Orange County CA RDH Schools???

Im looking in to getting my RDH soon but Im having trouble finding schools in south county. All the accredited schools remotely close are in LA and there is no way Ill making that commute with my sanity intact! Thanks in advance!

Rachelicious in San Clemente, California said: Im looking in to getting my RDH soon but Im having trouble finding schools in south county. All the accredited schools remotely close are in LA and there is no way Ill making that commute with my sanity intact! Thanks in advance!

Cypress College in Cypress .....try that

is sjvc one?

SJVC is. I've heard mixed reviews about them. You get out very fast and it is very expensive. I have heard from extremely reputable hygiene instructors (who shall remain nameless) that this school is not a good option if you want to really invest in your education. They have a high turn over rate of teachers, which speaks volumes on how the program is run. Also, I've heard negative things about the aptitude of their curriculum. Yes, you will get clinical skills and the knowledge to pass your boards (if you work hard) but hygiene is much more than working in an office. Mind you not everyone can do clinical work for the rest of their lives or even want to. Other schools invest in other aspects of hygiene, which you should as well.

I'm sure SJVC alumni or students will argue with my points. I mean no harm, I am just giving my opinion based on my knowledge and background. If SJVC is your number one pick by all means go for it. Best wishes.

sjvc sounds good to me. "clinical skills and knowledge to pass the board" is a perfect combo! I just hope they accept men.

T in Alhambra, California said: SJVC is. I've heard mixed reviews about them. You get out very fast and it is very expensive. I have heard from extremely reputable hygiene instructors (who shall remain nameless) that this school is not a good option if you want to really invest in your education. They have a high turn over rate of teachers, which speaks volumes on how the program is run. Also, I've heard negative things about the aptitude of their curriculum. Yes, you will get clinical skills and the knowledge to pass your boards (if you work hard) but hygiene is much more than working in an office. Mind you not everyone can do clinical work for the rest of their lives or even want to. Other schools invest in other aspects of hygiene, which you should as well.

I'm sure SJVC alumni or students will argue with my points. I mean no harm, I am just giving my opinion based on my knowledge and background. If SJVC is your number one pick by all means go for it. Best wishes.

Just to let you know, the reason why you get out faster at SJVC is because you dont get a summer break, spring break, or Christmas break. When other students at others schools are off for the summer SJVC students are in class. Each semester is the same length of time with the same number of lecture and clinic hours. I attended the SJVC campus in Visalia California, so I can only speak about that campus. It is expensive to attend there if you are comparing it to a community college, but my experience was great. With that said, if I could have attended a University that offered a BS in hygiene I would have done that, but moving was not an option for me at that time. If you want to pursue other career options in the future, you need your BS degree.

thnx guys. T did u attend sjvc? where did u get all that info from?

Yes it is true you get out faster because there are no breaks which is certainly a pro of the program if you are only concerned with practicing clinically as soon as possible. However, like I said before if you want to go further in the hygiene field beyond clinical it would be wise to go into another program with a broader curriculum.

For the record I am talking specifically about the Rancho campus. As for the Visalia campus I do not have any information because I only have ties to Rancho. I did not get my RDH through SJVC but I did get it and my Master's in California. Currently, I am an instructor and administrator and I know about these programs because I have taught part-time at several of them. This has given me immense perspective on which programs are at the top of their game and which ones could use improvement.

Again like I said, do your own research and don't let what anyone says inhibit your dreams. I just want to give an honest opinion from an experienced perspective that is shared by many Dentists and hygiene program faculty in Southern California area.

Michele in Tustin, California said: Hi, American Career College in Anaheim has something in the works for the RDH program. I'm currently in the RDA program and will return for this.. again it's not here yet but it's in the works.. inquire the begining of next year..best of luck to you![/QUOTI

I attend ACC as well in Los Angeles. My recruiter told me that also when I started my RDA program. Do you know approximately when they'll be done with it?

Lori in Fountain Valley, California said: Cypress College in Cypress .....try that[/QUOT

the teachers there will make sure your life is miserable though-just to give u a heads up

I heard cypress is hard to get into the dental Hygiene program. Is it true?. which school is bit easier? Thanks.

Anyone going to West Coast University for Dental Hygiene? I'm from Hawaii and just heard about this school. But I heard that they don't provide housing/dorms on campus?

Or any other Dental hygiene programs in California? The 2 main schools I'm looking into right now are University of the Pacific and West Coast University.

I got accepted into Cypress and am still waiting to hear from Cerritos. Does anyone know the pros and cons of these schools? I'm trying to weigh my options.

Thanks!

Tessa in Los Angeles, California said: I got accepted into Cypress and am still waiting to hear from Cerritos. Does anyone know the pros and cons of these schools? I'm trying to weigh my options.

Thanks!

Hi tessa i'm applying for dh school next year how were your grades in your science classes? Did you get all A's?

Barbara in Los Angeles, California said: Hi tessa i'm applying for dh school next year how were your grades in your science classes? Did you get all A's?

hi barbara. i also got accepted to cypress. I have all A's in my science classes. I know acceptance at cypress is heavily influenced by ones science grades and overall Pre-req GPA. I also got accepted to cerritos today as well.

Wow congratulations I know you’re happy. I hope I’m as lucky as you next year when I start applying. I'm just a little worried see I had to retake anatomy. When I retook it I got an A and I have an A in everything else. I'm just finishing up physiology right now three more weeks left and it's killing me. But I’ll just have to wait and see next year I really hope I get in. But again congratulations and enjoy your summer because I heard DH school is no joke but you’ve made it this far so you can do it.

Barbara in Los Angeles, California said: Wow congratulations I know you’re happy. I hope I’m as lucky as you next year when I start applying. I'm just a little worried see I had to retake anatomy. When I retook it I got an A and I have an A in everything else. I'm just finishing up physiology right now three more weeks left and it's killing me. But I’ll just have to wait and see next year I really hope I get in. But again congratulations and enjoy your summer because I heard DH school is no joke but you’ve made it this far so you can do it.

if u have an A in everything else then you should be ok! :) if you have dental office experience that will help you out too. where are you planning on applying to?

I plan on applying to west la and cerritos. I was also thinking about USC but it just cost so much money to go there. I don't have dental office experience but I do plan on doing some volunteer work as soon as school gets out. Did you apply to any other schools?

volunteer experience will help you so its a good idea to do that. You should apply to cypress as well if you can since they base totally off of grades and it won't matter about dental office experience. I applied to pasadena, riverside, oxnard, cypress, cerritos, and west la.

O you did could you let me know if you get in at west la if you don't mind?

Barbara in Los Angeles, California said: O you did could you let me know if you get in at west la if you don't mind?

sure, i haven't heard anything yet and there are several others on this forum I believe that are waiting to hear as well. West la letters are always the last to arrive from what I hear-mid/early June is my guess. Is west la your 1st choice?

Yeah it is it's the closest school to me so I really want to get in there but I also heard it's one of the hardest to get into.

Hello!
I live in the Anaheim area, so I've heard of some accredited hygiene schools near orange county. West Coast University (in Anaheim) just started a BS in Dental Hygiene program and have pending accreditation. Cerritos College has an excellent associates in dental hygiene program. Some others: Cypress College, Citrus College, and USC.

Jenny in Glendale, California said: Hello!
I live in the Anaheim area, so I've heard of some accredited hygiene schools near orange county. West Coast University (in Anaheim) just started a BS in Dental Hygiene program and have pending accreditation. Cerritos College has an excellent associates in dental hygiene program. Some others: Cypress College, Citrus College, and USC.

hi jenny you mentioned that cerritos has an excellent DH program... is is a better program than the one at cypress? What are some of the excellent things about the program at cerritos? thanks for any info you have!

E in LA in Los Angeles, California said: hi jenny you mentioned that cerritos has an excellent DH program... is is a better program than the one at cypress? What are some of the excellent things about the program at cerritos? thanks for any info you have!

Cerritos' degree is an AS in Arts and Cypress has an AS of science. Both allow you to practice DH but it sounds better to have an AS in science than in ART does it not? =] Cypress's location and surrounding area is very pretty. Cerritos is more ghetto if you have not visited the campus. Cypress is one of the more difficult schools to get into, must mean it is the better school since there are very selective. I think Cypress is the way to go! Board exam pass rate is extremely high for Cypress as well!

Hi E in LA can I ask you a question? Did you take organic chem and if you did, did you have to take chem 102 before you could enter into organic chem. Because i'm thinking about taking some extra classes. One of my classmates got rejected from cerritos yesterday and she has a 4.0 gpa in her science classes. So I’m starting to think it's not all based on just the basic requirements. If you could let me know I would appreciate it thanks.

jenny in West Covina, California said: Cerritos' degree is an AS in Arts and Cypress has an AS of science. Both allow you to practice DH but it sounds better to have an AS in science than in ART does it not? =] Cypress's location and surrounding area is very pretty. Cerritos is more ghetto if you have not visited the campus. Cypress is one of the more difficult schools to get into, must mean it is the better school since there are very selective. I think Cypress is the way to go! Board exam pass rate is extremely high for Cypress as well!

Hi Jenny,
Just because Cypress has a beautiful campus, it doesn't mean that it is better than Cerritos. Cypress has an on-site clinic but Cerritos does not. However, at Cypress you have to look for your own patients. Cerritos does not have an on-site clinic, meaning you have to drive to different clinics but you do not need to find your own patients. Just to give you some ideas of these programs...

So I'm desperate to get in DH program. But I don't have very good grades. So is it impossible to get in the schools then? How about the new Bachelor degree DH program at West Coast University? I heard it easier to get in there. It's a private school, 3 yr bachelor degree. Anyone here WCU student or alumni? Is it worth paying big bucks (major debt here compare to the Community college)to get in DH program?

Is it really $118 K? I actually call them and they told me $16,000 a semester and there is 6.5 semester so that's $104 K. Also, she told me that they prequisites class there so you don't supposedly have to finish all your classes, but you can transfer them and yes it has to be within 5 yrs. I think the test you're talking about is the Teas test. Also, they only have pending accredition. And I read 2 bad reviews from WCU students that it cost about $10,000 to retake a class. That's too expensive. So I think I'm gonna look at the other schools. Like SJVC, Taft, and Fresno. I heard these schools are easier to get in. And maybe SCC. What about you Britt Kiley?

Well I was going off memory. Maybe there are labs fees and books, etc. that got it up to $118? Way too expensive for me. This is a 2nd career option for me after having my girls, so I am in a little different place. It was just too much for what I am looking for. Unfortunately I am very limited in where I can go as well since I can't just pick up and move somewhere. It has to be a reasonable driving distance and there is a real lack of RDH programs in Orange County. You are right it is the Teas test. I looked at the study guide book and it looked intimidating to me. I hate timed tests.

Hi guys, I just read few of you just got accepted to Cypress for the DH program. I was one of the lucky 18 to be selected as well for fall 2009. I was first on the Alternate list but then they sent me another letter informing me that I'm now on the official candidate list. I'm so excited! I also got accepted into Cerritos, but my mind is already set on Cypress. I guess someone else at Cerritos will be filling in my space. The thing is I still have no clue how much this program costs at Cypress, not a clue; anyone here knows?? I would appreciate some feedback if you have any usueful info. I guess some of you are gona be my future class buddies. I look forward to it.

Hey thanks.
Yes Cypress does require Organic/Bio Chem besides general Chem as a prerequisite where Cerritos only requires one Chemistry class of any level, but if you take Organic/Bio it will count as an additional science course and will give you extra points during the selection process at Cerritos. To answer your question about my grades, I have a 4.00 GPA, all A's in science classes, Phisiology and Organic/Bio still in progress (since you can have 2 science in progress when you apply, so they don't know which grade I will get at the end!), I had no additional science classes, but I had an additional writting course of 4 units which is a higher level than the required minimum writting level, and Cypress does care about that. Cypress doesn't care anymore whether you have a previous dental office experience, so mine went down the drain. Cerritos does give you few extra points for that. Regarding Anatomy, I'm not sure what to tell you; it's all about your memorization abilities because that's what the whole class is all about really. Yes indeed, 8 weeks is gona be really tough because there's a lot to cover. I did mine in a 16 weeks period and it was tough because I was also taking Miro at the same time. But it's completely doable and A is not impossible like you have been told. I wish you the best of luck, you can do it! Feel free to ask any other questions you still have.

Wow, your grade is very impressive. how long did it take you to finish all the required science classes before applying to the DH program?
Thanks

Thank you so much. Nothing is really impressive, just hard work! It took me 3 years to finish everything I needed to take from General Education courses to English courses to speech, nutrition, math....etc.. Science courses didn't take that long, 2 semesters, and since I still have 2 courses in progress this is a third one. It's not that hard, anyone can do it I think. I should have done it in less than 3 years, but since my highschool was from a foreign country, I really had to start from scratch, meaning from the lowest level you can think of. But I made it all the way here thank God!

Yes West Coast does have a RDH program. Its expensive I heard over 100K.. Wow

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Tessa in Los Angeles, California said: I got accepted into Cypress and am still waiting to hear from Cerritos. Does anyone know the pros and cons of these schools? I'm trying to weigh my options.

Thanks!

I just graduated from Cerritos dental hygiene in May. I'm really happy I chose to go to Cerritos over Cypress. I've had three friends drop out of Cypress because of different stressers at the school. Going to Cerritos, the teachers are very supportive of your success. Cerritos doesn't have a dental clinic on campus, so you go out to many different dental clinics throughout Los Angeles. I know this sounds like alot of driving time (and it is, but most people carpool), but you get the best experiences. Good luck with your choice!

Hi there,

My daughter is thinking of going to california to do dental hygiene. Which program would you recommend between south LA and San Diego.....for her to go to...? I am a dental hygienist myself...

thanks for your help

Hi there

It depends on whether your daughter is wishing to earn an A.S. or a B.S. degree in dental hygiene. USC and Loma Linda are excellent choices (and very expensive) if she was looking for a B.S. degree.. I'm starting the program in Cypress this fall and I have heard so many debates about Cypress Vs. Cerritos, and I finally chose Cypress over Cerritos though I was accepted into both programs. From the data I have gathered Cypress was the winner for so many reasons. Main reason is because it has its own dental clinic where patients are scheduled on regular basis and once a student is assigned a patient he or she will be treating that patient from A to Z, more like in a real life dental office where patients will be your own patients and you get to follow up on them. Unlike Cerritos, students will have to drive to several different clinics and see patients that they will only see once. You know more like a "mobile" dental hygienist! Cypress better prepares its students for the real world experience and graduates out of Cypress are already professional dental hygienists.. I know the program in Cypress is harder to get into and requires more, but everything good comes with a price!!

Hello, mu name is Liz and im currently and RDA in sacramento and looking to become a dental hygentist, but it seems like all the private schools are in LA area. Does anyone know of any schools in the Bay Area or the Sacramento area??

Liz in Sacramento,c a in Roseville, California said: Hello, mu name is Liz and im currently and RDA in sacramento and looking to become a dental hygentist, but it seems like all the private schools are in LA area. Does anyone know of any schools in the Bay Area or the Sacramento area??

Not the field to pursue right now unless you have money to burn...very costly, intense and ....the schools, the BLS, etc. ....aren't telling you the truth....in 2-3 yrs. ? Why can't I find employment.....? Oversaturated; many resumes for the Dr. to choose from....NEXT.....I'm being real....please read other threads regarding how hard it is to find "gainful" employment. P.S. There is serious "overcrowding" of R.D.GH.'s in MANY states.

Hi there.. Your comment was a little bit of a shock to me. I have just started the DH program here in Southern California, and I have all of that still ahead of me.. Are you an RDH who's struggling to find a good paying job in your area? Where do you live exactly? I had a lot of dentist friends who actually encouraged me to enter this field not only for the prestige but also for the very good pay! Here in California and nearby states there's still a high demand on hygienists as far as I'm concerned. You hear it everywhere from dentists to assistants to dental office managers...etc.. I don't know you could be right and it could be due to the economy! I would appreciate more feedback from you regarding your struggle. When did you graduate, and if you don't mind me asking, how much pay have you been asking for?

[QUOTE Utah College of Dental Hygiene in Orem, Utah accepts many
Californian's. Tuition for the 20 month Bachelors degree is $51,000. So far 100% pass rate on Cal. Boards. Better than National averages on National Boards. Great school. Owner is dentist from Costa Mesa, Ca.

I am currently in search of a dental hygiene job. My first interview was in Huntington Beach. The office had 12 operatories with 2 Dentists and 3 hygienists. During my interview they told me I would be seeing 12 patients a day averaging 40 minutes per patient. I would be expected to do 4 quad scales in that one 40 minute appointment. The issue of bilateral blocks was brought up and they said they use a rinse that numbs the whole mouth so injections are not necessary. Has anyone ever heard of 4 quad scales being done in 40 minutes? I know I am a new grad and not as quick as those who have been practicing for many years, but I'm pretty sure that it is impossible to do 4 quad scales in 40 minutes. I wonder what this office considers to be a quad scale. This job also wanted to hire me as an independent contractor. I did some research on what an IC means. The IRS website said that an independent contractor is someone who makes there own schedule and decides when and where they want to work. I'm pretty sure this office would have complete control over my work schedule. Also, if hired as an IC I would be responsible for paying all of the state and federal income taxes, as well as other taxes. I'm pretty sure this office was trying to take advantage.

new grad in San Clemente, California said: I am currently in search of a dental hygiene job. My first interview was in Huntington Beach. The office had 12 operatories with 2 Dentists and 3 hygienists. During my interview they told me I would be seeing 12 patients a day averaging 40 minutes per patient. I would be expected to do 4 quad scales in that one 40 minute appointment. The issue of bilateral blocks was brought up and they said they use a rinse that numbs the whole mouth so injections are not necessary. Has anyone ever heard of 4 quad scales being done in 40 minutes? I know I am a new grad and not as quick as those who have been practicing for many years, but I'm pretty sure that it is impossible to do 4 quad scales in 40 minutes. I wonder what this office considers to be a quad scale. This job also wanted to hire me as an independent contractor. I did some research on what an IC means. The IRS website said that an independent contractor is someone who makes there own schedule and decides when and where they want to work. I'm pretty sure this office would have complete control over my work schedule. Also, if hired as an IC I would be responsible for paying all of the state and federal income taxes, as well as other taxes. I'm pretty sure this office was trying to take advantage.

I'd continue to look for work....this sounds like one of those "Dental Mills"....run...Use your resume and professinonal skills in a practice that appreciates you as a professional.

Hi all. My major is currently dental hygiene but I'm not in the program yet because I'm not done with the prereqs. Lately, I'm considering swithing to the Expanded Duty Dental Assistant program because I want to move to CA and want to have a good job while establishing residency, so I can go back to school for DH. I've been reading some information that says, beginning in 2010 RDA's need to get more certifications to do their jobs. So, I'm not sure how to go about doing this education and moving thing. I was hoping to get my diploma over here and find a job right away in CA. I don't know what I should do...Any advice would be appreciated? Thank you.

Littlewing in Greenville, South Carolina said: Hi all. My major is currently dental hygiene but I'm not in the program yet because I'm not done with the prereqs. Lately, I'm considering swithing to the Expanded Duty Dental Assistant program because I want to move to CA and want to have a good job while establishing residency, so I can go back to school for DH. I've been reading some information that says, beginning in 2010 RDA's need to get more certifications to do their jobs. So, I'm not sure how to go about doing this education and moving thing. I was hoping to get my diploma over here and find a job right away in CA. I don't know what I should do...Any advice would be appreciated? Thank you.

Be a D.A. or expanded duties D.A. Hygiene is not the field to spend your money on....too many struggling...too many in the field...and think of your future (30 yrs. (?))with little benefits to think of...it is the reality of Dental Hygiene...now their are some who are fortunate with their offices...but...their are still many looking for regular work to pay the monthly bills, and find some way to pay back the ridiculous cost for the programs now. If you'd like to stay in the "Dental field", pursue: becoming a DENTIST, or Administrator....think of your future now before you move forward....being real and hate to see anyone put in the hard work and not find the career (and retirement $).

I am currently a DH student at Cypress College(started in fall 2009- so it is my first semester). It is true that usually you should find your own patients, but due to the economy we have sooooo many, that we are getting them handed down to us from our big sisters. We actually have a waiting list, that is how many we have. Plus, we get patients referred to us from a Clinic called SOS. Yes, the program is hard, but anyone you choose will be hard. Cypress may seem strict, but it is VERY organized which I really like. My advice is to apply to ALL, then if you are accepted to more then one go from there. Do not just apply to the one you favor, as the criteria is so different for each school.

exp in Massachusetts said: Be a D.A. or expanded duties D.A. Hygiene is not the field to spend your money on....too many struggling...too many in the field...and think of your future (30 yrs. (?))with little benefits to think of...it is the reality of Dental Hygiene...now their are some who are fortunate with their offices...but...their are still many looking for regular work to pay the monthly bills, and find some way to pay back the ridiculous cost for the programs now. If you'd like to stay in the "Dental field", pursue: becoming a DENTIST, or Administrator....think of your future now before you move forward....being real and hate to see anyone put in the hard work and not find the career (and retirement $).

If you find a community college program it is very reasonable. If you do some researh (money magazine, Times, Forbes etc.) you will see that your info is wrong. DH is in place 11 considering job growth. It is place 15 for overall job quality (that is considereing all factors (salary, vacation time, growth, placement, personal time managment etc.)

Note to Littlewing: Do not get discouraged. It is true that starting 2010 there are more things you need do in order to get your DA (but it is not drastic). I am currently a DH student and am a server on the side. It is the best way to make money while in school

L. in Brea, California said: If you find a community college program it is very reasonable. If you do some researh (money magazine, Times, Forbes etc.) you will see that your info is wrong. DH is in place 11 considering job growth. It is place 15 for overall job quality (that is considereing all factors (salary, vacation time, growth, placement, personal time managment etc.)

Note to Littlewing: Do not get discouraged. It is true that starting 2010 there are more things you need do in order to get your DA (but it is not drastic). I am currently a DH student and am a server on the side. It is the best way to make money while in school

Hi L,
First of all....there are NO colleges, IMO, community, state, private,or otherwise, that are reasonable. lol Just ask me, I have 3 in college! haha

I am so glad to see your positive attitude and encouragement to others looking to get in to the dental field. I personally love it!

As far as being #11 in job growth, though, I think they may be referring to need, not opportunity. There are currently 2 to 3 times more hygienists graduating than there are dentists. Where are they all going to go unless more states allow independent hygiene practices like Minn. just passed. Many, many, many are finding it difficult to find employment. Some of that is due to the economy. Some is the over-abundance of hygienists.

#15 is a little low for me on job quality. I would rank it higher based on my experience. Hygiene has been SO good to me. I have been fortunate to have terrific employers. I work 2 part-time jobs (26 hrs per week total), make great money for the hours worked, paid vacation, CEU'S, uniforms, loupes, 401K, personal days, etc. It has supported myself and my 3 children for the last 20 years, so I am so grateful to have that license.

Moral of the story: Don't believe everything you hear...or read. :)