I even got to watch my favorite television shows while they worked on my teeth. Everyone was so happy to see me, and I was happy to get a new smile."

But the smile was just the start. "The more we learned about her, the more we saw her bubbly personality starting to shine through," Atno says. "We all fell in love with her and wanted to let her know we cared."

To Palkow's surprise, Atno gave her a total makeover. With funds donated from clinic colleagues and hospital volunteer office, Atno took Palkow on a shopping trip. "I got a new shirt, skirt, and shoes," Palkow says, and Atno added a bottle of perfume as a special treat. The next day, Atno took her to a local day spa, where Palkow received two hours of pampering, followed by flowers and candy. "I've put the wrappings from the flowers in a memory box I keep in my room," says Palkow, who lives with a foster family.

Now, one year after her makeover, it's impossible to keep Palkow from smiling. "Everything is different," she says. "I have lots of friends and a boyfriend, and I keep in touch with Pat and Dr. Campbell. I can't thank them enough."

Our community practices provide quality, compassionate care for those who are uninsured or underinsured. As a patient, you have access to primary doctors and a full range of specialists. Learn more about our community practices:

Lehigh Valley Physicians’ Practice at LVH-17^th and Chew streets offers health care to you and your family members from the time they are young adults. In addition to immunizations, screenings for tuberculosis and HIV, you can receive care for diabetes, hepatitis C, pain management, neurological conditions, allergies and more. Help is available if you can’t afford your prescriptions.

Centro de Salud LatinoAmericano at LVH-17^th and Chew streets specializes in the care of Latino families. Your caregivers are bilingual and/or bicultural and can care for you and all members of your family. In addition to getting treatment for your illnesses, you’ll learn how to take better care of yourself and your family.

The Caring Place Family Health Program at 933 Hamilton St., Allentown (fourth floor) offers free, basic medical care to you and your family, including immunizations and screenings for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Gynecological exams and cervical cancer screenings are available to women. As a patient, you’ll learn how to care for your own health, and receive support through counseling and support groups.

The Center for Women’s Medicine at LVH-17^th and Chew streets provides comprehensive health care for women, including adolescent girls. This includes gynecological exams, prenatal care, immunizations and screenings for sexually-transmitted diseases, HIV and cancer. Specialists are available to help with difficult pregnancies, depression, nutrition and other concerns. If you have difficulty getting to appointments, transportation is available.

Sixth Street Shelter in Allentown provides free, basic care to uninsured adults. We offer physicals for employment, driver’s licenses and school applications. If you need more specialized care, you will be referred to The Caring Place at 933 Hamilton St., Allentown, or to the Lehigh Valley Physician’s Practice at LVH-17^th and Chew streets.

Dental Community Practice at LVH-17^th and Chew streets provides dental care and education to you and your family. It also provides free specialized care through a Special Needs Children’s Program, Cleft Palate Community Practice Hemophiliac Community Practice.

Lehigh Valley Family Health Center at 1730 Chew St., Allentown, provides basic medical care for every member of your family. They can help with most of your needs, including care for diabetes, pregnancy, chronic diseases and mental health concerns, in addition to immunizations and cancer screenings. Help is available if you can’t afford medications. The Family Health Center also sees patients at Casa Guadalupe, 143 W. Linden St., Allentown.

Pediatric Community Practice at LVH-17^th and Chew streets offers care to your children from the time they are infants until they are young adults. This includes free flu shots and help with diseases such as diabetes, asthma, and more. Help is available if you need transportation to appointments or need an interpreter to communicate. The pediatric clinic also sees patients at Central School, 829 E. Turner St., Allentown.

Mental Health Community Practices at LVH- 17^th and Chew streets and 2604 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem, provide treatment and assessment to adults, age 18 and older. Caregivers can help you treat conditions like depression and bipolar disease. Group therapy is also available. Learn more about our outpatient mental health programs.

For more information about these and other Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network community practices, call 610-402-CARE.

Does someone in your family speak Spanish?

Take comfort in knowing all of our community practices we have trained medical interpreters who can help your loved one communicate with our caregivers, ensuring they receive the best care. For more information about our interpreter services, call 610-402-CARE.

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Lehigh Valley Hospital cares for all people, regardless of their ability to pay.

This page last updated 9/18/08 11:14 PM

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Lehigh Valley Hospital has campuses in Allentown and Bethlehem, Pa. and serves the Pennsylvania communities of Easton, Doylestown, Quakertown, Hazelton, Lehighton, Perkasie, Pottstown, Pottsville, Reading, Scranton, Wilkes Barre, Stroudsburg, and the Poconos and also Phillipsburg and Flemington, N.J., and western New Jersey. You don't have to travel to Philadelphia or New York for quality health care.