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How to Become a Dental Assistant in Honolulu

Dental assistants work in dental offices and help dentists in assisting patients. Tasks of a dental assistant include preparing the treatment room and dental instruments for cleaning and procedures, preparing the patient, performing X-rays and filling out medical charts.

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If you live in Hawaii and would like to work as a dental assistant, Honolulu is a great place to find employment. Honolulu is the capital as well as the largest city in Hawaii. Honolulu is also the commercial, financial and government center of the islands, and home to several tourist attractions including Diamond Head, the Honolulu Museum of Art, the Honolulu Zoo, the USS Arizona Memorial and Waikiki Beach.

Please check here for the state-specific requirements for becoming a dental assistant in Hawaii.

Honolulu Schools for Dental Assistants

You will need to be formally trained to work as a dental assistant. There are options for you in Honolulu. Below you will find a couple of them:

University of Hawai'i Kapiolani Community College
  • University of Hawai’i Kapiolani Community College. The University of Hawai’i Kapiolani Community College offers a Certificate of Competence and Certificate of Achievement in dental assisting. The Certificate of Competence consists of 15 credits and can be completed in one semester. This program provides students with basic instruction in dental procedures and terminology. The Certificate of Achievement program is a 41-credit program taken over two semesters. This program has been accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADACODA). Graduates of this program will be eligible to take the exam to become a Certified Dental Assistant. Furthermore, the school is less than a mile from the Diamond Head Theatre and Diamond Head State Monument. It is also just a little over a mile away from Waikiki Beach.
  • Hawai’i School of Dental Arts. The Hawai’i School of Dental Arts offers a 12-week clinical chairside dental assisting program. Students will learn the best procedures to assist dentists with dental exams and procedures. The school is located less than a mile from the Honolulu Museum of Art.

Career Outlook and Salary Expectations in Honolulu

According to the Projections Managing Partnership, the state expects to see a 15.7 percent increase in the number of dental assistants working there between 2016 and 2026. Dental assistants working in the urban Honolulu area were making an average of $18.32 hourly in 2017. They earned an annual average of $38,110 the same year. The highest earners in the area can make as much as $50,050 per year.

Working as a Dental Assistant in Honolulu

Working in Honolulu as a dental assistant would be a wise career choice. Most of the training programs on the islands can be completed in a year or less. Honolulu is also a well-paying area for this profession, as well as other professions since it is the financial center of the state. Additionally, in your free time you can go snorkeling with turtles at Turtle Canyon, take surfing lessons or explore the Pearl Harbor National Memorial.