Readers Write for Monday, April 20

Your April 16 editorial on proposals to license oral health practitioners and dental therapists rightly focused on the unmet dental care needs of thousands of Minnesotans and the decades of research on the safe and effective care delivered by similar practitioners in Alaska and internationally. The real issue is safe, reliable health care for Minnesotans, not trade associations' turf wars.

MnSCU fully supports both mid-level dental practitioner proposals. As you noted, Metropolitan State University's Master of Science program, taught by veteran dental educators, equips midcareer licensed practitioners to provide basic dental care in settings that previous initiatives have been unable to address -- schools, nursing homes, community clinics, homeless shelters, prisons, emergency rooms and rural communities.

The University of Minnesota program creates a pathway for those new to dental care and will increase the capacity of some existing dental clinics. Dentists' involvement with either model is entirely optional.

The current proposals are timely, since the number of Minnesota dentists who will soon be retiring is significantly higher, especially in underserved areas, than the number of new dentists entering the field. It is more important than ever for practicing dentists to work "at the top of their license," focusing on complex cases, including those referred to them by oral health practitioners.

This same model that has extended the reach of physicians by including nurse practitioners and physicians assistants in the health care team will work with the dental care team. Several progressive states are looking to Minnesota to further its leadership tradition.

SUE K. HAMMERSMITH, PRESIDENT, METROPOLITAN STATE UNIVERSITY, ST. PAUL

•••

Dentists are unable to provide dental care to all who need it. Many Medicaid-qualified seniors in nursing homes don't receive care because dentists don't want to serve them or enough dentists aren't available. It can be challenging to provide dental care to someone with Alzheimer's or other complex conditions.

The new midlevel oral health practitioner will fill a substantial need and improve health care.

MICHAEL FINN, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS, ECUMEN, SHOREVIEW

Thanks to Jon Tevlin for his April 15 column raising up what AmeriCorps is all about: service.

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann's claims of AmeriCorps indoctrination is contradicted by the facts. AmeriCorps members, as federal employees, are forbidden to participate in partisan political activities, and staff are forbidden to present partisan political material. President George W. Bush and Republican and Democrat governors, including Tim Pawlenty, have supported AmeriCorps.

JIM FOURNIER, ST. PAUL;

AMERICORPS DIRECTOR

It took fortitude and forethought to preserve the state parklands Minnesotans enjoy today. U.S. Steel has a foothold in northeastern Minnesota. Leaders of both the company and the state need to ensure that Minnesota acquires the land for a future state park.

Now is our chance for a unique and important part of the Lake Vermilion watershed to be preserved for future generations, contributing to landscape aesthetics and a healthy citizenry.

MARY BORANIAN, BEMIDJI, MINN.

The ruthless action of the pirates has prevented shipments of food and resources from reaching the poverty-stricken Somali population. Further exacerbating the already difficult conditions the Somali people have endured for the last 19 years due to lack of a central government, institutions and the rule of law is the impunity with which these thugs create havoc for the innocent seafarers.

It is high time that pirates and other lawless miscreants in Somalia be brought to justice. We believe it is in the interest of the Untied States and the international community to help Somalia secure its borders and shores and in the building of a broad-based economically, politically and socially sustainable government.

MOHAMED JIBRELL, MINNEAPOLIS;

BOARD CHAIR, CONFEDERATION OF SOMALI

COMMUNITY IN MINNESOTA

Why not create a motorcycle plate to identify new motorcycle riders? Perhaps cars on the road would be more cautious.