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How to Become a Dental Assistant in Mesa, Arizona

Mesa is an eastern suburb of Phoenix, and together this metropolitan area is home to nearly five million of Arizona’s residents. As a part of the Valley of the Sun, Mesa is known for fantastic weather year-round, desert views and great outdoor recreation opportunities.

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Studying to become a dental assistant in Mesa means that there are plenty of opportunities to find work in the city or throughout the Phoenix area. As a qualified and certified dental assistant, you can expect to be hired by a dental office to assist with patients and do office administrative work. There are requirements in Arizona for working in this job and you can find them here.

Dental Assistant Schools in Mesa

There is just one dental assisting program in the Phoenix area that is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA), but there are other options in and around Mesa.

  • Phoenix College. This CODA-accredited associate degree program can be completed full-time or part-time. The central Phoenix campus is about 30 minutes from Mesa for a reasonable commute. It is located in the Encanto neighborhood and is close to downtown Phoenix, several museums, parks and shopping centers.
  • Mesa Academy of Dental Assisting. This Mesa college dental assisting program offers a complete training program that takes just 12 weeks to complete. Tuition for the program is currently $3,295. It includes a certificate of completion, 96 hours of hands-on training and 24 hours in a clinical externship. The campus is not far from the thriving college town of Tempe, home to Arizona State University, and the upscale shopping and dining of Scottsdale.

Career Outlook and Salary Expectations

The outlook for dental assisting careers in Arizona is positive, with 32.2 percent growth expected through 2026. In the Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale metropolitan area there are already nearly 5,000 employed dental assistants, but there are expected to be hundreds more jobs available in the coming years. The current average salaries for the region are $19.64 per hour and $40,840 annually.

Working as a Dental Assistant in Mesa

Mesa is a great place to live, with perfect year-round weather and close access to areas like the Superstition Wilderness and South Mountain Preserve for outdoor recreation. The city of Phoenix is nearby and offers a wealth of arts, culture and great food and shopping. Expect to find a lot of great job opportunities in Mesa with a dental assisting diploma, certificate or degree in hand.

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