Bayfield, WI from Madeline Island ferry, Lake Superior

Bayfield is one of my favorite places in Wisconsin – along with the beaches of Cornucopia and Herbster – which are wonderfully uncrowded! There is a current opening for a dentist in Ashland, just south of Bayfield, so if the south shore of the Big Lake appeals to you, please contact us!

As we wrap up the current academic year, we are pleased to note that we have found 15 dentists for Wisconsin communities in all parts of the state. In the last 9 months we had over 100 active candidates, referred 55 candidates to clinics, and 30 candidates completed site visits in the state. We now look forward to visiting the dentists in the various communities as they begin their new careers.

Please contact us for information about jobs in Wisconsin – and have a wonderful summer!

I enjoyed a recent visit to the busy dental clinic in Ashland that is operated by The Lakes Community Health Center in Iron River.

Much has happened since March of 2008 when dentist Tina Dahlke responded to our ad regarding communities in rural Wisconsin that needed dentists.

Dr. Dahlke was practicing in Alaska, two hours north of Anchorage, and was looking to return to her native Wisconsin. She hoped to find a start up opportunity near Lake Superior. She was thrilled when I told her that The Lakes CHC in Iron River hoped to open a dental clinic in the area – depending on finding an interested dentist. This was a match made in heaven – today, Dr. Dahlke has a full practice providing services to children, teens, pregnant women, and adults with chronic diseases. She also takes emergency cases for all ages.

The clinic, located on Main Street in Ashland, has just completed a second remodeling phase, resulting in 5 contemporary and beautiful treatment rooms, dental hygiene rooms and lab facilities. All medical insurances are accepted and sliding discount fees are available based on income. Since the clinic was quickly at capacity, and forced to use a waiting list, they have begun to plan for a second dentist. We are happy to be participating in that search – for a dentist dedicated to community health center practice and life on the shore of Lake Superior!

Approaching Ashland - Lake Superior is just beyond

Entry - The Lakes Dental Clinic in Ashland

Reception - newly remodeled

Clinic staff

One of 5 new operatories

Another new operatory

Up to date imaging

Busy staff in appointment area

Lake Superior - a close neighbor and heart of the area!

As April arrives this week new dentists have signed contracts to work at public health clinics all over the state.  Of the nearly one hundred dentists we have worked with since August, twelve will be starting jobs in rural Wisconsin after graduation – they are coming from schools in Minnesota, Michigan, New York, and our own Marquette in Wisconsin.

We continue to work with dentists, some exiting the military, to match them to spots in the state.  Please contact us at siik@wisc.edu if you wish to find a position in Wisconsin or have a position to fill.  And have a happy spring!

On Thursday, Feb. 18, a crowd of well wishers filled the new Marshfield Clinic Medford Dental Center.  On an almost spring like February day, sunshine filled the spacious new clinic.  On hand to celebrate the completion of the clinic were proud new staff, many people from the local community, and Marshfield Clinic staff who worked hard to open this clinic.  They include Dr. Karl Ulrich, CEO, Terri Kleutsch, Dental Administrator for Marshfield dental sites, Greg Nycz, the visionary director of Family Health Center of Marshfield, Dr. Ronald Hager, Oral Surgeon,  Dr. Jeff Luke, Dental Director and Dr. Kowshik Vaddi, the first dentist working at the Medford clinic.  The clinic opened Dec. 1 and has already seen over 400 patients.

Terri Kleutsch thanked Cong. Dave Obey, State Sen. Russ Decker, State Rep. Mary Williams, and reps of Sen. Russ Feingold and Sen. Herb Kohl for their efforts on behalf of the clinic.

The clinic will be fully staffed soon with 5 dentists – and we are proud that our placement program recruited 2 of those dentists.  The Medford clinic welcomes all patients regardless of insurance .  It will make a major impact on improving access to dental care for people in north central Wisconsin.

Dr. Vaddi, Dr. Hager, Dr. Luke

Clinic staff

State of the art equipment in well designed operatories

Dr. Vaddi with wheel chair lift to permit more comfortable treatment for patients

Clinic main entry

Dave Obey addresses the crowd

Russ Decker addresses the crowd

A healthy reception - no soda served!

Conference room

Staff paging system for efficiency

A new decade can herald fresh beginnings and new starts, but this decade has begun instead with enormous tragedy in Haiti and ongoing problems in the US.

Here in Wisconsin, a new study released by the WDA announces and predicts a continuing shortage of dentists treating low income patients.  The study was funded by Delta Dental of Wisconsin and conducted by U. of Conn. researchers.  It puts the number of dentists in the state at 3,142, with a quarter of them treating people on Medicaid.

Our Dentist Placement Program is part of many attempts to improve this situation, since we seek to find dentists for the federally qualified community health center dental clinics that treat everyone, regardless of insurance or income.    We are currently working to fill openings around the state.  Some are very rural spots, but others are in metropolitan areas.  We urge  dentists who want to provide quality care with professional support staff in fine facilities to contact us for details.  We especially want to hear from dentists with five years experience. My email is siik@wisc.edu.   So this year we won’t say Happy New Decade, but ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’, which is a good Midwest idea.  May your decade improve quickly!

Kenosha – a visit to celebrate the first anniversary of the new building housing the Kenosha Community Health Center Dental Clinic….and to visit the eight dentists that our program recruited for the clinic!  Here is a photo of 7 of  the very talented group – the new face of public health dentistry today!  And here are photos of the impressive clinic.  The administrators worked hard to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere with jewel tones on the walls and lots of art.  The clinic is a  busy, beautiful new center of  pride in the city of Kenosha!

New dentists at Kenosha CHC - our placements!

Kenosha CHC celebration of the new dental clinic

Clinic CEO Jack Waters addresses the crowd

Clinic board members

Happy staff!

Tom Petri of WHPCA with the Kenosha dental director

Andrew Maples, DMD, Marsha Siik, Tom Jazweicki, DDS

Minneapolis – a visit to the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry to participate in their annual Student Dental Society vendor fair – a time to tell 4th year students about immediate openings in Wisconsin that need their skills, and a time to educate the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd years about the interview process, when to start looking, the state and federal loan programs.  We spoke with many students – and are always energized by them!

Milwaukee – next week brings a visit to Marquette School of Dentistry for their annual  Student Dental Society vendor fair!  Looking forward to talking with the students about opportunities all over the state of Wisconsin.