Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

May 13, 2009, Front Page

Transcribed by Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Dental Clinic to help patients and community

Local leaders, politicians, representatives from Marshfield and Neillsville medical facilities and others break ground Monday, May 11, for a new dental clinic in Neillsville. The dental clinic is scheduled to be completed by August and will provide much-needed dental care for those in need.  (Photo by Peter Spicer/Clark County Press)

By Peter Spicer

Local leaders, representatives from Marshfield and Neillsville medical facilities, area politicians and many others gathered Monday, May 11, to celebrate the groundbreaking for the Marshfield Clinic Neillsville Dental Center.

The new clinic will assist poor and disadvantaged children and adults with oral health problems who are currently not being served.

The dental clinic, located at 8 Boon Boulevard, will be approximately 10,856 square feet; five dentists and five dental hygienists will staff the center.

The construction of the clinic is scheduled to be completed by August, 2009.

Those who addressed attendees at the ceremony included Family Health Center of Marshfield Director Greg Nycz, Memorial Medical Center (MMC) Chief Executive Officer Scott Polenz, State Representative Scott Suder (R-Abbotsford), State Senator Pat Kreitlow (D-Chippewa Falls), Marshfield Clinic President and Chief Executive Officer Dr. Karl Ulrich, USDA Rural Development Acting State Director Lori Wells and Neillsville Mayor Diane Murphy.

“For me, this is a very exciting event,” said Nycz, who explained the clinic will bring people to Neillsville who had not previously visited the city.

Polenz explained MMC collaborated with Marshfield Clinic to discuss starting the dental clinic.

“It’s very exciting for Memorial Medical Center,” said Polenz.

Nycz praised Suder for his role in bringing the clinic to Neillsville.  Suder partnered with the city of Neillsville, MMC and the Family Health Center of Marshfield to establish the clinic.  Nycz had met with Suder to discuss the idea of a clinic and obtaining funds for a clinic.

“I think what [Suder] did was very courageous,” said Nycz.

Although Suder wasn’t initially sure whether obtaining funds for the clinic would be achievable, he recognized the need for the facility and helped bring it to Neillsville.

Murphy simply asked Suder, “What can we do [to help]?” when he approached her about bringing the clinic to Neillsville.

“[Murphy] has been instrumental in this process,” said Suder. The clinic will be good for taxpayers and the Neillsville community, said Suder.

If people in need of dental care continue going to an emergency room, it will cost taxpayers more in the long run than if funds are used to establish a clinic, explained Suder. “[Nycz] really deserves a lot of this credit,” said Suder. “”I’m very, very proud [the clinic’s] here.”

Kreitlow explained dental care is part of the health care system and not its own niché.

The establishment of this dental clinic is an example of politicians putting aside politics to come together and help county residents, said Kreitlow.

The collaboration between the city of Neillsville, state representatives and Marshfield is remarkable, said Ulrich.

At dental clinics such as the one coming to Neillsville, patients are grateful for the care they receive; the clinic’s staff enjoys fulfilling the clinic’s mission, said Ulrich. “It’s a very rewarding experience to visit these clinics,” said Ulrich.

The dental clinic will improve the quality of life in the area, said Wells, who presented a certificate of achievement to the Family Health Center of Marshfield during the ceremony.

“This is crucial to the well-being of the community of Neillsville,” said Ulrich.

The clinic may allow fourth-year dental students who were raised in rural communities to train at the Neillsville facility, explained Nycz.

If students train at the clinic and get to know patients in a rural community, they may want to spend their career serving in rural communities, said Nycz.

“[Neillsville] is just such a wonderful community,” said Nycz.

Dental services provided at the clinic include preventative, restorative and operative care, prosthodontics, endodontics, diagnostic care, oral surgery and emergency care.

Those in attendance at the groundbreaking ceremony signed a beam that will be used in the construction of the clinic.  Epstein Uhen Architects of Madison is the dental clinic architect; Miron Construction of Middleton is the general contractor.

The dental clinic will help both patients and the community, said Murphy.

Murphy recognized Don Boon, who owned the land the clinic will be constructed on.

Patients from up to 100 miles away will travel to the Neillsville dental clinic, said Murphy.

“We’re very fortunate for this opportunity,” concluded Murphy.

Additional Articles:

Neillsville Dental Clinic (15 Oct. 2008)

New Dental Clinic (22 July 2009)

3 Dentists Join Dental Clinic (2 Sept. 2009)

Dental Clinic Dedication (9 Sept. 2009)

Dental Clinic Ribbon-Cutting (16 Sept. 2009)