January 20, 2024
CLARÍN — The Fort Dodge Community Health Center will open a location in Wright County this spring to meet major medical, dental and behavioral care needs.
Leaders at the center announced Friday that Dr. Simpson’s former dental office has been purchased. Pamela Kelch, at 303 N. Main St. in Clarion.
This will be the center’s second facility in Wright County. In March 2023, the center purchased the former dental office of Dr. S. Misty Shaver in Eagle Grove. Medical, dental and behavioral fitness care is now offered. This center opened in July 2023 and of course, months later, almost available appointment slots were reserved.
“Our Eagle Grove location has been busy from the beginning, especially for dental services,” said Renae Kruckenberg, executive director of the Fort Dodge Community Health Center. “The need exists in Wright County, and as a federally chartered fitness center, we look at the numbers and know the need for care in this area. “
The process of filling certain positions at the Eagle Grove site ultimately led to the acquisition of the Clarion office. Kruckenberg said one of the applicants said he would be available to work at the end of December because his current employer was retiring.
“This led to an investigation into the option for Fort Dodge Community Health Center Inc. purchase the Kelch practice to continue dental care and to provide medical and behavioral fitness to the Clarion community,” Kruckenberg said.
The new site will be known as Clarion Community Health Center. Dental care, number one medical care, and behavioral fitness such as diagnosis and medication management will be provided.
The Clarion construction is about twice the length of the Eagle Grove construction, so there will be area to supply all of those services.
The Community Health Center has statistics showing the need for dental care in Wright County. For example, those statistics show that 15 percent of the kindergarteners and ninth graders in the county’s school districts need dental care or urgent dental care. That compares to a 12.8 percent statewide average.
As a federally chartered fitness center, the center accepts private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid and offers a sliding pay scale for eligible patients. This sliding scale of payment depends on the patient’s ability to pay.
The Fort Dodge Community Health Center has locations in Fort Dodge, Dayton, Mason City, and Eagle Grove.
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