The donation of an "entire dental office" will benefit poverty-stricken clients of two local nonprofit groups.

Dentist Charles Vanderpool gave Medford's Society of St. Vincent de Paul thousands of dollars in equipment this month after closing his 25-year-old Medford practice last year for medical reasons. Vanderpool cited a July 28 story in the Mail Tribune about St. Vincent's first free dental clinic when he called the charity offering the contents of his office.

"We couldn't believe it," said Len Hebert, president of St. Vincent's Rogue Valley District Council. "He just called in right out of the blue."

St. Vincent kept a dental chair and box of implements but passed the rest along to La Clinica del Valle, which collaborates with St. Vincent on its clinics, Hebert said. La Clinica received dental chairs, X-ray machines, lights, forms for record-keeping and even toothbrushes, said Maria Ramos Underwood, development director for La Clinica.

La Clinica hasn't determined which items are usable or the exact value, but does anticipate needing dental equipment when it opens a new clinic in Central Point, Underwood said. The Medford-based nonproft organization aims to break ground on the project this fall, she added.

After treating about 5,000 children through its school-based clinics, La Clinica expanded its reach to needy adults last month at St. Vincent's dental screening event. La Clinica provided a dental assistant and notetaker for Jacksonville dentist Rex Miller, who referred 14 patients for further treatment.

Another dentist is needed for St. Vincent's second dental screening clinic, planned from 9 a.m. to noon on Sept. 7, said Kathy Morgan, vice president of St. Vincent's community relations. Call Morgan at 772-8976.

Those interested in attending St. Vincent's dental screening clinic must first complete La Clinica's monthly dental hygiene class at the charity's St. Anthony Emergency Family Shelter, 2424 N. Pacific Highway, Medford. For more information, call St. Vincent at 772-3828.