Today’s families seem to be busier than they were in the past—lots of homework, extracurricular activities, and hopefully, some quality time spent with the family. Here are a few ideas from Drs. Michael & Blake Louscher to make consistent oral hygiene a little more convenient:
Brushing teeth in the shower: as hard as it is to get your teenager out the door for school, this just may work—even though it probably won’t save water! And speaking of water…
Water bottles everywhere: in backpacks, purses, and cars. Anything you or your child drinks that isn’t water—in other words, any liquid that tastes good—is either acidic or will turn into the acids that cause tooth decay. Teach kids to swish and spit with water after food and non-water beverages.
Gum with xylitol for a treat: Xylitol has been shown to prevent cavities. Read those labels, you may be pleasantly surprised!
Dental travel kits for the car: fill them with water, extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, healthy snacks, and reusable straws. (Why straws? They help sugar from coating kids’ teeth.)
Interactive toothbrushes: fluoride toothpaste is a lot more fun if your toothbrush speaks like a favorite movie character, makes cool noises, or plays a song.
The content of this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
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Michael Louscher, DDS
Dr. Michael Louscher is an Iowa native who grew up in the Northwest Iowa town of Emmetsburg. He attended the University of Iowa and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Finance in 1989. Shortly after graduation, he and his high school sweetheart were married and spent the next few years working in Des Moines and Minneapolis.
Feeling unfulfilled with his current career path, he elected to return to Iowa City and pursue his Doctorate of Dental Surgery at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. While in school, he and his wife Angi were blessed with their first two children. Upon graduating from dental school in 1996, Dr. Louscher and his family moved to Mason City. He and his wife raised their three children, Blake, Kane and Mary Katherine in Mason City, and he practiced dentistry there for over 22 years. In addition to his successful practice in Mason City, he also served the communities of Belmond and Britt with satellite offices in those locations.
Dr. Louscher and his wife are now excited to start a new chapter in their lives. With their two oldest children also choosing dentistry as their careers, the Louscher family has decided to open a new family dental clinic in Waukee. Their focus has always been on family, and they intend to bring those values to their new practice and to all the patients who they will have the opportunity to care for in the coming years.
Fun Facts:
Favorite Food:
Pizza
Favorite Sports Team:
Iowa Hawkeyes
Favorite Movie:
A Few Good Men
Blake Louscher, DDS
Dr. Blake Louscher grew up in Mason City, Iowa with his younger brother and sister, Kane and Mary Katherine. He went on to complete his Bachelor's of Science at Central Michigan University while pitching on the baseball team. Following graduation, Blake decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and completed his Doctorate in Dental Surgery in 2019 at the University of Iowa.
Some of Blake’s fondest memories from dental school were spending time with his friends and classmates playing intramural sports. His class won the championship in softball and he won doubles darts three years in a row with his roommate! When he is not practicing dentistry, Blake likes to spend his time outside running, biking, hiking and skiing. Blake is looking forward to bringing the knowledge he has gained through his experiences to the Waukee community. Make sure to honk at him if you see Blake running around the area!
Outreach Experiences
Volunteer at Iowa Missions of Mercy
Special Olympics Special Smiles
Rotation in University of Iowa’s Geriatrics and Special Needs Clinic
Volunteer at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa
Professional Affiliations
Member of the Academy of General Dentistry
Member of the American Dental Association
Member working toward Fellowship in the International Dental Implant Association
Awards and Distinctions
Class President (University of Iowa)
Hanau Best of the Best Prosthodontic Award (University of Iowa)
Dr. James Michael Leary Memorial Award (University of Iowa)
Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society (University of Iowa)
Research published in SAGE Journals (University of Iowa)
JD Thompson Memorial Award (University of Iowa)
Ito Scholarship Award (University of Iowa)
Dental Class of 1929 Award (University of Iowa)
Deans Academic Recognition Award 2015-2019 (University of Iowa)
Summa Cum Laude graduate (Central Michigan University)
President’s list 2011-2015 (Central Michigan University)
Fun Facts:
Favorite Food:
Sushi
Favorite Sports Team:
Iowa Hawkeyes
Best Talent:
Darts
Kate Louscher, DDS
Dr. Kate is from Waterloo, IA, and graduated from Columbus Catholic High School. She completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Northern Iowa, where she received a BS in Biology. She then went on to complete her Doctor of Dental Surgery at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry. It was in school where she met her husband, Dr. Blake.
After graduating, Blake and Kate moved to Des Moines and started practicing. Dr. Kate enjoys learning and staying up to date with continuing education courses. She is a Kois-Trained Dentist. This means she focuses on comprehensive patient care, occlusion-based dentistry. Dr. Kate has also received advanced training in BOTOX for cosmetic and therapeutic treatment.
Dr. Kate and Blake have a 2 year old daughter named Louise, a 1 year old son named Jack and a goldendoodle named Lady. In Dr. Kate’s free time she enjoys reading, cooking, skiing, traveling, cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes and spending time with family and friends.
Today’s families seem to be busier than they were in the past—lots of homework, extracurricular activities, and hopefully, some quality time spent with the family. Here are a few ideas from 
