Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) is excited to add Northland Health Centers to their clinical rotation partnership. DCB’s Dental Hygiene program is in its second year at the DCB downtown location in Minot. Through the partnership, dental hygiene students will complete hands-on rotations at Northland’s Minot Dental Center, gaining practical experience while helping expand access to preventive oral health services for patients in the region.

DCB is the only accredited program in Western North Dakota that allows students to work alongside experienced dental professionals in a community health setting. Students will be supporting services such as prophies, oral health education, screenings, X-rays, sealants, and other preventive care. The experience is designed to strengthen students’ clinical skills while introducing them to the important role community health centers play in meeting local healthcare needs.

“Northland Health Centers is honored to welcome Dakota College at Bottineau dental students into our Minot Dental Center,” said Nadine Boe, CEO of Northland Health Centers. “This partnership reflects our commitment to building a stronger healthcare workforce while increasing access to quality, affordable dental care for the communities we serve. We are excited to support these students as they develop the skills and confidence needed to serve patients across North Dakota.”

Dakota College at Bottineau’s Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), which prepares students to become licensed oral health professionals who provide preventive, patient-centered care under the supervision of a dentist. The program includes classroom instruction, supervised labs, clinical education, and service-learning opportunities, helping students gain the knowledge and experience needed to support oral health in communities throughout the state.

“We are grateful for Northland Health Centers’ partnership and the opportunity it creates for our dental students,” said Rhonda Edwardson, Program Director from Dakota College at Bottineau. “Clinical rotations are essential to preparing students for the realities of patient care. By working in a community health center environment, students gain skills in patient management, teamwork, and efficiency to prepare them for the work inside a dental clinic.”

The partnership also supports a growing need for dental professionals in northwestern and north central North Dakota, and eastern Montana. By connecting students with real-world clinical experiences close to home, Northland Health Centers and Dakota College at Bottineau are helping create a pipeline of trained dental hygienists who can serve rural and underserved communities.

The expansion of the dental training continues the current program that Northland Health Centers and Dakota College at Bottineau already have. Currently, the two organizations work together to offer an accredited Dental Assistant program, the only one in western North Dakota and eastern Montana.

“Before dentistry, I worked as hairstylist for many years,” said Sarah Smith, a 2025 Registered Dental Assistant graduate from Dakota College at Bottineau. “The people skills I had transferred over into the DCB program where I became passionate in dentistry and to help people feel comfortable and cared for. Overall, the program at DCB equipped me with the knowledge, confidence, and clinical experience needed to succeed and truly enjoy a career that I look forward to continuing in the years to come”

According to CODA, in 2024-2025, there were more than 9,000 applicants and 5,700 students accepted into an accredited dental assisting program. As for Dental Hygiene, CODA reported there were more than 47,000 applicants and only 11,400 students accepted into an accredited dental hygiene program.