In rural Minnesota communities, 25% of dentists are over 65 years old compared to 15% in urban areas, creating concerns around replacing an aging rural dentistry workforce. 

With its mission to educate and train Minnesota's healthcare workforce, the University of Minnesota aims to help solve this challenge through the new Rural Dentistry Career Track in the School of Dentistry. The University, as Minnesota's healthcare leader, is well-positioned to address this concern as it educates 73% of dentists in Minnesota.

Bridging the rural dental gap

Launched in summer 2025, the first cohort of the Rural Dentistry Career Track—similar to a minor allowing them to customize their professional development—includes 15 students. It's one of four tracks aimed at increasing student readiness for careers in dentistry. 

Part of the track’s approach is to prepare them for unique challenges in rural communities. If a student didn’t grow up in a rural area, they may feel like an outsider, so it’s important to engage within the community through professional and social networks to build trust with residents. 

“For students interested in working in rural communities, it can feel intimidating because they are often the only dentist in the county,” says Susan McKernan, an associate professor and director of the track. “We want to make sure students can feel confident to go out and be that dentist.” 

Due to this challenge, it’s valuable that the track teaches students to be comfortable with a wide range of dental issues so they don’t have to refer a patient to specialty dentists located in urban areas. 

By the end of their four years in dental school, students in the track will have learned about rural population health, how to run a dental practice, engaged in health policy and advocacy at the state and county level, and much more, along with completing a rotation at a rural dental clinic.

Passing the floss and the knowledge

Establishing a professional peer network is important for every dentist so they can reach out to colleagues for advice on certain cases. For rural dentists, it’s also an opportunity to build connections to avoid feeling isolated. 

“Because we have 15 students in the cohort, they do a lot of small breakout activities,” says McKernan. “Just getting to know each other as they go through dental school builds a community for them when they graduate.” 

Another key aspect of the program is matching each student with a rural dentist mentor. 

Michael Henderson, a clinical assistant professor and director of the Mobile Dental Clinic, organizes the peer mentorship aspect of the track. 

“Having that connection with a rural dentist while they’re in school adds an extra layer of preparing our students for the real world,” says Henderson. “To have someone to be able to talk to, bounce ideas off of, and introduce them to things happening in rural practice is very valuable.” 

With every graduate of the track, the University is sending not just a dentist, but a lifeline to the communities that need them most. That’s something all Minnesotans can smile about. 

Learn more about the Rural Dentistry Career Track.