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PRESS RELEASE

Perfect Passing Rate for Rio Salado Students

The youngest dental hygiene graduate, Tobi Rushing, age 23, faces a bright future future.

The youngest dental hygiene graduate, Tobi Rushing, age 23, faces a bright future.

At 23, Tobi Rushing is on top of the world.  With a brand new Associate in Applied Science in Dental Hygiene Degree from Rio Salado, she’s already landed a prestigious job, expecting to make well over $60,000 her first year.

Rushing and her husband are building a new home and she’s eager to begin work in her chosen field. Rushing spent two years completing prerequisites for the program and several more years on the wait list before beginning the program.

During the May 22 dental hygiene pinning ceremony, 33 graduates were recognized.

During the May 22 dental hygiene pinning ceremony, 33 graduates were recognized.
One of 33 dental hygiene graduates, Rushing is like the rest of her class, glad she completed the rigorous 15-month program but with numerous enticing job prospects to choose from.

Classmate Shona Prose already had three interviews and has four more scheduled.

“Getting a job is definitely not going to be a problem,” said Prose. “It’s been worth everything I put into it, all the classes and all the work,” said Prose.


This year’s graduating class is bright and articulate, racking up a 100% pass rate on their National Board Exams, a feat achieved by every graduating class since the Rio center opened in 1998.

The accelerated program has had nearly 300 graduates since the program began in partnership with the Arizona Dental Association and Delta Dental Insurance to ease a critical workforce shortage in the field.  Rio will start a new class of 36 students in February of 2008. Applications will be accepted between June 4 and September 1. Applications must be filed for consideration to enroll in the program. For more information call (480) 517-8540 or visit http://www.riosalado.edu.

For information contact:

EJ Anderson
(480) 517-8472
ej.anderson@riomail.maricopa.edu

Linda Bird
(480) 517-8462
linda.bird@riomail.maricopa.edu