Rural Roots to Dentistry

Rural Roots to Dentistry: Grant Budden’s USD Journey

Fueled by small-town values, University of South Dakota mentorship and support, Grant Budden is preparing to serve rural communities close to home after completing dentistry school.

Budden grew up in Pipestone, Minnesota, a small community in the southwestern corner of the state where agriculture, manufacturing and family life shaped his day-to-day. Like many students from rural areas, Budden approached college with ambition and a strong sense of responsibility. Both values shaped his experience at USD and now guide him as he pursues a career in dentistry at the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry (Minneapolis).

When exploring colleges for his post-high school education, Budden toured several large universities before deciding USD felt like the right fit. Both the university and its home of Vermillion offered him a size and sense of community that aligned with his rural upbringing while still providing the academic resources he was seeking.

Budden first enrolled as a medical biology major on the pre-med track. However, after a conversation with a dentist and time spent job shadowing, he realized dentistry aligned more closely with his interests. USD’s rigorous science curriculum helped solidify that path, with courses like human gross anatomy, which proved especially impactful. 

“I think you have a different level of work ethic when you are from a small town,” Budden said. “That, along with my parents pushing me to work hard, translated well for me in the classroom and ultimately led to my success and getting accepted into dental school.”

The flagship school provided Budden with programs, community engagement and interdisciplinary experiences that helped him develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in competitive health care programs like dentistry.

Along the way, meaningful relationships helped shape Budden’s growth. In the classroom and research lab, Jacob Kerby, Ph.D., professor of biology and chair of the Department of Biology at USD, guided him through coursework and research, while helping him prepare to be a competitive applicant for dental school. 

Beyond academics, April Lee with Service Learning & Community introduced him to hands-on service through USD’s Alternative Week of Off-Campus Learning program. Through that experience, Budden volunteered with health organizations, hospitals, food banks and the Red Cross in Houston. He also served the Crow Creek Indian Reservation and Rosebud Indian Reservation in central and south-central South Dakota. 

Those experiences outside the classroom left a lasting impression and strengthened his desire to serve rural communities and select the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry’s rural dentistry career track. Through the rural track, Budden is paired with a mentor dentist and meets regularly to discuss rural practice. This route also includes classes that focus on student loan forgiveness, practice management and rural health care needs. In his third or fourth year of dental school, Budden will complete an extended outreach rotation in a rural community with the hope of one day transitioning into a full-time position in a rural setting.

“I want to look at Google Maps and see myself surrounded by green one day, not buildings everywhere,” Budden said. “Family remains central to my plans, and by leaning toward general dentistry, I can begin serving a rural community sooner and build a life close to the people and places that shaped me.”

With the impactful experiences he gained at USD and the training he is experiencing in dental school, Budden is stepping into a meaningful career path—one that is shaped to his goals and inspired by the communities around him.