Dr. Steven Klomp’s Family Dentistry located on Main Street in Panaca will be celebrating 41 years of service this July.

Generations of Lincoln County residents have gone to Klomp, and he was the only dentist in the area for many years.

“I’m almost a native,” he said. “You can become a native when everyone who remembers you moving here is dead. In fact, there is not too many people left who remember me moving here.”

Not all of Klomp’s business comes from Lincoln County. “Matter of fact, more than 25 percent of my practice comes from Ely,” he said. “That’s a two-and-a-half hour drive.”

In addition to the Panaca office, Klomp also has one in Alamo, where he has been seeing patients for over seven years. He has seen literally thousands of patients in Lincoln and surrounding counties and has employed around 20 Lincoln County residents. His most recent employees are Kathy Kelly of Pioche and Shelley Ebert from Caliente area.
Klomp also owns Panaca Fitness Center, a 24-hour gym that is on Main Street next to his office. That has been open for the past five years.

Recently, Warden Baker from the Ely State Maximum Security Prison recruited Dr. Klomp’s services for the inmates there. “There are over 1,100 inmates at the prison with over 100 on death row,” Klomp said. “This position definitely draws the humanitarian out of me.”

Klomp serves the inmates at this maximum security prison around two days a week.

Klomp was born in Odgen, Utah. His parents were Jerry and Dorothy Klomp. He attended BYU for five semesters and then was accepted into the University of Oregon Dental school.

He married Torrie O’Connor, daughter of Helen and Robert O’Conner. They have enjoyed 44 years of marriage and have four children and 15 grandchildren. His oldest grandchild is 16.

All four of Steve and Torrie’s children are graduates of Lincoln County High School, three of which are Valedictorians. Aaron, 43, is a plastic surgeon in St. George, Jeremy, 42, a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force, Wayne, 40, an Attorney in Reno and his youngest, the only daughter, Jennifer, 38, who is a concert class soprano, she graduated vocal performance, “who sings like an angel,” said her father.

Klomp is a regular contributor to 4-H, as all four of his children raised dairy calves that contributed to paying for their college.

He is the District Commissioner of the Cathedral Gorge District of the Boy Scouts of America. The District is a part of the Utah National Park Council. “The Utah National Park Council has 88,000 Scouts, the largest council on the planet, we’re part of that.”

When asked about his success, Klomp replied, “Well, my wife is from here, and when your wife is happy, life is good. It’s been a good life. There are a lot of good people in this community that have been very supportive for a lot of years, and I’m very appreciative for that.”

Klomp said he has no immediate plans to retire.