A Northwoods dentist has been honored for his work to build a dental clinic in Lac du Flambeau.
Dr. Paco Fralick is also a member of the Lac du Flambeau tribe of Lake Superior Chippewa. At the Wisconsin Technical College System Board meeting this week in Rhinelander, Fralick was honored for his work in birthing the state-of-the-art Peter Christiansen Dental Clinic and training facility. The clinic has 20 chairs in a 36,000 square foot building that is open to the public and tribal members.
The facility also trains dental assistant students from Nicolet College...
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"....that was just one piece of our dream. We also wanted to bring in an educational component where we could train people to be dental hygenists and dental assistants..."
Fralick says the teaching component came into being after several years of discussion with college officials. He says they've graduated the first class of students. Fralick also owns Timber Drive Dental in Rhinelander, but he says the public health aspect the facility in Lac du Flambeau provides him is very rewarding...
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"....running a federally-owned health center as well as a tribally-owned health center adds a lot of complexities to it. Navigating all those over the past three years has been challenging and rewarding...giving back to my tribe and Lac du Flambeau has been a great reward unto itself...."
Last month, Fralick was honored by the Nicolet College Foundation with the Friends and Partners Award for his work in establishing the clinic.
