How to Become a Dental Assistant in Los Angeles
Located in Southern California, Los Angeles is the largest city in Los Angeles County and the second most populated city in the United States. It is known for its beaches and for being the home of Hollywood. However, there is more to the city than entertainment. Los Angeles has a very diverse economy, offering jobs in many fields, including dental assisting. (See also Santa Ana, Anaheim and Long Beach.)
Dental assistants are vital members of a dental team and perform many tasks, including patient care, assisting with dental procedures, taking X-rays and scheduling appointments. If you are a people-person and like working with your hands, a career in dental assisting may be right for you.
Los Angeles Schools for Dental Assistants
There are many forms of dental assistant certification, including coronal polishing, X-ray and becoming a certified dental assistant. Certification requirements vary by state. You can read more about the requirements for California here. Enrolling in a dental assistant training program can help prepare you for certification. Consider one of the following training programs in L.A.:
- L.A. Academy for Administrative Dental Assistants (L.A. ADA). The L.A. ADA offers a dental assistant training program that focuses on the administrative part of the job. This six-week program includes 120 hours of instruction plus an 80-hour externship and job placement. The L.A. ADA is within driving distance of Dodger Park.
- Los Angeles School of Dental Assisting. This is a 12-week program that combines clinical practice with classroom instruction and includes a 40-hour internship. Graduates of this course will be able to take the X-ray course, which is approved by the California Dental Board. Nearby attractions include the Hollywood sign, Hollywood Walk of Fame, MacArthur Park and Dolby Theater. See our review here.
- Cypress College offers both a dental assisting and dental hygiene program.
Career Outlook and Salary Expectations
There were about 49,100 dental assistants in California in 2017. Of those people, 17,010 could be found working in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim region. The state is expected to see a 16.5 increase in the number of dental assistants by 2026.
Dental assistants in Los Angeles earn on average $17.75 hourly and $36,910 annually.
Working as a Dental Assistant in Los Angeles
The population in L.A. is approximately four million, making it a great location to consider working as a dental assistant. Because the city is so populated and busy, work commutes can be long, but a career as a dental assistant is a financially and personally rewarding one. In just a few short months, you can have the training you need to be ready to work anywhere in the City of Angels.
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