---
title: What Comes After Arizona Dental Assistant School?
url: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/what-comes-after-arizona-dental-assistant-school/"
type: post
date_published: 2015-10-29
date_modified: 2025-12-26
schema:
  @type: Article
language: en-US
word_count: 561
reading_time: 3 min
canonical: "https://arizonacollege.edu/blog/what-comes-after-arizona-dental-assistant-school/"
categories:
  - AZC Healthcare Programs
topic:
  - Dental Assisting
---

# What Comes After Arizona Dental Assistant School?

You’ve studied hard, listened attentively and even attended a few tutoring
sessions to reinforce the material. You’re so close to being a professional
dental assistant, ready to take on the world of oral hygiene and work hands-on
alongside dentists. Now, as you near the end of your career at an
[ Arizona dental assistant school](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/healthcare-careers/dental-assistant/)
, you’re starting to ask yourself, “what comes next?”

Have no fear. In this article, we’ll discuss what comes after finishing dental
assistant school and what you can expect in this exciting stage of your career.

**Externship **

Most accredited Arizona dental assistant schools will have an externship program
to give students the real world and hands-on experience they need to envision
what the day-to-day work life is of a dental assistant.

These externships come after all course and lab work is completed, typically
lasting anywhere from four to eight weeks. A lot of times externships can be
found directly through the school you’re attending, career services and/or local
partnerships.

**Get Certified **

Dental assistants need to be certified to perform all kinds of day-to-day
procedures, such as processing patient X-rays and being aware of proper
infection control protocol. If you’re planning on staying in Arizona to work as
a dental assistant, you’re required to get certified by the Dental Assisting
National Board (DANB), for which you can apply to take on
[their website](http://www.danb.org/), or through your accredited school.

Depending on your school, you may be able to complete your certifications along
with your coursework. For example,
[Arizona dental assistant schools](https://www.arizonacollege.edu/healthcare-careers/dental-assistant/)
like Arizona College let students test for both their Radiation Health and
Safety (RHS) certification and their Infection Control Certification (ICE) after
they’ve completed their respective classes in Radiation and Infection.

Once you’ve paid your fees and submitted your exam application, it usually takes
about three to four weeks for the application to be processed. You’ll then
receive a notice by mail to sign up at a local testing center. Again, check out
the [Dental Assisting National Board website](http://www.danb.org/) for
pertinent study outlines and examination materials. Once you’ve taken the exam,
it takes another three to four weeks to get your results back.

Here’s a breakdown of the fees below:

- RHS/ICE Exams are $250 if taken together
- Each of the above exams are $175 if taken separately
- The main General Chairside exam is $200

If you’re planning on looking for dental assistant jobs around the country, take
a look at
[this website for each state’s specific certification requirements.](http://www.danb.org/Meet-State-Requirements.aspx)

**Target Your Ideal Work Environment **

Dental assistants have the option of working in a variety of work environments
and maneuvering between administrative and clinical duties. Here’s a brief
overview of some of the work environments you can end up in:

- Pediatric dental practices
- Cosmetic dental practices
- General dental practices
- Orthodontic practices
- Oral and maxillofacial surgical practices

**Enjoy Your Career**

Now that you know what to do following your Arizona dental assistant school
coursework, you can progress to the next phase of your journey to an exciting
new career!

---

_Information in this blog post is accurate as of October 29, 2015._

**Categories:** AZC Healthcare Programs