At the same time, another class of students will be enrolling in the 10-month dental assisting program, now going into its second year. That class has filled 11 of its 12 spots at this time.

Rhonda Edwardson, Dental Program director, said 17 student applicants met requirements to enroll in the dental hygiene program, but the capacity is 10.

Incoming dental hygiene students have completed a full year of prerequisite courses in science and other fields. A member of this past year’s graduating class of dental assistants and two graduates from other dental assisting programs are among students in this first dental hygiene class.

In addition to the prerequisite completion, dental hygiene requires two years of training, or the equivalent of five semesters with the inclusion of one mandatory summer session.

DCB has hired Kelsey Tate, a local dental hygienist, as full-time faculty member, and this summer was seeking an adjunct faculty member who could be part-time. Additional faculty will be needed when the second cohort of dental hygiene students is added for the school year beginning in 2026.

With the eventual first- and second-year dental hygiene classes and a dental assisting class occurring in the building, the career and technical education center will become even more of a busy place. DCB also utilizes classroom space in the former Trinity Health building on Burdick Expressway for a few other programs it offers in Minot.

The dental hygiene program has contracted with Northland Community Health Center for additional training. Students will do rotations at the health center Monday through Thursday mornings, beginning next spring. Students also will begin to see patients in the downtown center, starting next February, for teeth cleaning, X-rays and other services offered by hygienists. Although the program includes supervision by a dentist, the clinic won’t offer dentist-level care. Patients needing to see a dentist can be referred.

Edwardson said the expectation is to largely serve patients with Medicaid or without dental insurance.

Edwardson said the dental program is meeting the local demand coming from both students and dental offices. The first class of dental assisting students came from Ward County or neighboring counties.

“The community here in Minot is supporting this program so well, and it’s just nice to see that all the students are coming from this area, that they’re going to be getting jobs here and filling the needs in Minot,” Edwardson said.

Edwardson said the need for dental assistants and hygienists remains high across the state. Bismarck State College also is in the process of setting up a dental hygiene training program

Accreditation is the big step for new programs, Edwardson said. With the successful completion of its first year, the dental assisting program in Minot now has full accreditation for seven years. The dental hygiene program has obtained its initial accreditation and also will be eligible for consideration for longer term accreditation once its first class graduates.

The demand for dental workers likely will remain strong for some time, in part because the workforce is changing, Edwardson said.

“Back in the day, people used to stay in their profession for a long time. They worked as a hygienist until they retired. Well, that’s not really happening anymore. People are retiring earlier, or they’re not staying in the profession as long, or only doing a few days a week. So, all of that kind of leads to the increased need out there,” she said. “This program will definitely help fill the need for this part of the state, and even into Montana.”