KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon made a visit to the University of Missouri-Kansas City Tuesday to push his "caring for Missourians" program.

The program is designed to train and educate more health care workers in Missouri and he said as a result of the program, UMKC will be able to expand its school of dentistry.

The school received a $2.1 million grant from the program, which will allow for 17 more dentistry students over the next four years.

School officials also said they will expand their lab, buy more instruments and hire more staff with the grant money.

Nixon say health care workers are more important than ever. "Our state and our nation are facing a critical shortage," Nixon said. "Each one will land a job and transform the health care system and the economy at the same time."

The "caring for Missourians" program will also provide about 250 nursing degree opportunities at nine Missouri state colleges and universities.