Like toothpaste and dental floss, Richard “Dick” and Carol Carver were a perfect match. They met at the University of Iowa, where Carol was discovering a passion for dental hygiene and Dick was pursuing a Doctor of Dental Surgery.
They married in 1959 and spent their life together in Glencoe, establishing a successful dental practice. Carol was even given
the nickname “Tooth Lady” because of Dental Health Week presentations she provided in the elementary schools.
Dick and Carol were married 65 years and had three children together: Cindy, Brad, and Brent.
Dick also served on Glencoe Regional Health’s Board of Directors in the 1970s. He recalls that the main focus for board members at that time was provider recruitment.
“It wasn’t easy to recruit providers from metro areas to work in Glencoe. We realized that starting with people who had a connection to rural areas was often more effective because they were already familiar with the advantages of our smaller communities,” shared Dick.
It’s that experience, along with the loss of his wife in 2024, that led to the creation of the Carver Family Scholarship at Glencoe Regional Health Foundation. The scholarship supports a student from the Glencoe-Silver Lake (GSL) school district interested in working in a rural healthcare setting.
Dick was intentional when he established the criteria for the award. He wanted to give back to the community that helped build their dental practice, and he hoped to help rural healthcare facilities recruit a variety of healthcare professionals in the future.
“Investing in students from our community helps ensure Glencoe Regional Health can attract the workforce it will need to care for our community, and I want to help ensure others can receive the same compassionate care that Carol received in GlenFields,” Dick said.
The first recipient of the Carver Family Scholarship was Calla Becker in 2025. The 2026 recipient is Mariah Wendolek, who is pursuing a career in dentistry.
Learn more about our scholarship opportunities, or contact Foundation Director Liz Cheney to learn more.
