Inside All Care

Breaking Ground: All Care Health Center Responds to Regional Dental Care Crisis

  • By Kerri Hodges
All Care Health Center’s Oral Health Access Initiative Facility Groundbreaking graphic, featuring an architectural rendering of the planned dental facility expansion with large windows, a covered entrance, and landscaped grounds. The All Care Health Center logo appears above the event title.

All Care Health Center invites the community to celebrate the groundbreaking of its new dental facility on Monday, November 9, 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at 902 S. 6th Street in Council Bluffs.

Across the nation, access to affordable dental care remains a significant healthcare challenge, particularly for individuals covered by Medicaid or living without insurance. That challenge is especially urgent in our region, where thousands of individuals face barriers to receiving essential dental services. More than 1,900 people, including nearly 400 children, are currently waiting for care at All Care. With wait times exceeding 10 to 12 months and few alternative providers accepting Medicaid, the need for expanded dental services has never been greater.

All Care is taking a significant step toward changing that reality.

The new 10,000-square-foot dental facility will feature 21 treatment spaces, allowing All Care to dramatically expand its capacity to provide comprehensive, affordable dental care. Once fully operational, the facility is expected to serve up to 8,000 dental patients annually, transforming access to oral healthcare for children and adults throughout western Iowa and beyond.

The impact extends far beyond healthy smiles. Untreated dental conditions can affect nutrition, employment, school attendance, overall health, and quality of life. By removing barriers to care, this investment will help individuals and families live healthier, more productive lives.

The $5.7 million project represents an extraordinary commitment to the community. Recognizing the urgency of the need, All Care’s Board of Directors demonstrated its leadership by committing significant organizational resources to move the project forward without delay. Building on that commitment, All Care has launched a $1.3 million capital campaign to engage donors and community partners in funding essential dental equipment, technology, and furnishings.

All Care is deeply grateful to its Board of Directors, generous donors, and community partners whose leadership and investments are helping turn this vision into reality. Their commitment reflects a shared belief that access to quality dental care should not be determined by income or insurance status and will create a legacy of improved health for generations to come.