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MORE ABOUT CARING HANDS DENTAL CLINIC-ALEXANDRIA

Caring Hands Dental Clinic began as a vision over a decade ago by a group of caring local citizens. Over the years the group met and obtained initial funding from the Douglas County Hospital's Auxiliary to allow an emergency dental program to begin. With this funding dental emergencies were referred to area dentists for treatment and the offices were paid a stipend for their services. Finally most of the area dental emergencies were receiving treatment for the problem. This program took some of the pressure off of the hospital's emergency room, but still the area was lacking a clinic to provide preventative dental care and education. Without preventative care and education available, there would be no slowdown in emergencies.

In 2006 the Board obtained additional funding and opened the doors of the Caring Hands Dental Clinic. It first began in borrowed space in a local chiropractor's office. Not long after that the big push began, and the clinic established its home in the Marion Building, located at 700 Cedar Street in Alexandria.

The clinic has gone through enormous growth and changes. Through generous donations and some large grants, the clinic expanded in July of 2012. This expansion included a full-time staff of 2 dentists, 2 hygienists, 2 dental assistants, and office staff. The funding also allowed substantial technology upgrades such as digital x-ray equipment, computer system and sterilization equipment. The grants allowed the clinic to obtain the mobile equipment used in its' Outreach Services as well. With these upgrades in staff and equipment the lengthy waiting list went away. In January 2015 through obtaining a $250,000 grant from the PrimeWest Health's Community Reinvestment Program and substantial other grants and donations, construction began on our new facility. In April 2015 the clinic moved to 2209 Jefferson Street in Alexandria. This new state of the art facility can allow the clinic to serve more citizens.

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Caring Hand Dental Clinic Alexandria front entrance
Caring Hands Dental Clinic Alexandria lobby
Caring Hands Dental Clinic Alexandria kids area

MORE ABOUT CARING HANDS DENTAL CLINIC-PIPESTONE

Caring Hands Dental Clinic's efforts started back in 2017 to open a clinic in Pipestone. At first the plan was to have space in the Pipestone County Medical Center, but that didn't pan out.

Then in 2018, Pipestone County received a $500,000 Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) grant through the state bonding bill for a dental clinic. Pipestone County would have owned the building and the clinic would have equipped and maintained it. However, with the DEED grant, buildings are required to be sustainable which added around $250,000 to the project. 

In 2019 that the project stalled due to those added costs because the clinic didn’t want to spend more money on a property it would not own.

Then a plan was discussed that would involve the city-owned property where the former Robson building was located. The clinic bought the lot from the city and work began in early 2021. Work didn't get far when it was discovered that the foundation of the old Robson building would make it unsuitable to build on.

The clinic then bought city-owned property where it is now located at 301 11th Street NE and construction started right away.

Caring Hands Dental Clinic-Pipestone opened on June 6th, 2022.

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