Dental Assisting Fundamentals
A 14-week program covering infection control, dental anatomy and chairside assisting, preparing students for entry-level dental assisting roles.
Next start Sep 14, 2026Admission open
Admission openNext batch · Sep 14, 2026
Become a Certified Dental Assistant in 14 Weeks
Hands-on training in real operatories, small cohorts, and externship placement with partner clinics across San Diego County.
Dr. Sarah Jenkins
Program Director
94%
Certification pass rate
88%
Employed within 90 days
6
Instructors
10
Avg. class size
Why students choose us
All-inclusive tuition
$3,200or $3,500 on the payment plan- 176 hours of training across 20 subjects
- Textbook and workbook
- Two sets of scrubs
- CPR / BLS certification
Programs
Pick your path
All coursesDA-102 Clinical Skills Lab
Chairside skills, practised until they are second nature.
- Small lab groups
- Real instruments and typodonts
- Radiography practice
Next start Oct 1, 2026Admission open
Meet Dr. Sarah Jenkins
Dental assisting changed my own path into dentistry, and I built this program to be the start I wish I’d had: small cohorts, real operatories from week one, and instructors who have worked the chair, not just taught it. If you are ready to work, we are ready to get you hired.
Meet the team
Learn from people who work the chair
Maria Rodriguez, RDA
Lead Clinical Instructor
RDA — 12 years chairside, sealant and coronal polish certified
My classroom is an operatory. By the time my students reach their externship, four-handed dentistry is muscle memory.
Testimonials
What our students say
“I walked in never having held an instrument and walked out with a job offer from my externship site. The instructors stay after class until you get it right.”
Our graduatesFrom career starters to career changers
The evening schedule let me keep my day job. Twelve of us, two instructors, and real chairs — not videos of chairs.
Derek Nguyen
Current student, Fall 2026 cohort
Tuition
What the program costs
Dental Assisting Fundamentals
All-inclusivePay in full
$3,200
- Total$3,200
Dental Assisting Fundamentals
All-inclusivePayment plan
$3,500
- Total$3,500
Everything included
- 176 hours of training across 20 subjects
- Textbook and workbook
- Two sets of scrubs
- CPR / BLS certification
- Dental radiography certification
- 80-hour externship placement
- Job placement assistance and resume preparation
- Certificate of completion
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary EducationNo hidden feesor $3,500 on the payment plan
Pay in full and save $300. The payment plan is interest free — the instalments total the same tuition, spread across the program.
What you will need
- Background check (approx. $40, paid to the provider)
- TB test (approx. $25)
- Hepatitis B vaccination or declination
These figures are indicative. The amount you are charged is confirmed at enrollment.
Upcoming batches
English batchStarting now
Starts Sep 14, 2026
Dental Assisting Fundamentals · 14 weeks
English batchStarting now
Starts Oct 1, 2026
DA-102 Clinical Skills Lab · 15 weeks
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need any prior experience or a healthcare background?
No. Most of our students have never worked in a dental office. The program starts with infection control and dental anatomy and builds from there, so week one assumes nothing.
When are classes, and can I keep working?
Cohorts run evenings and weekends precisely so you can. Most of our students are working adults; the schedule for your cohort is published before you enroll.
What does the tuition include?
Everything on the included list above — training hours, textbook, scrubs, CPR and radiography certification, externship placement and job placement support. The only additional costs are the background check, TB test and Hepatitis B vaccination, which you pay to those providers directly.
Is there a payment plan?
Yes, and it is interest free. You can pay in full at enrollment, or pay a deposit and settle the balance in scheduled instalments across the program. Your exact schedule is shown before you pay anything.
What is the externship, and do you place me?
Eighty hours chairside in a working partner practice, assisting on live procedures. We place you — you do not have to find a site yourself.
Will I be certified at the end?
You finish with a certificate of completion, CPR / BLS certification and dental radiography certification, and you are prepared for the RHS and DANB component exams. Those exams are sat with their own boards and carry their own fees.
English batch · Starting nowAdmission open
Ready to get started?
Tell us a little about yourself and our admissions team will reach out.
Who we are
Our vision
To be the region’s most trusted pathway into dental careers — every graduate chairside-ready, confident, and employed.
Our mission
We train dental assistants through small cohorts, real operatory practice from week one, and externships with working clinics, so our graduates step into their first job already knowing the room.
About us
About Bright
Bright opened in 2012 with four operatory chairs and a single cohort of six students. Today we run rolling cohorts year-round from our Harbor Blvd campus: a working simulation lab, a digital radiology suite, and a sterilization area laid out exactly like the practices our graduates join. Classes stay small on purpose — every student assists on live procedures during their externship, and most are working in a partner practice within 60 days of finishing. Financial aid guidance, exam preparation for RHS and DANB certification, and career placement support are part of the program, not extras.
On campus
Facilities
- Operatory chairs
- Radiology & X-ray lab
- Sterilization area
- Simulation lab
- Dental materials lab
- Library
- Student lounge
- On-site parking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Free Wi-Fi
- Externship placement
- Career services
- Financial aid guidance
Take a look
Tour the campus
Results
Graduate outcomes
Graduate spotlight
Ana Reyes, RDA
Hired by her externship site, Harbor Smiles Dentistry, two weeks before graduation.
Accreditation
California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education
Approved to operate as a private postsecondary institution. Approval means the school meets minimum state standards; it is not an endorsement.
Visit us
Office hours & contact
Office hours
- Monday – Friday
- 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday
- 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
- Sunday
- Closed
Have a question?
Send us a message and our admissions team will get back to you.
Admissions open soon
Bright is getting ready to welcome its first students. Applications, enquiries and payments are not open yet — please check back soon.