ALMADEN VALLEY DENTAL ASSISTANT ACADEMY | Now Enrolling — Next Cohort Starting Soon | San Jose, CA
California BPPE Approved · San Jose, CA 95120
Become a Registered Dental Assistant in 10 Weeks Online & In-Person Classes.
A Fast-Tracked, Affordable, Career-Launching Program — Designed for Working Adults
From hands-on chairside training to RDA-pathway certification — our blended curriculum delivers everything you need to launch your dental career in just 10 weeks. Convenient, flexible, and built around your schedule.
Blended Learning Experience 99% Pass Rate Customized Online Learning Platform Convenient and Affordable Robust Job Support System
Almaden Valley Dental Assistant Academy was built by working dentists to be the school they wish existed when they were starting out — fast, affordable, hands-on, and structured around real adult lives.
California BPPE Approved
Our program is authorized by the California Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education — held to the same state-level standards as any accredited school in California.
Online & In-Person · Flexible Hours
Learn online at your own pace plus attend live sessions. Keep your weekday job and your life intact while you transition into a new career — no quitting required to get started.
Blended Learning Experience
25 hours of captivating online content you can complete anytime, paired with 80 immersive in-person hours in our operatory — practical mastery, on your schedule.
Real Hands-On Experience
Real chairs, real x-ray sensors, real instruments. By graduation you'll have done dozens of impressions, sterilizations, and chairside procedures — not just read about them.
Career-Ready Certifications
Graduate eligible to apply to the California Board of Dentistry as a Registered Dental Assistant (RDA), with your DANB radiology and Basic Life Support (BLS) certifications in hand.
Robust Support System
Personalized job coaching, resume crafting, interview preparation, and salary negotiation training — included with your tuition. We stand with you long after graduation.
HOW IT WORKS
From Application to Graduation
A clear, simple path from your first inquiry to your RDA-pathway certification. Here's how it works — step by step, no surprises.
1
Apply for Free Online or by Phone
Submit your application at the form below or call (669) 365-2669. There's no application fee, no credit check, and no commitment — just two minutes to tell us about you.
2
Speak With Our Admissions Team
One of our admissions advisors will reach out within one business day. We'll answer your questions, walk you through the program, the three payment plans, and find the right cohort for your schedule.
3
Enroll & Begin Your 10-Week Program
Pick your payment plan, complete your enrollment, and meet your cohort. Complete 25 hours of self-paced online content on your schedule, plus live in-person sessions to build hands-on clinical skills.
4
Graduate · Certify · Get Hired
Walk away with your RDA-pathway certificate, your DANB radiology and BLS certifications, and direct support landing your first dental assistant job — including resume coaching and interview prep.
What You'll Learn — Week by Week
Ten weeks. Three structured phases. A complete dental assisting skill set — from your first day in the operatory to your graduation final exam.
Phase 1 · Foundations (Weeks 1–4)
The first month builds your foundation: dental terminology, four-handed dentistry, radiology, and the materials you'll use every day in practice. By the end of week 4, you'll be confident in the operatory.
Week 01 ·Introduction to dentistry, clinic orientation, dental terminology.
Week 02 ·Four-handed dentistry, instrumental transfer, isolation, HVE suctioning, local anesthesia, patient positioning, handpiece maintenance, sealants and coronal polishing.
Week 03 ·Radiology theory and practice — intraoral and extraoral X-ray techniques, X-ray safety, darkroom procedures.
By the middle of the program, you're working the way a real dental assistant works — handling impressions, sterilization, surgical instruments, and earning your CPR certification.
Week 05 ·Cements and liners, alginate impressions (upper arch), model pouring and trimming, X-ray quiz, CPR training.
The home stretch covers the full range of dental specialties — crown and bridge, endodontics, orthodontics — plus the office management skills that make you immediately valuable on day one of your new job.
Week 07 ·Crown and bridge instruments and materials, making temporary restorations, bite registration.
Week 08 ·Endodontic materials and instruments, orthodontics, job interview skills.
Week 09 ·Office management, front desk operation, appointments, billing dental insurance, office management software, OSHA regulations. Review and practice for final exam.
Phase 4 · Graduation (Week 10)
Your final week brings it all together: pediatric dentistry, your final written exam, your X-ray practical clinical exam — and graduation. You walk out RDA-pathway eligible and job-ready.
Week 10 ·Final exam and practical exam · pediatric dentistry, final written exam, X-ray practical clinical exam.
Graduation ·Receive your dental assistant certificate, apply to the California Board of Dentistry, and start your career.
MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS
Real Practitioners. Real Mentorship.
Every cohort is taught personally by working dental professionals — not rotating adjuncts or pre-recorded video lectures. You'll learn from people who do this work every single day.
Dr. Clara Andirious, DDS
CEO & Lead Instructor · NYU College of Dentistry, 2003
Education
Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS)
New York College of Dentistry, NYU · 2003
BS, Biological Sciences · UCLA
Started as
Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
Bryman Dental Assistant School, Los Angeles
Teaching Philosophy
Teaches every cohort personally — online & in-person
Specialty Focus
General dentistry, dental assisting education, hands-on clinical mentorship
Continuing Education
Actively takes courses to stay current on new dental technologies each year
NYU-Educated · 20+ Years Practicing · Founder & CEO
Dr. Clara Andirious, DDS
"I encourage anyone who wants to pursue a career in dentistry to get to know it up close. My passion for dentistry began when I was a dental assistant myself — I know exactly how transformative this work can be."
— Dr. Clara Andirious · Founder & CEO
Dr. Clara Andirious graduated from the New York College of Dentistry, NYU, in 2003, after earning her undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences at UCLA. She is deeply passionate about dentistry and continually takes classes to stay current with new technologies in the field.
Her own passion for dentistry began as a dental assistant. She attended Bryman Dental Assistant School in Los Angeles shortly after coming to the United States, earned her RDA license, and worked as an RDA while attending De Anza Junior College — paying her own tuition, books, and more. That hands-on foundation became invaluable when she entered dental school, and it shapes the way she teaches today.
EXPERIENCE
20+ years practicing dentistry. Founder of the Academy. Teaches every cohort personally.
EXPERTISE
DDS from NYU College of Dentistry. Started as an RDA — knows the role from the inside.
AUTHORITY
Founder & CEO. Curriculum architect. Personally signs off on every graduate.
TRUSTWORTHINESS
"Dr. Andirious was an incredible instructor" — Zoey Vaughan, 10-week graduate.
Registered Dental Assistant · 10+ Years in Dentistry
Education
Dental Assisting Certificate
Carrington College · 12-month program
Credentials
Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)
California Board of Dentistry
Experience
10+ years working as an RDA
Outside the Clinic
Loves spending time with her daughter and family
RDA · 10+ Years Clinical Experience · Hands-On Mentor
Verenise Plancarte, RDA
"I've been working as an RDA for over a decade, and I love sharing what I've learned with new students. Every cohort reminds me of how exciting it is to start out in this field."
Verenise Plancarte is a Registered Dental Assistant who started her career in dentistry over 10 years ago. She attended Carrington College for dental assisting — a 12-month program — where she earned her Dental Assisting certificate and received her RDA license a year later.
Verenise brings a decade of hands-on clinical experience into every class she helps teach. Her warm, patient teaching style and real-world perspective make her one of the most-loved mentors in every cohort. In her spare time, she loves to play with her daughter and take care of her family.
EXPERIENCE
10+ years working in real dental practices. Knows the day-one realities of the job.
EXPERTISE
Carrington College graduate. Active California RDA license. Chairside expertise.
AUTHORITY
Hands-on clinical mentor. Teaches the skills that matter most in your first job.
TRUSTWORTHINESS
Warm, patient, and never makes you feel like a beginner — even when you are one.
Three flexible ways to pay — all inclusive of dental supplies, textbook, scrubs, and shirt. No surprise fees, no hidden costs, and our admissions team walks you through every option before you commit.
Pay In Full
Full payment includes all supplies.
Pay full payment prior to starting classes
Includes dental supplies, textbook, scrubs and shirt
Not sure which plan is right for you? Call us at (669) 365-2669 — our admissions team will walk you through it, usually in under 5 minutes.
WHAT OUR STUDENTS SAY
Loved by Real Graduates
Five-star reviews from people who walked through our doors uncertain and walked out RDA-pathway eligible.
"Just graduated from the 10-week course with Almaden Valley Dental Assistant Academy, and it was definitely an unforgettable experience. Dr. Andirious was an incredible instructor. I truly recommend this school to anyone wanting a jumpstart on their dental assisting career."
ZV
Zoey Vaughan
Graduate · 10-Week Program
"Almaden Valley Dental Assistant Academy is such a great vocational school and with 100% certainty would recommend it. The blended learning was perfect — online when I needed flexibility, in-person when I needed practice."
SR
Recent Graduate
Class of 2024
"Saturdays-only meant I could keep my weekday job while I trained. By graduation I had my RDA pathway done and was already interviewing. Honestly the best decision I've made for my career."
DA
Recent Graduate
RDA · San Jose
Ready to Launch Your New Career?
Apply for free in two minutes. No application fee, no credit check, no commitment. Our admissions team will reach out within one business day with everything you need to know about the next cohort.
