Karl Schick, DDS

Dr. Schick was born and raised in Kodiak, Alaska, a rural island community in the Gulf of Alaska. He attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota, earning a biology degree with concentrations in biomedical science and Nordic heritage studies. Dr. Schick attended the University of Washington School of Dentistry as a member of the RIDE (Rural Initiatives in Dental Education) program, which focused on preparing students to provide dental care in rural communities similar to the one where he grew up. After graduating in 2020, Dr. Schick was excited to return to Alaska and accepted a position as a dental officer for the U.S. Coast Guard in Ketchikan. For the past four and a half years, Dr. Schick has provided full-scope dental care as Base Ketchikan’s clinical dental director and led efforts to improve access to dental care for service members across southeast Alaska. His work included providing fillings, crowns, bridges, surgical and endodontic care, as well as deploying on various missions across Alaska and the U.S to provide clinical care and meet with community partners including tribal clinics that cared for Coast Guard patients in the more remote areas of rural southeast Alaska.

While Dr. Schick worked with the Coast Guard, his wife worked as an occupational therapist and often worked with tribal communities in the area. Through her stories and the family friendships they formed in Alaska, Dr. Schick gained his first meaningful exposure to native culture and developed a deep respect for the tribes’ commitment to their people. This experience inspired him to pursue a position with the Lower Elwha Tribe after completing his military service. He and his wife moved to the Port Angeles Area to be closer to family and are excited to put down roots and experience everything the Olympic Peninsula has to offer. Dr. Schick looks forward to serving the community and continuing his passion for providing personalized, compassionate care and top-quality dentistry for the people of the Lower Elwha tribe. When he’s not working, Dr. Schick enjoys hiking, hunting, fishing, playing board games, and doing projects around the house.