Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon came to the UMKC Dental School Tuesday to talk up the Caring for Missourians program -- and took a shot at Kansas in the process.

   Under the program the state will spend $40 million in federal stimulus money to improve conditions at Missouri's various schools for health care professionals.

   Nixon said the spending would allow the schools to accept additional students -- at the UMKC Dental School, for example, 17 additional students will be admitted over the next four years.  He said all the state's two- and four-year schools will admit almost one thousand additional students over four years because of the program.

   "We are taking a real step toward meeting our state's health care needs," his statement said.

   But Nixon also admitted the law does not require the additional students to be Missouri residents, and doesn't require them to stay in the state after graduation.

   "The vast, vast, vast majority" will stay in Missouri, Nixon said, although he offered no specifics.

   He also said Kansas City is a great place to live and that graduates would see that.

   A reporter (okay, Prime Buzz) pointed out that those graduates could practice rather easily in Kansas, potentially defeating the purpose of the program to expand health care throughout the state.

    "But it's so obvious when you cross the state line," Nixon said as the 100 or so in the audience laughed and applauded.  "People just start talking slower...Next question."