2022 AT A GLANCE

The North Dakota Dental Foundation continues to promote oral healthcare for all by promoting careers in dental care and beginning healthy oral habits from a young age.

Bright Futures In Dentistry

This program is a partnership with the ND Dental Association and the North Dakota State College of Science. Its purpose is to build a vibrant dental workforce by increasing the number of licensed dental assistants in North Dakota. It does so in three ways:

1. Reimbursing individuals and practices for DALE (Dental Advancement through Learning and Education) Foundation preparation materials and DANB (Dental Assisting National Board) exams for chairside-trained dental assistants to become either qualified or registered

2. Running online advertisements targeting high school students

3. Recruiting at high school career fairs

8 CHAIRSIDE-TRAINED DENTAL ASSISTANTS

awarded with reimbursement for education through the Dental Advancement through Learning and Education (DALE) Foundation

1 Million Brushes

11 CHAIRSIDE-TRAINED DENTAL ASSISTANTS

reimbursed for Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) exams

More than 150 volunteers gathered this year at Patterson Dental in Fargo to help pack toothbrush kits. These kits were given to kids in need across North Dakota through the Great Plains Food Bank school backpack program.

BRUSH-IT!

16,000 TOOTHBRUSH KITS PACKED

Vision Start

The Optometric Foundation of North Dakota’s Vision Start program is continuing to reach more kindergartners in need of eye exams, setting them up for successful learning. In 2022, 26 North Dakota kids received free eye exams thanks to Vision Start.

Going forward, the Foundation will be helping even more kids by expanding the Vision Start age range, providing communication materials to schools and providers, and by partnering with organizations to accelerate the program’s reach.

NDDF piloted this brushing-and-flossing program in first-grade classrooms at two Fargo schools. Parents were surveyed before and after the program on their children’s brushing habits. Before the program, 12.5% of parents said their children brush for at least two minutes. After the Brush-It! program, that number jumped to 37.5%. The North Dakota Dental Foundation plans to continue this pilot program in first-grade classes at five schools during the first quarter of 2023.

My daughter now checks after every brushing to make sure there are no ‘sugar bugs’ on her teeth!

– Parent of Eagles Elementary first-grader