Based on feedback from the local dental community over the past few years, West Central Initiative’s Early Childhood Dental Network, the Minnesota Oral Health Coalition (MOHC), and the Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) have teamed up to address a serious workforce shortage for licensed dental assistants. The project is currently being funded by grants through West Central Initiative and the West Central Minnesota Dental Society, with valuable in-kind support from MOHC and MDA. 

After several months of research and planning, the team identified a successful dental assistant recruitment project model in North Dakota and requested that we be allowed to replicate their strategies in Minnesota. After modifying the North Dakota template materials to be specific for Minnesota, West Central Initiative hired a consultant to serve as a Dental Assistant Recruitment Specialist in west central Minnesota to put the materials to use. 

The project goals are two-fold. The first is to increase the number of students enrolling in, and graduating from, post-secondary Dental Assistant Programs in Minnesota. The second is to ultimately increase the number of Licensed Dental Assistants (LDA) entering the workforce and thereby addressing the current workforce shortages for LDAs in west central Minnesota. 

Through collaboration with area high schools, the dental community, and the 13 certified post-secondary Dental Assisting programs within Minnesota, this project helps to introduce younger students to the career of dental assisting through a variety of methods.   Although the project rollout included high schools and dental offices in the west central area of the state, all post-secondary Dental Assisting programs in the state are a part of this recruitment effort since students often times will attend post-secondary schools outside of their home region.  

The project work plan consists of three phases including Phase 1 which was to initiate contact with all post-secondary Dental Assistant programs in Minnesota, explain the project goals, and then facilitate options for collaboration among schools to implement the use of recruitment tools and resources.    Phase 2 was to initiate contact with dentists in west central Minnesota and then explore options for part-time employment opportunities within dental offices in collaboration with local high schools.  Phase 3 was then to initiate contact with high schools in the region and identify current career counseling opportunities and explore ways to best incorporate and enhance dental assistant recruitment efforts. 

To date, recruitment efforts since January 2021 have resulted in a collaborative effort among all 13 of the Dental Assistant Programs in Minnesota to work toward filling their programs; enhanced efforts by 15 high schools in the region to promote dental assisting as a profession; and participation by at least 6 private dental offices to employ part-time students to introduce them to the dental assisting profession.   Long-term goals will measure the numbers of students graduating from programs and obtaining their licenses as Dental Assistants. 

Primary Project Contact:

Jane Neubauer, ECDN/Regional Dental Services Coordinator
Phone:  218-731-4163
Email:  jmneubauer@prtel.com