09/03/2025
https://dailyjournalonline.com/2025/09/03/great-mines-health-center-grand-opening-for-new-farmington-clinic/
Mines Health Center (GMHC) held a grand opening celebration on Aug. 22, accompanied by a ribbon-cutting hosted by the Farmington Regional Chamber of Commerce. The event was attended by Senator Mike Henderson, Representative Dale Wright, Donna Hickman representing Congressman Jason Smith’s office, members of the Great Mines Health Foundation board, Farmington city officials, community leaders, fellow chamber members, family, and friends.
CEO Greg Roeback took over leadership of the organization in 2017. Roeback showcased their newly opened facility this week, celebrating the expanded services made possible through state support and community partnerships. He was one of many GMHC officials who conducted tours throughout the facility. He also sounded the alarm about a critical shortage of dentists in the region. He told visitors that, while the center has new exam rooms and state-of-the-art equipment, it cannot keep up with the demand for patients.
“I need three more dentists based on the demand and the community needs assessment,” he said, noting that patients often wait eight months or longer for dental appointments.
The shortage, he explained, is part of a larger national problem. “Several years ago, I was told by the wife of a local dentist that there was a national dentist shortage. She was right,” he said, adding that Missouri now has just one dental school.
The tour highlighted the center’s modern features, including a larger break room, expanded clinical space for pediatric care, and new medical equipment funded through donations and state support. The Great Mines Health Foundation donated more than $21,000 in equipment, including an all-ability scale for wheelchair users and a specialized bed for bariatric patients.
GMHC is a regional Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), established in 2003. House Bill 3020, passed in 2023 with bipartisan support, also helped make the new Farmington project possible. The center applied for and received $2.7 million in state matching funds, which it matched in full. Despite offers from its bank, Roeback said, the organization managed to finance construction without taking on debt. “It’s a good position when your bank is begging you to borrow money,” he said.
Staff members said the new building is already making a difference in day-to-day operations. “The space is beautiful,” said Jennifer Gillam, the vice president of clinical operations. “It’s a bigger clinical area for better preparation of vaccines and in-house testing. The old office was very small.”
In an age when inclusivity is the keyword of nearly every business or educational conversation, Great Mines is no exception; however, it is demonstrated in a courteous and unique counterpoint to the elaborate technology and modern architecture of the new facility. At the corner of the parking lot, a bench and hitching post are available for patients from the local Mennonite community near Farmington who travel by horse and buggy.
“We will plant some trees there to provide shade for the horses and whoever waits on the bench,” Roeback explained.
The new facility features a private entrance dedicated to behavioral health services, designed to provide confidentiality and a more calming atmosphere for patients.
To learn more about Great Mines and the services provided at the Potosi and Farmington locations, visit gmhcenter.org or their page. The new facility is located at 1401 Maple Street in Farmington.
To schedule an appointment for medical or behavioral health services, call 573-664-1100. To schedule an appointment for dental services, please call 573-664-1100. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday.
Great Mines Health Center grand opening for new Farmington clinic By Lisa Brotherton-Barnes | September 3, 2025 | 0 A courtesy hitching post and bench have been placed to accommodate Mennonite patients who travel to the clinic with a horse and buggy. Lisa Brotherton-Barnes Great Mines Health Center....
