We’ve Been Serving Our Community for 27+ Years.
At The VSC, we’ve always been committed to providing access to quality, comprehensive medical care to those in our community who need it most. We welcome all patients, to receive the care they need, regardless of ability to pay. By supporting or receiving medical care from The VSC, you’re a part of a bigger mission to impact the lives of many in our community.
Where We Started
Viola Startzman, MD, was a retired pediatrician and former director of The College of Wooster Student Health Center. At age 78, “Dr. Vi” was named chairperson of a committee formed in the early 1990’s by Wooster Mayor Clyde Breneman and the Board of Governors of Wooster Community Hospital to research needed health care services in Wayne County. The hospital made a small building on its campus available for $1.00 in annual rent for 25 years, and after years of hard work by many community members, “Healthcare 2000 Community Clinic” opened its doors on August 3, 1995. Many individuals and organizations came together to generously support this vision and they continue to do so today.
A colleague once described Dr. Vi as “a person of rare dedication, compassion and purpose who has accomplished much for the good of others and provided an exemplary character for others to emulate.” When asked by the AMA Foundation about the driving force behind her years of volunteer work, Dr. Vi stated, “I think everyone has a right to health care, good health care, just as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.
The Viola Startzman Clinic provides healthcare and hope to residents of Wayne and Holmes Counties and surrounding communities, in an atmosphere of dignity and respect.
To obtain free or discounted care at The Viola Startzman Clinic, you must be a resident of Wayne or Holmes Counties and schedule an appointment with our Case Manager to complete the application process, in order to determine eligibility. Once eligibility is determined, our Charitable Care Policy provides free or discounted care to patients with a household income at or below 250% of the current Federal Poverty Guidelines. Click here to see our Charitable Care Application.
Dr. Daniel Phillips is a native of Wadsworth, OH. After high school, he attended The University of Akron and Wayne College, where he received his Bachelors of Science in Biology. He then proceeded to obtain his Doctorate in Dental Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude. During his spare time, he enjoys playing music and serving at his local church.
Dr. Burns drives over an hour one way to come work with us. He has been with us here 16 years.
Kasi is a Registered Dental Assistant who graduated from Wayne County Schools Career Center. She is the friendly face you’ll see assisting the dentists when they work on your teeth. She also helps train students from her alma mater in assisting our dentists. When she’s not at the clinic, Kasi enjoys spending time with her family and friends.a
Brenda has been with the clinic for two years. She enjoys watching the students that volunteer at the dental center learn and grow. She says that the clinic is a great place to learn and grow in the dental field. She has two daughters and has been married for 23 years. She enjoys camping and hiking with her family in her free time.
Eric Smith is family physician who grew up in the country and trained in cities with a history of working with the underserved. He is the son of a plumber and a jack-of-all-trades mother from Littleton, Massachusetts where he attended public school K through 12. He started his higher education at McGill University in Montréal, Québec, Canada and transferred to finish at Reed College in Portland, OR. He worked on the human genome project for over two years at the Oregon Health Sciences University before moving back to his home state of Massachusetts to attend the University of MA Medical Center in Worcester to become a family physician. His residency training was in Portland, ME and he then completed two successive years of fellowship in teaching and obstetrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center in NY. After this, he worked as faculty in the residency programs at both at the University of Rochester and the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (a federally qualified community health center in Lawrence, MA). He moved to Wooster as a supportive husband: his wife is a professor at the College of Wooster. He started his role as Medical Director at VSC due to his prior commitment to working with the underserved prior to moving to Wooster and has done his best to contribute since 2010. He enjoy cooking, mushroom hunting, and SCUBA diving.
Jessica originally attended Kent State University where she received a Bachelor in Educational Studies. She then pursued her interest in nursing, graduating from Ashland University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She went on to complete her Master of Science in Nursing at Walsh University with Board Certification as Family Nurse Practitioner.
Leslie received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from THE Ohio State University and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Ashland University. She graduated with her Master of Science in Nursing from The University of Akron with board certification as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specializing in adolescent and adult psychiatry along with chemical dependency.
Heather has been a nurse for 23 years. She has been at Viola Startzman for about 4 1/2 years. She loves working at our clinic because of what it stands for. She thinks it’s important for everyone to have access to health care, and she loves how we can make things so personalized for our patients.
Patient Advocate Team
Jillian is a Certified Insurance Navigator that assists patients in obtaining healthcare coverage or other insurance related questions. She enjoys being able to help patients find affordable coverage in order to get the care they need. Jillian attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her husband and children. She also is an avid reader and active in her church.
Carol is the Patient Advocate at the clinic. She started as a volunteer, then was hired as an Insurance Navigator. She feels that the clinic views the individual as a whole person. Her position evolved into case management, and outreach, and she has been with the clinic for 12 years. She really enjoys our outreach programs and working with our team of providers. She moved here to Wooster in 2005. It’s a nice place to live, but her heart and soul still belongs to the City and Jersey.
BethAnne Burkhart is the Office Manager at the Wooster Family Dental Center and also serves as the Administrative Assistant to our CEO. She joined our team in 2018 as a dental receptionist, and has worn many hats during her time with us. In her words, ” I came here for a job and instead, I found a family.” She is passionate about our mission to treat people with dignity and respect. BethAnne said, “I was raised in poverty and treated badly, I never want our patients to feel less than valued.” Some fun facts about BethAnne: she has a mini doodle named Teddy and a 2018 Harley Davidson she runs around on when it’s nice out!
Amber Stine
Medical Office Manager
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