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UKIAH, CA — MCHC Health Centers is pleased to continue expanding its team of healthcare providers in Mendocino and Lake Counties. In August, MCHC welcomed Dr. David Yates to its chiropractic team. Yates, who is fluent in English and Spanish, will see patients of all ages at Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport.
MCHC Chief Medical Officer Justin Ebert said, “We are excited to welcome Dr. Yates to our Lake County team. He brings years of experience and passion to helping patients feel better, improve function and reduce pain through his chiropractic manipulation. Dr. Yates is a wonderful addition to the team and our community.”
Chiropractors focus on musculoskeletal and joint problems, using physical adjustments of the spine to help relieve pain and improve mobility. Yates says that chiropractic care is much more than the perception of cracking necks and backs. “The goal is homeostasis,” he says. By identifying areas of the spine that are misaligned and providing an adjustment, “you’re freeing up the body’s ability to heal itself,” he says.
The goal is long-term healing. Yates works with patients to identify the underlying issues behind their discomfort, then helps them develop a plan to maintain improvements over time. “Less is better when it comes to chiropractic adjusting,” he says.
Yates, who sees patients of all ages, begins with a patient consultation and health history. He learns about past injuries, illnesses, and chronic conditions, as well as the patient’s lifestyle.
Yates specializes in the upper neck, which he says plays an important role in cardiovascular function, digestion, posture, and more. He takes a whole-body approach to chiropractic care, considering the relationship between the spine and nervous system, and overall health. Yates makes adjustments by hand, not with a device, using a gentle and precise method he says can be appropriate for everyone from babies to middle-aged adults to the elderly.
Yates did not begin his professional life pursuing medicine. After graduating from Brigham Young University with a bachelor of arts in Spanish, he became a teacher. However, in his 30s he was looking for a career change, and he remembered the positive experience he’d had with chiropractic care after a snowboarding accident at age 26. He shifted gears, graduating from the Cleveland Chiropractic College of Los Angeles in 2007 as a Doctor of Chiropractic, and has been supporting patients ever since.
He focuses primarily on ongoing issues, such as chronic pain. As a former teacher, Yates enjoys educating people about their bodies and the benefits of chiropractic care.
Yates is delighted to be joining the care team at a Federally Qualified Health Center. Having previously worked in other clinical settings, he appreciates that all patients who need care can be seen at MCHC, regardless of financial circumstances or insurance status. “I’ve worked in six different clinics in five different states over the past 19 years,” he says. “One thing I didn’t like was when we had to turn away a patient because of money or lack of insurance. I don’t have to worry about that here,” he explains.
Yates, a father of five, recently moved to Lakeport. Being born and raised in California and having lived in many parts of the state, he is happy to be exactly where he is. “I doubt I could find a prettier area in all of California,” he says. Outside of work, he enjoys sports, being on the water, hiking, karaoke, and concerts.
MCHC Health Centers includes Hillside Health Center and Dora Street Health Center in Ukiah, Little Lake Health Center in Willits, and Lakeview Health Center in Lakeport. It is a community-based and patient-directed organization that provides comprehensive primary healthcare services as well as supportive services such as education and translation that promote access to healthcare.