For many of us, passing a dentist’s office is an everyday occurrence. In fact, they can be such a common sight, you may not even realize their existence until your annual appointment rolls around. But for others, a trip to the dentist can be a life-altering experience, especially if your dentist comes to you.
Sky and Nicole Kurlbaum opened their dental practices in the Kansas City metro hoping to make a difference in the lives of their patients. Meeting the needs of their patients is top priority, even if their patients live miles away. They incorporate a different approach
Their approach is different but simple.
“We try to reach the people who don't have another option because if we don't go help them, no one will,” Dr. Sky Kurlbaum said.
This looks like packing up the car with their mobile dentistry kits, driving out into very rural areas and giving those patients the care they need. Many are elderly and cannot physically make it into the office, which as the Kurlbaums have discovered, can also be easily forgotten.
“We find the missing people that are hidden in plain sight that aren't getting taken care of,” Dr. Nicole Kurlbaum said.
Recently, Dr. Sky Kurlbaum and a team member drove hundreds of miles to visit a lady who had suffered significant damage to the bridge of her mouth. As she reclined in her chair, Kurlbaum was able to reconstruct her top teeth just in time for her 99th birthday and Christmas.
“When you can walk into someone's kitchen, you can say, ‘Hey, we're here, we're gonna take an x-ray of that tooth that's bothering you, we're gonna get you out of pain, we're gonna put you back together so that you have your teeth for maybe your last Christmas with your family’," Dr. Sky said.
As locals from the Kansas City area, the Kurlbaums have a heart for the community that raised them. Sky grew up in a family of dentists, and Nicole was always fascinated by teeth. Going to school to become dentists helped them realize how much they could give back in this realm.
“We've also done a ton of community work in Kansas City – world cancer screenings, free dental screenings, free fluoride and then that grew into providing just free dental work because you see folks who they don't have any money their teeth are hurting them, they can't get a job because they don't have front teeth or because they're in pain,” Dr. Nicole said.
A healthy mouth has a dramatic effect on overall health. The Kurlbaums are passionate about restoring what they can so their patients can live a full life, no matter their age or mental capacity. Seeing a family recognize their loved ones again after a dental procedure is just one of the motivations behind why the Kurlbaums do what they do.
“I just want, I want families to know that if they or their loved ones can't leave their home that we can come to them and that we see, we've seen everything so there's no judgment. We are here to help people find a path back to health in a way that they maybe haven't heard of before,” Dr. Nicole said.
Dr. Kurlbaum did such an amazing job! He and his staff were incredibly nice and not judgmental at all! I could not recommend him or his office more! If you’re looking for a new dentist or have not seen one in a while, please come see Dr. Kurlbaum and his staff they will take amazing care of you! - JIM MCCLURE
I had my first appointment with Kurlbaum Dental and everyone I met there was extremely kind and happily answered any and every question I asked. They were all so welcoming and made my experience as a new patient easy and stress-free. - ABBY H
