COLORADO

...”Where the Columbines Grow”

Consistent with the goals of Lutheran Medical Center, the Colorado-based community health programs which have joined the Advanced Education in General Dentistry Program represent the ideals of a caring service that provides dentistry of the highest quality to those in need. Dental residents will encounter people with a diverse cultural background and acquire advanced professional skills while enjoying the Rocky Mountain State.

Valley Wide Health Systems  (VWHS), based in Alamosa , CO, is centrally located in Southern Colorado and has a network of medical and dental clinics spread throughout Southern Colorado and the San Luis Valley, from Rocky Ford 150 miles east to Durango 150 miles west. All are closely associated with their corresponding regional medical centers. The network offers medical and dental services to people living inside and outside the valley on a sliding fee scale based not only on their health needs, but their financial needs as well. VWHS caters to those with and without insurance, including Medicaid, as well as the many migrant workers who live, work, and travel through the valley on a seasonal basis. Dental residents will have the opportunity to work with children, adults, and older patients from the Anglo, Hispanic, and Native American communities.

Valley-Wide has dental clinics in Alamosa , Center, Durango, La Jara, Rocky Ford, and San Luis, which are staffed by 10 full-time dentists, three dental hygienists, five expanded duty dental assistants, and 16 general duty dental assistants. Dental residents have the opportunity to perform the full spectrum of dental treatment, including nitrous oxide sedation under the supervision of experienced general dentists and specialists in newly equipped facilities. VWHS offers a housing allowance to help ease the cost of relocating and paying for housing in the San Luis Valley.

Since 1988, Marillac Clinic has offered comprehensive, compassionate health care for the low-income, uninsured residents of Grand Junction and Mesa County. Marillac has steadily increased its capacity to meet these needs. Since its inception, the medical, dental, optical, and mental health professionals have provided care during more than 215,000 patient visits while pioneering innovative methods of treatment.

The dental program at Marillac Clinic was founded in 1991. The current facility is only two years old and features 13 state-of-the-art operatories and equipment, and uses an electronic dental record. The clinic offers a continuum of services including a daily acute care lane for emergencies, preventive and restorative care, oral hygiene, and specialty care. Marillac uses an outreach and education approach by offering screenings in elementary schools and services to migrant farm workers. The clinic provides services to low-income uninsured families, those eligible for Medicaid, and children eligible for special state funds. Marillac enjoys an outstanding collaborative relationship with the local dental community, many of whom volunteer to work at the clinic. A well-rounded group of general and specialty dentists comprise the dental advisory board.

In summary, the Colorado AEGD programs at Valley-Wide Health Systems and Marillac Clinic offer the young practitioner excellent facilities and faculty. They will have a well rounded training experience, provide advanced dental procedures to diverse cultures, and help maintain the dental health of the medically and dentally underserved.

Colorado, The Centennial State

For ages, nomadic hunters wandered what is now Colorado. They were followed by “the ancient ones,” the Anasazi, who built the majestic and ultimately abandoned cliff dwellings of Mesa Verde and environs. The Ute, the “Blue Sky People,” lived on the western slope, moved east, and fought continuously with the migrating Cheyenne, Arapaho, Comanche, and Kiowa. The Apache moved into the eastern plains from Canada and the Navaho settled in the south. Explored by the Spanish and sold to the French, Colorado was bought by President Thomas Jefferson as part of the Louisiana Purchase. The territory became a magnet for hunters, gamblers and scoundrels, ranchers and cowboys, mining, timber and land barons-often controlled by foreign interests. Tumultuous and tragic, wild and mythic, Colorado became the Centennial State in honor of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Grand Junction is the largest city between Denver (250 miles East) and Salt Lake City, Utah (250 miles West). The city received its name because it sits at the confluence of the Gunnison and Colorado Rivers. This area, popularly referred to as the Grand Valley, has a population of nearly 120,000 people. The climate is best described as a high temperate desert and winters are relatively mild. Grand Junction has a charming downtown district with excellent shopping, residences, restaurants, and professional buildings. Nearby are spectacular canyons, mountains, rivers, golf courses, vineyards, and orchards. In addition, the community is proud of its performing arts, including a local symphony orchestra and several dinner theaters. This area also contains some of the best mountain biking trails in the world. At the east end of the valley and less than an hour away is Grand Mesa, the largest flat-top mountain in the world. The mesa contains dozens of lakes, meadows, and forests which make for excellent fishing, hiking, and cross-country skiing. Grand Junction offers a lively blend of small city living with plenty of elbow room, and grand vistas, as well as vibrant cultural activities. A strong sense of community and friendly, outgoing people will provide a warm welcome.

The San Luis Valley was formed millions of years ago, and is the largest alpine valley in the world at 7,500 feet above sea level. It measures over 80 miles long by 50 miles wide and is surrounded by 14,000-foot peaks of the Colorado Rockies. The valley is three times the size of Delaware; under it is one of the west’s largest aquifers. Agriculture and ranching are the major sources of revenue in the valley. Here, the city of Alamosa  (pop. 9,000) offers a wide range of services to those living in and visiting it. First is Adams State College, which hosts many cultural events including theater, music, sports, and other attractions throughout the year. There are restaurants, nightclubs, and a new six-screen movie theatre showing first-run films. The surrounding San Luis Valley is filled with appealing escapes-skiing, climbing, hiking, camping, mountain biking, and world-class fishing. Among its most spectacular treasures, the valley holds the Great Sand Dunes National Park, the nation’s 58th national park, preserving not only a wondrous ecosystem but also the underlying aquifer. Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico are two hours away. Three ski areas are within one-and-a-half hours from Alamosa : Taos, NM to the south, Monarch to the north and Wolf Creek to the west boasting 400-500 annual inches of snowfall for great powder skiing.

Colorado

Marc Rosenthal, DDS

AEGD Assistant Program Director

719.589.9681

rosenthalm@vwhs.org

© 2006 Lutheran Medical Center Department of Dental Medicine