Submitted Photo A couple of the faculty and the eight students in the fall 2024 dental assisting class at the downtown Minot campus of Dakota College at Bottineau are, left to right: back, instructor Ricki Hill, Breah Crissler of Belcourt, Mya Olson of Minot, Kendra Kuhnhenn of Granville, DeNae Jones of Minot, Stephanie Lenz of Des Lacs/Burlington, instructor Dr. Marvin Zerr; front, Alexis Bauer of Berthold, Sara Smith of Minot and Emma Schelling of Minot.

Eight students started classes Monday in the new dental assisting program being offered in Minot through Dakota College at Bottineau.

The eight students filled 12 spots in the new program, according to a news release from DCB. Students are mainly from the Ward County area.

The program, housed in a newly remodeled facility at 120 Burdick Expressway, is designed with state-of-the-art equipment to prepare students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in dental assisting and hygiene. The Dental Assisting Program has received Initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation, affirming its adherence to rigorous standards of excellence in dental education.

Faculty members are Annie Capener, Ricki Hill, Emily Ternes and Drs. Mark Hildahl and Marvin Zerr.

Capener, from American Fork, Utah, started working in dentistry as a dental assistant and furthered her education, graduating from Carl Sandburg College Dental Hygiene. She continued her education, earning a bachelor’s in dental hygiene from Wichita State University and her master’s degree in business administration from Jacksonville University.

Her clinical practice was in periodontal specialty offices treating advanced forms of periodontal disease. Capener started her education journey as an adjunct hygiene instructor, moving into a full-time faculty position at the University of Utah School of Dentistry until 2024.

Hill, a Minot native, earned her bachelor’s degree from Minot State University. She has more than 20 years of experience in the dental field and continued education in restorative functions from the University of Minnesota Dental School.

Ternes, a Minot native, is a graduate of the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry with a Bachelor of Science in dental hygiene. She provides online instruction for dental anatomy.

Hildahl practiced dentistry in Minot for his entire career and has become a cornerstone of the local dental community. His dedication and expertise were pivotal in establishing the program, and he brings a wealth of practical knowledge and experience to his role as an instructor. He graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. He worked as a clinician and part-time instructor at the dental school until starting his practice in Minot .

Zerr is a North Dakota native who joined the U.S. Air Force as a dental assistant and retired from the North Dakota Army National Guard as a dentist. Graduating from the University of Nebraska College of Dentistry, he spent two years as a general dentist in Hazen. He then returned to the University of Iowa, and after five years of training, received a certificate in endodontics and a doctorate in microbiology.

Since returning to North Dakota, he has spent several years as a clinical endodontist in Minot and 1½ years teaching at Minot State University. Zerr continues his practice in New Town. He is also the dental director of the Federally Qualified Health Care Center clinics in Turtle Lake, Minot and Rolette.

The program is accepting student applications for fall 2025.