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Who has the best info on dental assisting? I need your help.?

I am currently in the process of finding a great school to go to, to become a dental assitant. I looked at heald and western career college. Heald was too expensive for me so i'm leaning towards western dental. I'm moving to the San Jose area. I wanna know how much dental assistants usually make in the area. and if there is a cheaper college to go to in that area! I wanna start soon, so please give me all the info you can. I interested in dental hygien too. If you can give me the same info on this program to. Salary as well. thank you

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1. I am not in the San Jose area, but I will say this, most coming out of school as a dental assistant will make from 9 to 11 an hour. With the majority in the 9 area. Some with a lot of experience will make around 15 to 20. Beyond 20 I have not seen many. The ones that hit the 15 to 20 mark finally found a solo practioner that they work very well with. that is they went from job to job until they found a good place. From what I have noticed that most recent graduate of a dental assistant school end up working for a corporate dental clinic, or government/ non profit clinic. Regardless of which school most people gradutate from the pay for someone out of school is the same and the ones that attain the high pay have done so after finding a dentist they work well with and experience. So I would recommend not assuming the pricier school will guarantee you a better paying job. And you may be better off finding a community college that has a dental assitant program which will be a lot cheaper than any private one that may force you to take out large students loans. That how they make their profits. With a community college this does not happen since they are non profit teaching institutions and the education is not inferior..