# Dental practices in Phoenix, AZ: a founder's guide to running & growing your business

ITEX brings your dental practice new customers from a local trade network and lets you cover real expenses without spending cash — growth in the busy months, a cushion in the slow ones. This guide covers running and growing a dental practice in Phoenix, AZ; ITEX is one option woven inside it.

> ITEX — Turn unused business capacity into trade dollars — without discounting.

## The Phoenix, AZ market for dental practices
Metro Phoenix (Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, covering Maricopa and Pinal counties) remains one of the fastest-growing U.S. markets, adding roughly 85,000 residents between 2023 and 2024 1, with migration—especially international arrivals—driving nearly all of that gain and expanding the restaurant customer base 1. Food preparation and serving occupations make up about 8.9% of area employment 2, though at a lower average wage than the metro-wide average 2. Statewide, Arizona's roughly 12,000 restaurants employ close to 300,000 people, with sales near $23 billion in 2024 3; note that eating-and-drinking employment can dip in summer, as peak tourism falls in cooler months 4. Owners exploring local support should review City of Phoenix small-business resources, including its Legacy Small Business recognition for long-operating firms 5.

- [BLS: Occupational Employment & Wages, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler](https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/occupationalemploymentandwages_phoenix.htm)
- [U.S. Census Bureau: Metro Area Population Trends](https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2025/04/metro-area-trends.html)
- [Invest in Phoenix — City of Phoenix Small Business Resources](https://www.phoenix.gov/econdev/small-business)
- [City of Phoenix: Legacy Small Business Program](https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/mayor/legacy-small-business-program.html)
- [Greater Phoenix Chamber: Business Incentives & Tax Breaks](https://phoenixchamber.com/economic-development/state-local-resources/incentives/)
- [Arizona Restaurant Association](https://azrestaurant.org/)
- [National Restaurant Association: Arizona State Fact Sheet](https://restaurant.org/research-and-media/research/industry-statistics/arizona-state-fact-sheet/)

**Is metro Phoenix's population still growing, and what's driving it?** Yes. The Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler metro added roughly 85,000 residents between 2023 and 2024, and migration — especially international arrivals plus domestic transplants — accounted for nearly all of that gain, per Census Bureau estimates. A growing, in-migrating population expands the potential customer base for local restaurants.

**Where can a Phoenix restaurant owner find small-business support or incentives?** Start with the City of Phoenix small-business resources and the Greater Phoenix Chamber, which list local programs, grants, and recognition efforts such as the Legacy Small Business Program. Confirm current program details, eligibility, and any tax or licensing questions directly with those offices or a qualified professional, since specifics change.

## Taxes for a dental practice in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix restaurant and bar owners are subject to Arizona transaction privilege tax (TPT) — a tax on the business for the privilege of doing business, rather than a true sales tax 6. The City of Phoenix imposes its own restaurant/bar privilege tax in addition to the state tax, and establishments engaged in taxable activity must hold a Phoenix TPT license 7. Since 2017 the Arizona Department of Revenue has been the single point to license, file, and pay state, county (Maricopa), and city TPT through AZTaxes.gov 8. The Department publishes guidance on how categories such as prepared food and food for home consumption are treated 9, and its Restaurants & Bars publication addresses items such as gratuities and cover charges 10. Restaurants that serve alcohol must also obtain a state liquor license from the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control 11. For your specific obligations, taxable categories, rates, and filing details, consult the official Arizona Department of Revenue and City of Phoenix resources linked below.

- [Arizona Department of Revenue — Transaction Privilege Tax](https://azdor.gov/business/transaction-privilege-tax)
- [AZTaxes.gov — Register, file, and pay TPT (state, county, city)](https://aztaxes.gov)
- [City of Phoenix — Privilege (Sales) and Use Tax](https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/finance/privilege-sales-use-tax.html)
- [Arizona Department of Revenue — Model City Tax Code, Phoenix profile](https://azdor.gov/model-city-tax-code/city-profile/phoenix)
- [Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses & Control](https://liquor.az.gov/license-types)
- [Arizona Department of Revenue — Liquor Luxury Tax](https://azdor.gov/business/liquor-luxury-tax)

**Which taxes does a Phoenix restaurant owner need to consider?** At minimum, Arizona transaction privilege tax (TPT) on prepared food and drink, plus the City of Phoenix and Maricopa County portions of TPT — all administered together by the Arizona Department of Revenue. If you serve alcohol you also need a state liquor license. Confirm your specific obligations with the Arizona Department of Revenue and the City of Phoenix Finance Department.

**Where do I register and file these taxes?** Since 2017 the Arizona Department of Revenue is the single point of registration, filing, and payment for state, county, and city TPT — done online at AZTaxes.gov. You still obtain a City of Phoenix TPT license as part of that process. For alcohol, license separately through the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control.

## How to start a dental practice in Phoenix, AZ
Opening a dental practice in Phoenix starts with the same clinical license every Arizona dentist needs: a DDS or DMD from an ADA-accredited school, plus a passing score on the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners' jurisprudence exam covering the state's dental statutes and rules, submitted through the Board's own application process; dentists already licensed in another state may instead qualify through Arizona's Universal Licensing Recognition pathway 12. Any dentist who intends to prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances needs a separate federal registration from the DEA, filed on Form 224, with opioid and safe-prescribing training now required of new and renewing registrants under the 2023 MATE Act 13. Infection control isn't optional paperwork: the CDC's Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings expects every practice to name an infection-prevention coordinator, keep written policies, and track staff immunizations for hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, and Tdap 14, while OSHA has no dentistry-specific rule but enforces its general-industry Bloodborne Pathogens Standard against every dental office — a written exposure control plan, hepatitis B vaccine offers, annual staff training, and PPE for anyone with occupational exposure to blood or saliva 15. On the business side, the ADA's free Practice Transition Roadmap walks a buyer through the steps of taking over or opening a practice, from due diligence to closing 16, and the Arizona Dental Association's Succeed Program gives dentists in their first decade of practice six modules on business skills, transitions, and leadership specific to running an Arizona practice 17. Confirm current requirements, forms, and any fees directly with each office; this is general information, not legal advice.

- [Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners — Applications and Forms](https://dentalboard.az.gov/applications-and-forms)
- [Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners — FAQs](https://dentalboard.az.gov/faqs)
- [DEA Diversion Control Division — Registration](https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/registration.html)
- [CDC — Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings](https://www.cdc.gov/dental-infection-control/hcp/summary/index.html)
- [OSHA — Dentistry Overview](https://www.osha.gov/dentistry)
- [ADA — Practice Transition Roadmap for Practice Owners](https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/career-planning/buyers-transition-roadmap)
- [AzDA — Succeed Program](https://www.azda.org/member-center/succeed-program)

**Do I need a separate federal registration to prescribe pain medication in my Phoenix practice?** Yes. Any dentist prescribing Schedule II-V controlled substances needs a DEA registration in addition to an Arizona dental license, and new or renewing registrants must complete opioid and safe-prescribing training under the 2023 MATE Act.

**Is there a local resource to help plan opening or buying a Phoenix practice?** The Arizona Dental Association's Succeed Program offers early-career dentists modules on business skills and practice transitions, and the ADA's national Practice Transition Roadmap is a free complementary guide. Confirm specific filings, fees, and timelines with each office directly.

## Marketing a dental practice in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix-area dental practices sit inside a well-organized professional and marketing ecosystem. The Arizona Dental Association (AzDA), a nonprofit founded in 1909, represents licensed dentists across every specialty statewide 18, and its Central Arizona Dental Society (CADS) component, based in Scottsdale, is the local chapter covering greater Phoenix, giving practices a direct line to peer networking and referral relationships 19. Any marketing claim a Phoenix dentist makes is bounded by the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners, whose rules prohibit false, fraudulent or misleading advertising and require that any claimed "specialty" be recognized by a CODA-accredited board — a baseline every local campaign should be checked against 20. Beyond compliance, visibility opportunities are real and current: PHOENIX magazine's 2026 "Top Dentists" feature, a peer-nominated list, named 167 of the Valley's best dentists across nine specialties, giving well-regarded local practices a credible earned-media placement 21. Free digital listing platforms round out the toolkit — a dentist can claim a Yelp for Business page at no cost to manage reviews and practice details 22, and the American Dental Association's own Find-a-Dentist directory lets patients search a network of more than 100,000 dentists by location, specialty, language and insurance accepted, a no-cost channel every ADA-member Phoenix dentist can use 23. Together, these resources — professional association, regulator, local media recognition and free directories — form the legitimate marketing groundwork before any paid advertising begins.

- [AzDA — Who We Are](https://www.azda.org/about/who-we-are)
- [Central Arizona Dental Society](https://www.azda.org/local-dental-societies/central-arizona-dental-society)
- [Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners — Explanation of Rules](https://dentalboard.az.gov/resources/explanation-rules)
- [PHOENIX magazine — 167 of the Valley's Best Dentists](https://www.phoenixmag.com/2026/05/05/167-of-the-valleys-best-dentists/)
- [Yelp for Business — Claim your page](https://biz.yelp.com/claim)
- [ADA Find-a-Dentist directory](https://findadentist.ada.org/)

**Is PHOENIX magazine's "Top Dentists" list something my practice can be considered for?** It is a peer-nominated feature — other local dentists nominate practitioners — so check PHOENIX magazine's voting page for the current cycle's nomination process.

**Do I need to be careful about advertising a "specialty"?** Yes. Arizona's dental board rules require any advertised specialty to be recognized by a CODA-accredited board, so review the board's rules before using specialty language in marketing.

## Customer service & reputation for dental practices in Phoenix, AZ
Patient trust in a Phoenix dental practice is shaped as much by online reputation management as by chairside care, and the rules governing that reputation are explicit. Google's Business Profile policy bars practices from offering payment, discounts or free services in exchange for posting, revising or removing a review, and limits reviews to genuine on-location experiences rather than solicited or incentivized content 24. Profiles found violating those review policies can be restricted from receiving new reviews, or have existing reviews unpublished, for a set period — a real business risk for practices tempted to manage feedback aggressively 25. Google also gives business owners a formal channel to report reviews they believe violate policy, rather than trying to resolve disputes unilaterally 26. When patient concerns escalate beyond a review, Arizona has a clear regulatory path: any patient who believes they were harmed by a licensed dentist, dental hygienist or denturist can file a written complaint with the Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners online, by email, or by mail, and the Board investigates complaints within its jurisdiction even when submitted anonymously 27. The Arizona Dental Association reinforces this path for the public, maintaining its own plain-language page explaining how a patient can file a dentist complaint in Arizona 28. For Phoenix practices, the throughline is consistency: genuine, unincentivized reviews, a documented process for handling dissatisfied patients, and awareness that both the platform and the state licensing board offer patients formal recourse.

- [Google — Prohibited and restricted content](https://support.google.com/business/answer/7400114?hl=en)
- [Google — Business Profile restrictions for policy violations](https://support.google.com/business/answer/14114287?hl=en)
- [Google — Report inappropriate reviews](https://support.google.com/business/answer/4596773?hl=en)
- [AZ Board of Dental Examiners — File a Complaint](https://dentalboard.az.gov/contact-us/file-complaint)
- [AzDA — Can I file a dentist complaint in Arizona](https://www.azda.org/for-the-public/can-i-file-a-dentist-complaint)
- [AZ Board of Dental Examiners — Problems With a Dentist, Hygienist or Denturist](https://dentalboard.az.gov/resources/problems-dentist-dental-hygienist-or-denturist)

**Can I offer a discount to a patient in exchange for a Google review?** No. Google's policy explicitly prohibits offering payment, discounts, or free services in exchange for posting, revising, or removing a review.

**What happens if a patient files a complaint with the state board?** The Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners investigates written complaints within its jurisdiction, including anonymous ones, following the process described on its website.

## Financing & cash flow for a dental practice in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix restaurant owners have several vetted capital sources beyond conventional bank lines. Start with the SBA Arizona District Office in Phoenix, which guides owners to 7(a) loans up to $5 million 30 and microloans up to about $50,000 31, plus free SCORE and SBDC counseling 29. The state's Arizona Microbusiness Loan Program funds businesses with five or fewer employees up to $50,000 through CDFI and nonprofit partners, with financial education included 32. Mission-driven CDFIs serve restaurants directly: Prestamos CDFI in Phoenix 33 and Growth Partners Arizona 34 pair loans with coaching. The City of Phoenix Kiva Hub offers 0% crowdfunded loans from $1,000 to $15,000 35, and LISC Phoenix provides economic-development loans up to $500,000 36. The Arizona CDFI Network maps additional community lenders statewide 37.

- [SBA Arizona District Office](https://www.sba.gov/district/arizona)
- [SBA 7(a) loan program](https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/7a-loans)
- [SBA Microloan program](https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/microloans)
- [Arizona Microbusiness Loan Program (OEO)](https://oeo.az.gov/microbiz)
- [City of Phoenix small business resources](https://www.phoenix.gov/econdev/small-business)
- [Prestamos CDFI (Phoenix)](https://prestamoscdfi.org/phoenix/)
- [Growth Partners Arizona](https://www.growthpartnersaz.org/)
- [LISC Phoenix Lending & Grants](https://www.lisc.org/phoenix/what-we-do/lending-grants/)
- [Arizona CDFI Network](https://azcdfi.org/)

**Where can a Phoenix restaurant owner get financing with limited credit history or no collateral?** The City of Phoenix Kiva Hub offers 0% crowdfunded loans from $1,000–$15,000 with no minimum credit score or collateral, and mission-driven CDFIs like Prestamos CDFI and Growth Partners Arizona, along with the state's Arizona Microbusiness Loan Program, use flexible criteria and pair capital with coaching. Terms and eligibility vary, so confirm current details directly with each lender.

**Does the SBA Arizona District Office lend money directly to restaurants?** No. The SBA does not make loans directly; it guarantees loans issued by participating banks and lenders (such as 7(a) and 504 loans) and administers microloans through nonprofit intermediaries. The Phoenix district office also connects owners to free SCORE mentoring and SBDC counseling to prepare loan applications.

## Finding & keeping dental practice staff in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix dental practices hire into a labor market with real wage pressure of its own. Nationally, the median annual wage for dental hygienists was about $98,100 in BLS's most recent reporting, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting 7% employment growth from 2024 to 2034 and roughly 15,300 openings a year — one of healthcare's faster-growing support roles 38. Dental assistants nationally earned a median of $47,300 in May 2024, with about 6% projected growth over the same decade 39. Locally, dental-hygiene job platform Toothio reports the average Phoenix-metro hygienist salary at $97,880 a year (about $47.06 an hour) — in line with the national figure and the highest-paying hygienist market in Arizona, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics data it cites 40. On the training pipeline, Rio Salado College's fully online Dental Assisting program, with in-person clinical work at its own dental clinic, trains chairside assisting and radiography skills, and its Expanded Functions Dental Assistant course preps graduates for the state board's Expanded Functions Restorative Certificate 41. For recruiting, ARIZONA@WORK Maricopa County — the state's workforce system — lets Phoenix-area practices post openings on the AZJobConnection.gov job board and tap on-the-job training subsidies for qualifying new hires 42.

- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental Hygienists](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-hygienists.htm)
- [BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Dental Assistants](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dental-assistants.htm)
- [Toothio — Dental Hygienist Salary in Phoenix, AZ](https://www.toothio.com/blog/dental-hygienist-salary-phoenix)
- [Rio Salado College — Dental Programs](https://www.riosalado.edu/rio-specialized-programs/healthcare-programs/dental-programs)
- [ARIZONA@WORK Maricopa County — Employer Resources](https://arizonaatwork.com/locations/maricopa-county/employer-resources)

**What do dental hygienists and assistants typically earn in the Phoenix metro?** Nationally, BLS reports a median of about $98,100 for dental hygienists and $47,300 for dental assistants; a Phoenix-specific hygienist figure reported via Toothio (citing BLS) puts the local average at $97,880 a year, roughly in line with the national number and the highest among Arizona metros.

**Where can a Phoenix practice recruit and train new dental assistants locally?** Rio Salado College's online Dental Assisting program, with hands-on clinical work at its own dental clinic, is a local training pipeline, and ARIZONA@WORK Maricopa County lets employers post openings and access hiring subsidies through the state workforce system.

## Giving back in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix restaurants have several established nonprofits to support. St. Mary's Food Bank, founded in Phoenix in 1967, is recognized as the world's first food bank and partners with more than 600 nonprofit agencies 43. Waste Not has rescued perishable food since 1987, diverting 2.7 million pounds in 2024, and lets restaurants donate surplus through its free MealConnect app 44. The Arizona Food Bank Network links roughly 1,000 pantries and agencies feeding over 700,000 people monthly across all 15 counties 45. Phoenix Rescue Mission's Hope for Hunger Food Bank serves more than 250 families daily 46. Restaurants donating surplus food in good faith to nonprofits generally receive federal liability protection under the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act 47, and the City of Phoenix's Project REDUCE helps businesses divert and donate food 48.

- [St. Mary's Food Bank](https://www.stmarysfoodbank.org/)
- [Waste Not (food rescue)](https://www.wastenotaz.org/)
- [Arizona Food Bank Network](https://azfoodbanks.org/)
- [Phoenix Rescue Mission - Hope for Hunger](https://phoenixrescuemission.org/foodbank/)
- [City of Phoenix Project REDUCE](https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/oep/oep-programs/food/project-reduce.html)
- [USDA - Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act FAQ](https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/usda-good-samaritan-faqs.pdf)

**How can my Phoenix restaurant donate surplus food?** Partner with a local food-rescue nonprofit such as Waste Not, which offers same-day pickup and a free MealConnect app that pairs your donation with a driver and a recipient agency. Donating in good faith to a nonprofit is generally covered by the federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act; review USDA guidance and confirm food-safety requirements with the Maricopa County health department before starting.

**Which Phoenix nonprofits fight hunger?** Well-established local options include St. Mary's Food Bank (the world's first food bank, founded in Phoenix), Phoenix Rescue Mission's Hope for Hunger Food Bank, and the statewide Arizona Food Bank Network coalition. Restaurants can support them through food donations, fundraisers, or a percentage-of-sales giveback day.

## When things are slow: a cushion for your dental practice in Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix dental practices see real, well-documented seasonal swings in patient demand. The Valley's population swells each winter with seasonal "snowbird" residents who typically head home by May, and many longtime locals leave town for weeks at a time once the triple-digit summer heat sets in — a pattern local news coverage has tied directly to a marked slowdown for Valley service businesses during the hottest months 49. On the calendar's other end, the ADA notes that most dental insurance plans run on a calendar-year cycle with unused annual-maximum benefits that typically do not roll over, which drives a predictable surge of patients trying to schedule care before their coverage resets on December 31 — meaning the months before that deadline get crowded while other stretches of the year run quieter 50. Back-to-school season adds another rhythm: the ADA highlights the pre-school-year check-up as a natural prompt for a routine visit, a seasonal cue many practices already build reminder campaigns around 51. These patterns mean slow stretches — the deep summer lull chief among them — are a structural, recurring feature of the Phoenix dental calendar, not a sign of a struggling practice. ITEX operates a local trade-exchange office serving Phoenix, reachable at (619) 472-2929, where a broker sets up how a member business trades its unused capacity — filling exactly those slow chairs with new patients paying in trade dollars at the practice's normal fees, without discounting a single service 52.

- [Phoenix New Times — Phoenix summers push local restaurants to the brink](https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/food-drink/how-summers-push-phoenix-restaurants-to-the-brink-22159304/)
- [ADA MouthHealthy — Use Dental Insurance Before the End of the Year](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/dental-care/using-dental-benefits)
- [ADA MouthHealthy — Back-to-School Dental Visit](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/life-stages/babies-and-kids/what-to-expect-at-your-childs-back-to-school-dental-visit)
- [ITEX Arizona](http://arizona.itex.com/)
- [AZFamily — Arizona businesses take a hit as international tourism drops](https://www.azfamily.com/2025/08/12/arizona-businesses-take-hit-international-tourism-drops-nationwide/)

**Why does patient volume drop in the Phoenix summer?** Many snowbird residents and longtime locals leave the Valley for weeks during the hottest months, a pattern local reporting has linked to broader slowdowns in Valley service businesses.

**Why is December typically busier for dental practices?** Most dental insurance plans reset annually and unused benefits generally don't roll over, so many patients rush to schedule care before December 31.

## Resources to scale & grow your dental practice in Phoenix, AZ
ITEX in Arizona is the local office of a professional barter network serving Phoenix and Tucson, and ITEX has spent more than four decades helping small businesses turn non-productive assets into new sales with new customers 52. That kind of growth partner matters in a metro that keeps expanding: the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler area added 59,065 residents (1.14%) in the year ending July 1, 2025, reaching 5,228,938 people and posting the fourth-highest numeric population gain of any U.S. metro, according to Census Bureau vintage estimates 53. Demand for care follows that growth, and so does compensation — healthcare practitioners and technical occupations in the Phoenix metro earned a mean hourly wage of $54.80 in May 2025, among the better-paying major occupational groups the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks locally 2. The talent pipeline feeding local practices runs deep: A.T. Still University's Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health in Mesa, the state's first dental school, opened in 2003 and graduated its first class in 2007 54, while Phoenix College's Dental Hygiene Program, established in 1968, was Arizona's first hygiene program and continues training the Valley's hygienists today 55. Networking and continuing education run through AzDA's annual Western Regional Dental Convention, which draws over 3,000 dental professionals and more than 120 exhibitors 56. Phoenix's dental community also gives back at scale: the Central Arizona Dental Society Foundation has delivered about $16 million in free care to more than 14,000 patients since 2012 57, and the annual Arizona Mission of Mercy clinic fields more than 300 volunteer dentists to provide roughly $2 million in free dental care in a single two-day event 58.

- [ITEX Arizona](http://arizona.itex.com/)
- [ABC15 — New Census data on Valley growth rate](https://www.abc15.com/news/business/new-census-data-only-two-major-u-s-metros-outpaced-the-valleys-growth-rate-in-2025)
- [BLS — Occupational Employment and Wages in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, May 2025](https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/occupationalemploymentandwages_phoenix.htm)
- [Wikipedia — Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_School_of_Dentistry_and_Oral_Health)
- [Phoenix College — Dental Hygiene Program](https://www.phoenixcollege.edu/degrees-certificates/health-sciences/dental-hygiene-3831-aas)
- [Western Regional Dental Experience](https://westernregional.org/2026/)
- [Central Arizona Dental Society Foundation](https://www.cadsfoundation.org/contact/)
- [12 News — Arizona Mission of Mercy free dental clinic](https://www.12news.com/article/news/local/valley/arizonas-free-dental-clinic-phoenix-mission-of-mercy-open/75-1b612d3c-175f-414c-bcb8-d665c8644686)

**Is Phoenix's dental market still growing?** Yes — the metro added over 59,000 residents in the most recent year of Census Bureau estimates, one of the largest numeric gains of any U.S. metro.

**Where can Phoenix dentists network locally?** AzDA's annual Western Regional Dental Convention and the Central Arizona Dental Society are the main local venues for continuing education and peer networking.

## About ITEX
ITEX is one of the longest-running barter communities in North America, with over 30 locations and thousands of member businesses across North America.

## References
1. Axios Phoenix (reporting U.S. Census Bureau estimates). Phoenix's population grew in 2024 — thanks to migration. https://www.axios.com/local/phoenix/2025/03/14/phoenix-population-growth-immigration (accessed 2026-07-08)
2. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics). Occupational Employment and Wages in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler — May 2024. https://www.bls.gov/regions/west/news-release/occupationalemploymentandwages_phoenix.htm (accessed 2026-07-08)
3. Arizona PBS (citing the Arizona Restaurant Association). The restaurant industry in Arizona is booming. https://azpbs.org/horizon/2024/04/the-restaurant-industry-in-arizona-is-booming/ (accessed 2026-07-08)
4. National Restaurant Association. Restaurants projected to add 525k seasonal jobs this summer. https://restaurant.org/research-and-media/research/restaurant-economic-insights/analysis-commentary/restaurants-projected-to-add-525k-seasonal-jobs-this-summer/ (accessed 2026-07-08)
5. City of Phoenix. Legacy Small Business Program | City of Phoenix. https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/mayor/legacy-small-business-program.html (accessed 2026-07-08)
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9. Arizona Department of Revenue (Model City Tax Code). Retail Sales: Food for Home Consumption. https://azdor.gov/model-city-tax-code/articles-and-sections/retail-sales-food-home-consumption (accessed 2026-07-27)
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11. Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. Series 12 Licensing Information - Restaurant. https://liquor.az.gov/series-12-licensing-information-restaurant (accessed 2026-07-08)
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13. Drug Enforcement Administration, Diversion Control Division. Registration. https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/registration.html (accessed 2026-07-29)
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings. https://www.cdc.gov/dental-infection-control/hcp/summary/index.html (accessed 2026-07-29)
15. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Dentistry - Overview. https://www.osha.gov/dentistry (accessed 2026-07-29)
16. American Dental Association. Practice Transition Roadmap For Practice Owners. https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/career-planning/buyers-transition-roadmap (accessed 2026-07-29)
17. Arizona Dental Association. AzDA's Succeed Program. https://www.azda.org/member-center/succeed-program (accessed 2026-07-29)
18. Arizona Dental Association. Who We Are. https://www.azda.org/about/who-we-are (accessed 2026-07-28)
19. Arizona Dental Association. Central Arizona Dental Society. https://www.azda.org/local-dental-societies/central-arizona-dental-society (accessed 2026-07-28)
20. Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners. Explanation of Rules. https://dentalboard.az.gov/resources/explanation-rules (accessed 2026-07-28)
21. PHOENIX magazine. 167 of the Valley's Best Dentists. https://www.phoenixmag.com/2026/05/05/167-of-the-valleys-best-dentists/ (accessed 2026-07-28)
22. Yelp for Business. Claim or add your business. https://biz.yelp.com/claim (accessed 2026-07-28)
23. American Dental Association. Find an ADA Dentist / Find a Dentist. https://findadentist.ada.org/ (accessed 2026-07-28)
24. Google Business Profile Help. Prohibited and restricted content. https://support.google.com/business/answer/7400114?hl=en (accessed 2026-07-28)
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