San Diego dentists are tired of shuffling appointment books around staffing gaps, so they are building their own solution. The San Diego County Dental Society has launched a new 15-week pilot program at its Academy of Learning in Golden Hill, enrolling an inaugural class of 10 future dental assistants who are scheduled to finish training in mid-December. The curriculum is built around practical certifications that local employers say they can integrate into their offices immediately.
The society created and funded the pilot, backed by the California Dental Association and San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. Organizers say the goal is straightforward: to move graduates quickly into nearby practices and provide clinics with a steadier, local hiring pipeline.
National Data Shows The Need
The staffing crunch is not just a San Diego headache. Across the country, dental offices report that hiring assistants has become one of their biggest operational choke points. In its Q3 2025 survey, the ADA Health Policy Institute found that roughly four in ten practices had dental assistant positions sitting open for more than three months, and about 40% of practices described recruiting assistants as extremely challenging. Data from The ADA Health Policy Institute helps explain why local training programs are getting fresh attention.
What The Academy Teaches And Who It Serves
The Academy’s 15-week course is designed to make graduates job-ready on day one. The program includes radiation safety and X-ray certification, coronal polishing, pit-and-fissure sealant training, and infection control coursework, all structured so that local dentists can confidently bring new hires chairside as soon as they complete the program.
The pilot group of 10 students is set to graduate on Dec. 13. The Academy is now recruiting a February cohort of about 20 students, open to applicants who have a high school diploma or GED.
Dr. Joanne Young, the dentist overseeing the Academy, said, “The program has shown promising results and our graduates will be ready to excel in dental offices in the new year.” One participant, Carmel Valley resident Phennapha Rozelle, told instructors she spent a decade in the restaurant industry and is eager to move into dental care after completing the hands-on training. Those remarks were included in the society’s announcement, as reported by The San Diego Union-Tribune.
How Clinics Stand To Benefit
Local practices suggest that a reliable flow of certified assistants could lead to shorter wait times and smoother days behind the front desk. The Health Policy Institute’s Q3 2025 analysis shows many offices have had assistant roles unfilled for months, and a large share report that recruiting for those positions is very challenging, a combination that can limit how many patients a practice can see. Figures from the ADA Health Policy Institute underscore why hands-on, local training programs are being pushed to the front of the line.
How To Learn More
The Academy says it plans to keep running cohorts into next year and is working with San Diego area dentists to place graduates as they finish the program.
