The Douglas
County Dental Clinic began as a group of concerned community members who
formed the Douglas County Dental Coalition in 1998. They began
meeting to discuss how the great needs in our community could be met.
They soon incorporated and began searching for funding to support the
start
up of the
clinic. Initial funding was provided by the Ethel and Raymond
Rice Foundation and the United Methodist Health Ministry Fund.
These funds provided the clinic with equipment and supplies and
allowed for part-time staff. Still, though, the clinic had no
physical location. Late in 2001 a local dentist, Dr. Larry
Mayer, who was in the process of retiring, agreed to sell all his
equipment to the Douglas County Dental Clinic for less than ½ of its
appraised value. Additionally, the owner of the building in
which Dr. Mayer’s office was located indicated a willingness to rent
the same space to the Douglas County Dental Clinic. In October
of 2001, the dental clinic saw its first patients. Part-time
doctors and hygienists staffed the clinic between October of 2001
and June of 2002. In that time 577 patient visits took place.
In July of 2002, the Douglas County Dental Clinic hired its first
full-time dentist, a full-time assistant, a full-time office manager
and a full-time director. By the end of 2002, the clinic had seen
1,537 patients. In 2003, the number of patient visits
increased to 2,624, and in 2004 we had 3,915 visits. In 2005
we had over 5,000 visits! Because of this great increase in
patient visits, the clinic moved to a new, larger, location in
January of 2006. The Douglas County Dental Clinic now has 2
full-time dentists, 1 full-time hygienist, 1 extended care permit
hygienist, 2 full-time assistants, 2 part-time assistants, 2
full-time case managers, a full-time office manager, and a full-time
director.
