The president of the Alaska Dental Society apologized for hailing the demise of Alaska Native culture and calling for the end of the federal trust responsibility.

In a posting on an online discussion group, Dave Eichler, a North Pole dentist, said Alaska Natives need to free from federal assistance in order to "allow their integration into American society as dignified citizens." He said high rates of tooth decay among Alaska Natives are evidence of child abuse.

"Any culture that allows such disease will soon disappear and rightfully so," he wrote.

Eichler's comments were widely disseminated, prompting angry responses from Native health advocates. The issue is sensitive because the state society and the American Dental Association are suing the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium to stop a health program that allows non-dentists to perform dental care on Alaska Natives.

Get the Story:
Dentist has Natives gnashing teeth (The Anchorage Daily News 4/14)
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Health Care Bill:
Indian Health Care Improvement Act Amendments of 2005 (S.1057)

Relevant Links:
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium - http://www.anthc.org
American Dental Association - http://www.ada.org

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