Congratulations Dr. Jerry!

Dr. Jerome “Jerry” Appledoorn, D.D.S., was named recipient of the 2023 Humanitarian Service Award by the Minnesota Dental Association. The MDA regularly honors members of the dental profession who have given back to their communities and their profession in ways that are exemplary.

Dr. Jerry’s involvement with HealthFinders dates back to 2013 when he learned the Faribault ER was seeing around 300 dental emergencies per year. He realized the lack of available dental care and many other socioeconomic health concerns contributed to the ER visits, so he decided to help HealthFinders face the challenge head on. He worked with HFC’s Dental Coordinator and Collaborative Dental Hygienist, Renae Blome, to develop HealthFinders' then-new dental program. After opening the dental practice in a Faribault storefront on Central Avenue, Dr. Jerry recalls, “The HFC dental team started performing mostly emergency dental care, and we quickly realized we needed to do more to prevent the emergencies from happening in the first place.” His preventative care approach and vision makes Dr. Jerry an important asset to HealthFinders, where he continues to serve as a volunteer dental provider, the organization’s Dental Director, and a member of its Board of Directors.