Bismarck, North Dakota—The Bismarck State College (BSC) Foundation has received a $75,000 grant from the North Dakota Community Foundation’s Otto Bremer Trust Community Response Fund to support the college’s new pediatric clinic, Mystic Smiles, and establish a dental career development pathway on campus.
The grant will be used to purchase advanced 3D imaging equipment and upgraded sterilization systems. Foundation officials said the investment aims to expand access to dental care for children in underserved areas of the state and provide practical training for students preparing to enter the dental profession.
“We are grateful to the North Dakota Community Foundation and the Otto Bremer Trust for recognizing the importance of Mystic Smiles and our dental program,” said Kari Knudsen, Executive Director of the BSC Foundation.
“This grant addresses two pressing needs: expanding pediatric dental coverage for families with limited access to healthcare and creating high-quality clinical training to equip our graduates to meet the state’s workforce needs.”
Mystic Smiles is a nonprofit pediatric dental clinic affiliated with North Dakota State University. Located at 210 West Century Avenue in Bismarck, the clinic accepts Medicaid and uses a sliding fee scale for children 13 and under.
Patients are referred by community partners, including Bridging the Dental Gap, Ronald McDonald Care Mobile, and Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health.
“Too many children in our state lack timely and affordable dental care,” said Dr. Tegwin Brickhouse, the clinic’s resident pediatric dentist.
“By integrating patient care with student training, Mystic Smiles is not only improving children’s health but also developing a local dental workforce for the future.”
The grant comes amid widespread concerns about dental staffing in North Dakota. According to the state dental association, 98% of dentists report a shortage of dental professionals; more than 80% have attempted to recruit in the past year, but most struggle to find qualified candidates.
The idea for the clinic stemmed from early discussions with Dr. Katie Stewart of the SDY College of Dentistry, who highlighted the critical need for dental services in the state.
“This funding will help the college leverage its strengths and industry partnerships to train students while addressing real workforce and community needs,” said Dan Leingang, the college’s interim dean.
BSC’s proposed dental hygiene program has already garnered strong interest—the college reports receiving over 100 applications—and is in the process of applying for initial accreditation from the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA).