How to Become a Dental Assistant in Glendale, Arizona
A career as a dental assistant is a smart choice if you’re interested in healthcare, a great salary and good job security. In this career you will be able to work directly with patients, assisting dentists and hygienists, sterilizing equipment, communicating with patients and doing clerical work in the office. Check the requirements here for becoming a licensed dental assistant in Arizona.
Glendale is part of the metropolitan area that includes Phoenix and more than four million residents. Just minutes from nearby mountains and hiking trails, the legendary weather in this region draws many people here for outdoor recreation. This is a great place to start and enjoy a career in dental assisting.
Glendale Dental Assistant Programs
There are a couple of dental assisting programs located in Glendale, and there are other programs nearby, in and around Phoenix. You should have no problem finding a good academic program that is just a short commute from Glendale.
- Carrington College, Glendale Learning Center Campus. Carrington College has several campuses, including one in Glendale. It offers a choice between a one-year certificate program and a two-year degree program in dental assisting. The campus is near a major bus route, so getting there is easy. It’s also near a big entertainment center that includes movie theaters and the Gila River Arena where the Arizona Coyote hockey team plays. Carrington students get a discount at many nearby restaurants.
- Altrain Dental Assisting Academy, Glendale. At the Glendale campus of Altrain you can complete a dental assisting program in just 13 weeks. Courses include subjects like assisting dentists during procedures, radiology and finding a job. Courses are small, and you will also benefit from some hands-on training in an externship toward the end of the program.
Career Outlook and Salary Expectations in Glendale
The career outlook for qualified dental assistants is extremely positive throughout the U.S. In Arizona, the number of jobs available is expected to grow at an astonishing rate of over 32 percent between 2016 and 2026. As for salary, dental assistants working in the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metropolitan area in May of 2017 earned on average $40,840 per year and $19.64 per hour.
Working and Living in Glendale
Glendale is just outside the big city of Phoenix, which puts you in the vicinity of a lot of great restaurants, museums, shopping and cultural events. The weather here is some of the best in the country, and you’ll rarely see a cloudy day.
As for work, anywhere there are dentists working there will be a need for dental assistants. You should be able to find plenty of available positions in Glendale but also throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area. Dental offices, government agencies and physician offices are places to look for dental assisting jobs.
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