Loring Hospital’s Rehab Services Department recently welcomed Jessie Dentlinger, occupational therapist (OT), to the team in May.
Dentlinger, who grew up in Breda, Iowa, but spent a great deal of time in Sac City growing up while visiting her grandparents, graduated from Iowa State University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She then went on to earn her doctorate in occupational therapy at Creighton University.
She has provided services to patients with a large variety of diagnoses and settings, including home health, inpatient acute and skilled care, and outpatient care. Dentlinger works with children and adults of all ages and helps them get back to performing daily activities more easily by treating carpal tunnel, distal radius fractures, tennis/golfers elbow, post-surgical injuries, and more.
“Occupational therapy is a beautiful profession,” says Dentlinger. “I am grateful to be part of each patient’s journey working to restore functional independence that has been taken away. I am thankful to serve the Sac and surrounding communities.”
Pediatric therapy is another area of expertise for Dentlinger. She can address sensory limitations or dysfunction, decreased fine motor skills, lack of coordination, emotional regulation skills, as well as provide developmental milestone guidance.
Most recently, Dentlinger became a certified LSVT BIG provider. LSVT BIG is a physical and occupational therapy program for persons with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions that has been proven to improve motor function. Improvements include faster walking with bigger steps, improved balance, better flexibility, reduced risk of falling, improved fine motor control and overall activities of daily living independence.
“With Jessie’s experience in hand therapy, LSVT BIG, and focus on activities of daily living, it will help further develop the OT program with her well rounded approach on regaining function,” adds Luisa Ching, physical therapist and manager of Loring’s Rehab Services Department. “With her joining the team, it will also help bring the department to the next level of patient-centered care.”
Dentlinger and her husband reside in Carroll. She enjoys running, swimming, gardening, and cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones.