Alaska Dental Society emails refer to Dr. Zink as “Queen” – solicit donations to send her FU message

The Landmine has obtained a series of emails from the Alaska Dental Society relating to the COVID-19 situation. The emails repeatedly refer to Alaska’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anne Zink as “Queen” and “her majesty.” In one of the emails Dave Logan, the executive director, references an article where a Michigan pilot sent a literal FU to Michigan’s governor. He asks if anyone wants to start a GoFundMe and hire the pilot do the same thing “and add a Dr. Zink.” He ends with, “I’m good for $50.”

This all stems from a meeting last week with members of the Alaska Dental Society and Dr. Anne Zink to discuss a health mandate that affects dentists. The meeting took place on April 29. In an email sent before the meeting Logan’s tone was normal. However, the next day his emails started to get very loose. Sources who were at the meeting report it was very uncomfortable. A source said that Dr. Zink was badgered and treated abrasively by Logan and Dave Nielson, chair of the Alaska Board of Dental Examiners. Logan references Neilson in his email and states that “he was the first person I have heard not appreciated by Dr. Zink.” Below is what Logan said in his email after the meeting.

Update: A previous version of this story incorrectly listed Dave Nielson as the board president of the Alaska Dental Society. It was been updated to show he is the chair of the Board of Dental Examiners

According to the emails the group formed a workgroup to develop “a new mandate to replace health mandate #15.” Apparently Logan isn’t happy that Dr. Zink won’t let the dentists write their own rules.

In a May 1 email he states, “The workgroup for developing a new mandate to replace health mandate #15 has not met yet. There is a rough frame work waiting for her majesty’s approval, once that is granted the group will meet.”

In a May 2 email he states, “No progress was made yesterday by the workgroup on a new mandate for dental. The framework still sits on the Queen’s desk and the group is waiting her OK to move forward.”

In a May 4 email he again states the group has still not met and concluded with, “The framework the group will use continues to sit on the Queen’s desk.”

In the May 3 email he claims Dr. Zink is not cooperating with the dental community even though she is saying she is. He even uses the word loose!

Dr. Zink has become a familiar face and trusted source for Alaskans during Governor Mike Dunleavy’s (R – Alaska) daily press briefings. She has received praise from Alaskans and elected officials on all parts of the political spectrum.

According to the Alaska Dental Society website:

Members of the Alaska Dental Society adhere to the highest professional standards and strive to deliver the best possible dental care. The next time you contact your dentist, ask if he/she is a member of the Alaska Dental Society and if not, be certain [to] ask them: “Why aren’t you a member of your professional society?”

It’s a good thing Dave Logan is a member because I have a feeling if he wasn’t, and someone called asking why not, he would either insult them or maybe go with an FU.

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Latka Gravas
3 years ago

What is wrong with the dentists in Alaska? Truly they are the worst in the Nation. Mexico and Thailand have much better care at much better prices, I highly recommend.

Jim
3 years ago
Reply to  Latka Gravas

Good luck with that…

Mike
3 years ago
Reply to  Latka Gravas

Anyone know if there’s a registry anywhere online where we can look up dentists who are NOT members of the Alaska Dental Society? 😀

Tiffany Coonrod
3 years ago
Reply to  Latka Gravas

I’ve never seen good work come from Asia, and I’ve been in dentistry since 2000.

Joshua M Kennedy
3 years ago
Reply to  Latka Gravas

When you’d like your foreign dental work redone you may contact turnagain dental for a consultation.

Charles Bingham
3 years ago

The Alaska Dental Society is the same group that challenged the state’s authority to license Dental Health Aide Therapists (DHATs) to do mid-level dental care in remote villages where there were no dentists and people were losing teeth due to poor or no dental care. DHATs, or similar mid-level dental practitioners who are allowed to fill cavities and perform simple dental procedures, can be found in about three dozen countries, but the ADS and national dental organizations didn’t want DHATs encroaching on their territory, even when no dentists were going to villages more than once every 3-5 years, if ever.… Read more »

turbodigits
3 years ago

No reagents available? If I’m not mistaken, the testing can’t be done without them.

If testing isn’t being done our case counts aren’t accurate, and Alaskans may have been enjoying a potentially deadly false sense of security based on artificially low numbers.

If this is true, Team Dunleavy should have shared it with us rather than trumpeting unsubstantiated numbers on the nightly news & using them to force vulnerable people back to work and open up the state to Outside & foreign workers.

Say it ain’t so, Mike.

Jo Schmo
3 years ago
Reply to  turbodigits

It’s not like that would have changed the death count. Or even the hospitalizations count. Each of those categories would have still been tested. So the only non-tested cases were the less severe cases. That would mean maybe more widespread than announced, but also less deadly.

turbodigits
3 years ago
Reply to  Jo Schmo

Gotta disagree with you, Jo. It’s pretty clear that many Alaskans are disregarding the danger because of the low numbers. They’re consequently placing their fellow Alaskans at risk by not masking up when they go out in public. There’s cause and effect at play here, and an artificially low case count could very well affect death & hospitalization rates by affecting behavior. When it comes to COVID-19, misinformation kills.

Tonya Menard
3 years ago

This article is so one sided and complete BS. If Dr Zink was so concerned then why did it take her so long to be involved? I listened to the entire board meeting and was disgusted to find out that it was Dr Zink’s first attempt to meet with the board in 45 DAYS and never even looked at documents submitted to her!!!!! She showed up ill prepared and dodged every single question just as she does in all of her press conferences. The state had zero intentions for starting to open up small critical businesses in the state. They… Read more »

turbodigits
3 years ago
Reply to  Tonya Menard

Let’s give credit where credit is due. Adam Crum is the Commissioner of the state’s Department of Health & Social Services. He answers directly to Governor Dunleavy, and Dr. Zink answers directly to him. Mr Crum (after the governor) has final authority when it comes to decisions regarding public health programs. Albert Wall, the Deputy Commissioner of DHSS, is responsible for the state’s Medicaid programs. He also answers directly to Mr. Crum. He & Mr. Crum were at the helm during the state’s disastrous mismanagement of the Dental Medicaid cancellation last summer, and, along with the governor, were responsible for… Read more »