How to Become a Dental Assistant in Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is a colorful and richly historic city. As one of the largest metropolitan areas in the state of Tennessee, it’s a great place to look for a job as a certified dental assistant. There are nearly two million residents in the area and numerous dental offices that will need qualified employees in the coming years.

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As a dental assistant, you can expect to work side-by-side with a dentist, handing over instruments during procedures, preparing exam rooms, making patients comfortable and doing clerical office work. To find out how to become a dental assistant in Tennessee, check out the state requirements here.

Dental Assistant Schools in Memphis

A career as a dental assistant requires background knowledge and skills that you can get from a post-secondary program. Two programs in Memphis are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation:

Concorde Career College. Concorde offers two programs for dental assistants: an eight-month diploma program and one that takes longer but confers an associate’s degree. Concorde’s Memphis campus is located on the east side of town near shopping centers and several restaurants, including those offering the barbecue foods the city is famous for. Students also have easy access to several parks, including the Memphis Botanic Garden.

Tennessee College of Applied Technology Review — Tennessee College of Applied Technolog

Tennessee College of Applied Technology. This program is a 12-month diploma program that costs $3,738 in tuition and fees. The campus is right in the heart of the city, close to the Wolf River Harbor and the Uptown and Downtown neighborhoods. It is also near the world-famous St. Jude Children’s Research hospitals. Students have great access here to the exciting nightlife, live music and great food Memphis has to offer.

Career Outlook and Salary Expectations

Throughout Tennessee, the growth for careers in dental assisting is strong. The number of jobs is expected to continue increasing at a rate of 27.3 percent through 2026 and beyond.

The average salary for dental assistants working in the Memphis metropolitan area is $38,580 per year and $18.55 per hour. Those earning the most make $55,560 on average.

Working as a Dental Assistant in Memphis

Memphis is a large and diverse city that offers a lot of great opportunities for employment. With thousands of dental offices, as well as big medical centers in the city, to serve the large population you can expect to have your pick of jobs as a qualified dental assistant. At the same time, you’ll enjoy the history, culture, traditional blues music and famous Memphis barbecue.