Dr. Clase was raised in small town Michigan where he was valedictorian of his high school class and had a passion for sports and the outdoors. It was while playing basketball and suffering a foot injury that he was first introduced to the field of podiatry. Many doctors wanted to take him for surgery and stop him from playing sports, but it was a podiatrist who accurately diagnosed his issue and kept him playing sports with use of custom orthotics. Since then, Dr. Clase has had a great desire to help keep people on their feet and doing the activities that they love. Dr. Clase’s goal is to use conservative treatment modalities to help you stay healthy and active.

Dr. Clase graduated Suma Cum Laude with degree from Albion College in Michigan. During this time he had the opportunity to spend summer’s working in Glacier National Park. Beginning with that experience he has always felt that this region of Montana was his home and vowed to one day return. 

Dr. Clase attended the renowned Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine in Philadelphia, completing four years of training and graduating in the top of his class. He then went on to do a three year podiatric surgical and medical residency in the Philadelphia area in the Crozer Keystone Medical System. Here he worked at 5 different hospitals treating patients and performing surgical procedures ranging from amputations to reconstructive foot and ankle surgery. In addition he completed a rotation at the Rubin Institute for Advanced Orthopedics at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, MD. His training included forefoot procedures correcting bunion and hammer toe deformities, neuroma and cyst excisions, heel spur resections, fracture care and more. He also received extensive training managing diabetic and geriatric foot care and related complications. It is his goal to educate and treat patients so as to prevent further complications and need for surgery.

Dr. Clase is board certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. He is very excited to be offering his services at this Columbia Falls location. When he is not treating feet you can see Dr. Clase and his family out in the mountains enjoying all the Flathead has to offer, or say hello to them at local community events and farmers markets.