Ouch! Sooners Dead Last in Dental Visits

We're number 50! We're number 50!

Yes, Sooner fans, Oklahoma ranks dead last of the 50 states in the percentage of adults who visit the dentist at least once a year. Whoo-hoo!

We learned this sad fact in today's Tulsa World, which reported on free dental clinic held Friday in McAlester. According to the story, about 1,000 people turned up for the clinic, including some of who drove more than 100 miles.

The clinic, known as the Oklahoma Mission of Mercy, continued today and the paper said another 1,000 were expected.

We commend the Oklahoma Dental Association and its dental professionals who put on this clinic and help our fellow Oklahomans. In a state with lots of low-income residents who lack dental insurance, the clinic is a great thing.

But it is a sad commentary on the current state of Oklahoma's economy and public health that we are at the bottom of the heap when it comes to dental care.