Becoming a Dental Assistant in Newark, New Jersey
If you have an interest in history, you will love living in Newark, New Jersey. Settled in 1666, Newark is one of the oldest cities in the US. It is also home to the country’s first county park, Branch Brook, which has the largest collection of cherry blossom trees in the nation. Dental assistants in Newark can stroll through residential suburbs to the west or can head downtown to the dense urban areas to the south. Across the Newark Bay sits the great city of New York. Newark is the largest city in the state and has earned its nickname as the “Gateway City.”
Dental Assistant Schools in Newark
Dental assistants can obtain on-the-job training in New Jersey, but to become a registered dental assistant (RDA) you must meet certain requirements and pass the certification exams. While formal education is not required, many students find it helpful to take a course through a community college or technical school before pursuing their RDA credentials.
Dental assisting programs near Newark include:
- Quality Dental School of Technology Inc (QDST). Located just north of Newark in East Orange, the QDST has been training dental assistants and technicians since 1999. Their hands-on approach will quickly prepare you to work as an entry-level dental assistant. Their six-week course is perfect for students who prefer to work as an assistant at the front desk of a dental office, while their longer 20-week course trains you to work directly alongside a dentist. They also offer their 20-week assisting course online, if you prefer that format to classroom instruction.
- New Educare Institute of Healthcare. Their convenient campus is located in downtown Newark, close to Penn Station and right off a subway stop. Their dental assisting program can be completed in eight to 16 weeks, and covers everything you need to know to begin work as an entry-level assistant. They offer classes on their campus, or you can complete the work online. They offer payment plans for their programs and have job placement services for their graduates.
Career Outlook and Salary Expectations
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data, there were 22,640 dental assistants employed in the Newark area in 2017, and the field is expected to grow another 12.6 percent by 2026.
Dental assistants in Newark earn an average of $18.83 per hour, or $39,160 a year, for full-time employment. This is above the national average. According to Indeed.com, dental assistants in this area typically earn between $9.70 and $32.25 per hour as of June 2019, so you have a lot of room to expand your income with this career choice.
Working as a Dental Assistant in Newark
Newark is a very diverse city and enjoys a great deal of commerce from the nearby Newark Liberty International Airport and Port of New York and New Jersey. More than 100,000 people commute to the city each day, and it is a leading center for healthcare employment in the state. While Newark has a high population density within the city, the former industrial area to the north has a number of affordable middle-class neighborhoods.