Joe Kotnour
Throughout his 42-year career, La Crosse dentist Joe Kotnour made it a priority to provide free and low cost dental care to the underserved. Kotnour worked with patients through St. Clare Health Mission, local emergency rooms, nursing homes, the Wisconsin Dental Association Mission of Mercy and Give Kids a Smile programs, which provide free dental care events in various communities. In an initiative he started with the La Crosse Health Science Consortium, Kotnour and his fellow La Crosse District Dental Society dentists treated 5,000 medical assistance patients. His Coulee Family Dental was also one of the very few dental practices to accept medical assistance, the reimbursement rate of which doesn’t cover the overhead. Kotnour was honored with the WDA’s Dental Care for the Older Persons and Dental Care for Special Needs Patients recognition awards. Inspired as a student by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, part of Kotnour’s desire to do good work in the community comes from his Catholic faith. Kotnour serves on the St. Clare Health Mission Board and he and his wife Ann were volunteers at the La Crosse Catholic Charities Warming Center. He has also served on the boards of a long list of local education and civic organizations. The Kotnours have been longtime supporters of Joe’s alma mater, Viterbo University. They have provided financial support to the Boys & Girls Club Pathway Scholarship, the FSPA Prayer Garden, the Outdoor Athletics Complex renovation, the athletics department, chemistry program, the Ron Amel Mentorship summer research opportunity for faculty members, and the Viterbo fund.