Letter - Thanks for saving clinics

Talk about it

To the editor:

The staff of the state operated dental clinic, Fergus Falls Dental Group, would like to thank the many people who helped to save this and four other state dental clinics that serve the developmentally disabled population.

First off, Representative Bud Nornes is just a super person, and he has shown how much he cares for people. His initial effort to make this issue known to his colleagues was invaluable. Bud Nornes, Representative Thomas Huntley and Senator Dan Skogen worked closely with Senator Linda Berglin to add language for the dental clinics to the Omnibus Bill for Health and Human Services. It was a bumpy road, but a second version of the bill was signed into law. Thank you to these fine people.

Others we know who were very involved include Representatives Mark Murdock, Torrey Westrom, Jim Abeler, Paul Thissen and Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen. We thank them and the many other representatives and senators for doing the right thing for our patients. We know many guardians and patients were concerned during this whole process. We thank you for your patience and any support you gave to help keep the clinics operating.

A special thank you as well goes to the Minnesota Dental Association for their support and efforts to create the awareness of why these clinics are so necessary. We thank the Fergus Falls City Council for publicly acknowledging their support for the need to have these dental clinics. Thank you to all of you who brought the awareness out so the state Legislature could do the right thing for our patients.

Russ Johnson

Fergus Falls, MN

Tags: dental clinic, opinion, letters, johnson