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Photo courtesy W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Many states are turning to dental therapists to serve tribes.
But, some aren’t so sure adding another mid-level position is the way to tackle dental care deserts.
The Mountain West News Bureau’s Hanna Merzbach reports.
Dental therapists are a relatively new position. They can do things like cleanings, fluoride treatments, and even simple fillings, says dentist and researcher Donald Chi.
“Put out small fires in a community with lots of dental care needs, and so then the dentist can come in and put out the big fires.”
He says dental therapists are often focused on tribes, since about half of Indigenous people live in areas without enough dentists.
Initiatives have been particularly successful in Alaska, but there are few training programs for dental therapists in the lower 48.
And Tanna Nagy with the Wyoming Dental Association says she’d rather see resources go toward existing programs for dentists, hygienists and assistants.
“Instead of trying to find faculty for new programs, which is just hard to find already.”
She says states could also encourage reaching unserved populations by reducing dental workers’ student loan debt.
(Courtesy Michigan State University)
Michigan State University has launched a new program to expand educational opportunities for Native American students across the country.
Chrystal Blair has more details.
The Native American Tuition Advantage Program gives out-of-state Indigenous students access to in-state tuition, helping to remove the financial barriers making it harder for many people to pursue higher education.
Kevin Leonard, director of the Native American Institute at the university, said the idea for the program came after years of conversations between the Native community, staff, and students.
“A lot of our people were relocated all over the country, all over the North American continent. We really felt for those First Nation relatives that maybe were moved into Canada, or other states. We should have something like a tuition reciprocity where at least they could attend MSU, at the bare minimum.”
Leonard pointed out getting students enrolled is only the first step. His department will expand programs, cultural activities, and resources to give students the support they need to succeed and graduate.
Orville Cayaditt, a graduate student from Utah and member of the Navajo Nation, started at the university before the program was introduced.
Fortunately, he received support through another program, but he believes it could be a game-changer for many Native American students.
“The situation a lot of Native students are faced with, in that when choosing an out-of-state college, financial costs, out-of-state costs, those are real questions that can make or break that decision for a student wanting to come out of state.”
The new program expands on Michigan State’s Maynard Kennedy Turtle Island Acknowledgement Scholarship, which offers similar benefits to a limited number of students from state or federally recognized tribes. It will begin in the fall of 2025.
This story is supported by the Lumina Foundation.
(Courtesy FBI)
The FBI says it has dedicated resources to address violence in Indian Country through its Operation Not Forgotten.
The operation, in its second year, is jointly between the FBI and the Bureau of Indian Affairs-Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS).
Officials say from June to September, resources helped to address unresolved cases.
The assistance included FBI special agents and intelligence personnel who were deployed to 10 FBI field offices across the country.
Officials say it resulted in more than 300 cases receiving increased investigation and victim assistance, including cases involving sex abuse, violent assault, domestic violence, and death investigations.
The effort, officials say, have led to more than 40 arrests and more than 400 victims have been provided with support services.
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