FORT DODGE — The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge has purchased the office of Eagle Grove Family Dentistry.

The dental practice was sold by Dr. Mysty Shaver, who owned it since 2015.

Eagle Grove Family Dentistry closed Wednesday. A contract to purchase was signed that same day.

The Community Health Center of Fort Dodge plans to open the dental office to patients in June.

“When I saw that the Eagle Grove Family Dentistry was closing, I knew we had to do something to help the Eagle Grove community,” said Renae Kruckenberg, chief executive officer of the Community Health Center. “As a federally-qualified health center, we know the need in this area for care.”

“One of the most rewarding parts of working at Community Health Center is being able to adapt, and quickly, to the needs of communities we serve,” she added. “I couldn’t be happier with how things are coming together. If it were up to me, we’d be open even sooner. We are working on updating some equipment and want to give time to hire and train staff.”

When it opens the office will be known as Community Health Center of Eagle Grove. It will be staffed by a full-time dentist, a full-time hygienist, two dental assistants, a full-time nurse practitioner, a clinical support staff member and a front desk registration worker.

The Health Center will focus on both dental and primary medical care. Patients at the Eagle Grove office will be referred to the Community Health of Fort Dodge or other providers for medical or behavioral health care.

Private insurance, Medicare and Medicaid will be accepted for payment. For those who don’t have insurance, a sliding fee scale which bases fees on the individual’s income, will be available.

The Community Health Center has applied for a grant from Delta Dental of Iowa to help pay for equipment for the office. The Eagle Grove Community School District has provided letters of support for the grant application.

The need for dental care among the district’s students is demonstrated by statistics released by the Community Health Center. Those statistics show that 20% of Eagle Grove High School students need dental care compared to 12.8% of high schoolers elsewhere in Iowa. At the elementary school, 3.6% of students are in need of dental care compared to 1.8% of other elementary students in Iowa.

Anyone interested in transferring their dental records to Community Health Center of Eagle Grove can fill out a release form at www.eaglegrovefamilydentistry.com.