The Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health offers programs in Doctor of Dental Medicine (D.M.D.) and Certificate in Orthodontics. To earn a D.M.D. students must have three or more years of undergraduate education plus four years of dental school. Additional post-graduate training is necessary to become a specialist. The Orthodontics program teaches students how to treat orthodontic problems. Only four students are accepted into the clinic-based program each year. Applicants to the D.M.D. course should have a baccalaureate degree, but the school will also consider students with a formal minimum of 90 semester hours. Selection factors include quality of academic course work, performance on the DAT, AADSAS essay, letters of evaluation and interviews. The school also prefers applicants who are involved in community service.
Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health
5850 E. Still Circle
Mesa, AZ 85206
480-219-6000
atsu.edu
Midwestern University's dental college is a four-year program offering a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree. Applicants to this college must have a bachelor's degree and a minimum overall GPA of 2.75. In addition, 50 semester hours of prerequisite course work are required. The school also wants three letters of recommendation and prefers a DAT academic average score of 18 or higher. The curriculum at this college includes basic, behavioral, and clinical sciences, preclinical simulation studies, practical clinical dentistry, and community clinical rotations.
Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine
19555 North 59th Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85308
623-572-3215
midwestern.edu
Dental assistants take x-rays, construct and prepare temporary crowns and bridges, and assist in the operatory. Arizona College of Allied Health offers a 30-week Dental Assistant course, followed by an 8-week clinical externship. Approximately half of the student's time is spent in lecture/demonstration and half in hands-on laboratory procedures. Students who want to apply to this program must be interviewed by the Admissions Dept., complete an aptitude survey, possess any necessary physical capabilities required by the program they're studying, and have a high school diploma.
Arizona College of Allied Health
4425 West Olive Avenue
Glendale, AZ 85302-3851
602-222-9300
arizonacollege.edu
Dental hygiene is ranked as the seventh-fastest growing job for 2002 through 2014, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor. Rio Salado College offers training in Phoenix as a dental assistant or a dental hygienist. Applicants to the hygienist program must have a high school diploma or GED equivalency and be able to fully participate in all classroom, laboratory and clinical program activities. In addition, they must show negative results in a drug screening, submit a fingerprinting clearance card, complete a health declaration form and complete certain program prerequisites, including biology and chemistry courses. Applicants to the Dental Assistant Program must have a high school diploma or GED equivalency and make formal application to the program.
Rio Salado College
School of Dental Hygiene
1150 East Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85034
480-517-8020
riosalado.edu