MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Anoka-Ramsey Opens Applications for New Dental-Assisting Program Aimed at Regional Workforce Shortage

CAMBRIDGE, MN (September 29, 2026). Anoka-Ramsey Community College is preparing to launch a new dental-assisting program designed to move students rapidly into a health-care occupation where Minnesota employers are actively seeking qualified workers.

The program will begin during the spring 2027 semester at the college’s Cambridge campus. Applications are open through October 19, according to admissions information published by the college.

Students will train in a newly constructed dental clinic and simulation laboratory equipped with dental operatories, digital imaging technology and equipment modeled after modern dental offices.

The initiative is more than the addition of another academic major. College officials developed the program after dental professionals in Cambridge and surrounding communities identified a shortage of trained dental assistants and limited access to nearby accredited training.

“Our program is a short three-semester program where students will be career-ready as soon as they graduate,” Program Director Kelly Messier said in the college’s announcement.

Three Educational Pathways

Anoka-Ramsey will offer three stackable credentials:

• A 23-credit dental-assisting core certificate
• A 47-credit dental-assisting diploma
• A 60-credit associate of applied science degree

The certificate introduces students to the foundational skills used in dental offices and can be applied toward the diploma or associate degree. Completing the certificate alone, however, does not qualify a student to take the professional licensing examinations required for clinical practice.

Students pursuing the diploma or associate degree will complete two semesters of classroom and laboratory instruction followed by an internship semester. Training will cover chairside assistance, dental imaging, infection control, patient care, clinical procedures and professional communication.

The program has received accreditation from the American Dental Association’s Commission on Dental Accreditation. Graduates of the diploma and associate-degree pathways will be eligible to take the national certification and Minnesota jurisprudence examinations required for licensed dental-assisting practice.

Admissions Requirements

Admission will be competitive and based on several factors, including academic preparation, employment or volunteer experience, written essays and results from the Health Science Reasoning Test.

Applicants must complete an interpersonal-communication prerequisite and provide proof of current Basic Life Support certification for health-care providers. Students participating in clinical education must also obtain clearance through a Minnesota Department of Human Services background study.

Applications for the inaugural spring cohort must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. October 19.

Although the specialized dental courses will be taught at the Cambridge campus, students may complete certain general-education requirements online or through Anoka-Ramsey’s Coon Rapids campus.

College Plans October 1 Program Introduction

Anoka-Ramsey is also planning an October 1 event introducing the program and its clinical facilities. The event will give prospective students and community partners an opportunity to learn about the curriculum, admissions process and employment pathways connected with dental assisting.

The program represents a direct connection between public higher education and regional workforce needs. Its accelerated structure could allow students to enter employment after three semesters while retaining the option to earn additional credentials.

Shannon Kirkeide, Anoka-Ramsey’s dean of academic and community outreach, said members of the surrounding dental community helped demonstrate the need for the program.

“We brought together so many members of the dental community locally in Cambridge and surrounding areas because the need is so great,” Kirkeide said.

Additional program and application information is available through Anoka-Ramsey Community College.

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