T-R PHOTO BY MIKE DONAHEY Dr. Richard Burke performs a procedure on Michael Scott of Marshalltown in the local Primary Health Care Dental Clinic’s pediatric section. PHC-Dental added the section last month to meet a growing need.

A $500,000 investment in Primary Health Care’s Dental Clinic in Marshalltown means a lot less heartbreak for staff and better oral care for very young patients.

Clinic Manager Laurie DeMeyer and team knew before the addition of a pediatric dentist, patients needing certain kinds of pediatric dental care had barriers to receiving it.

“If they (the youngsters) required bigger treatment plans, or had more difficult treatment plans, age or lower ability level to cooperate in the chair, then we would have to refer them to specialists in Des Moines or Iowa City (University of Iowa College of Dentistry). And a lot of times those kids were not able to go.”

To receive care, it required a parent taking them to Iowa City or Des Moines.

“It was heartbreaking knowing kids were not going to get care because parents could not get time off from work, did not have vehicle or had other barriers to care.”

But that changed April 29, when Primary Health Care Dental expanded its pediatric dentistry by hiring a pediatric dentist and converting a storage area to exam rooms.

“We are excited to be able to fill a need in the community and grateful for the support of the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation and their commitment to ensuring underserved Iowans have access to quality oral health care,” Primary Health Care CEO Kelly Huntsman said.

Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation contributed $225,000 to the cause.

Primary Health Care Dental serves individuals and families who have barriers to tradition dental care. Income, language, transportation or being Medicaid-eligible are barriers. DeMeyer said being Medicaid eligible is a barrier to care because some dentists will not take patients as clients because Medicaid reimburses at a lower rate.

“We see a lot of refugee children, some of whom have gone without dental care all their lives,” DeMeyer said. “Think of the hierarchy of needs, sometimes if basic needs are not met, tooth brushing does not get done at night.”

Pediatric dentist Dr. Richard Burke said practicing pediatric dentistry for low-income populations can be challenging but also gratifying knowing he is making an impact.

“The ability to do things the vast majority of general dentists cannot do. This is speciality training the (pediatrics) is the high-risk population … For the most part, with a few exceptions they are very appreciative and they tolerate me,” Burke said.

Burke had a recent patient who had never been seen by a dentist.

“We had three visits (appointments) and he had done everything he needed to get done,” he said.

Burke will continue to see patients at the clinic.

For more information, telephone 641-844-6230.

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Contact Mike Donahey at

641-753-6611 or

mdonahey@timesrepublican.com