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The good, the bad, and the ugly - discover what customers are saying about The Valley School of Dental Assisting

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9:10 am EDT
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This class is a real waste of money and time. The owner of the company doesn't care about your succes. All that she cares about is if she gets paid or not. I don't recomend this class. You will not learn what it takes to be a dental assistant and you will not find a job. In my class of six, only one found a job and it pays minimum wage. The sad part is the...

Read full review of The Valley School of Dental Assisting and 2 comments
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2:51 am EDT
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The Valley School of Dental Assisting POOR CHOICE OF SCHOOLS

About six months ago I came across an advertisement in the Penny Saver magazine to become a dental assistant at The Valley School of Dental Assisting, owned and operated by Dr. Katie Karzen, DDS. At the time I was unemployed and desperate. I completed the class and made the highest test score in the class. I also dished out $3, 500 for a class that met twice a week in the evenings for ten weeks.

I learned just about nothing. The instructor was poor, the owner was very calculating and had a history of lying. I was not prepared to work as a dental assistant. I always asked to come in and help or observe. The doctor was very reluctant to let me come to her office and observe. Dr. Katie Karzen, DDS told our class to lie and put on our resume that we were in class for six strait months. I found a miserable job making $8 an hour and can not pay of the $3, 500. I'm now in collections. Many friends have told me that she ripped me of. I would suggest going to the Santa Monica Skills Center or the E. Los Angeles Skills Center. They offer a quality program for 9 months and it only cost $400. I also never received am X RAY license. My intension is to inform any future students of how dishonest the owner is and to help anyone who has intentions of becoming a dental assistant in Los Angeles.

Read full review of The Valley School of Dental Assisting and 6 comments
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danny14
van nuys, US
Nov 28, 2012 9:09 pm EST

I also took the dental assisting classes at The Valley School of Dental Assisting in Encino, Ca by Dr. katie Karsen. I paid with my credit card the $3500 fee. It was only four of us in the class and even then we didn't receive enough practice or help. every session was rushed and we never had enough time to complete all the lectures. Most of the classes were book and computer power point, we didn't have many hands on practice. Dr. Katie never directed a word to us not even a "good morning" or anything but she still managed to write a letter of recommendation saying that I had completed 6months of internship with her. Which of course was a lie. After I graduated I tried to go and complete the internship but she always gave me an excused for me not to go. I showed up once and was asked to leave.
I managed to get a job at a dental office but was let go shortly because The dentist said he had no time to teach me what I should have learn in school. I managed to get another job for a different Dr. That is willing to teach me but is in Los Angeles and it pays $8.75 an hour. It takes me 1 1/2 to get there and I have to drive in traffic and spend lots on gas. I believe It's not worth the time or money to go to this so call school. You can try getting a job as a dental receptionist which doesn't required any school and from there learning as much you can at working in the back. I honestly believe this "school" is a major rip off. Save your money please and go some where else.

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LeeAnneFurrow
Encino, US
Sep 23, 2011 8:53 am EDT

I agree. The Valley School of Dental Assisting in Encino, CA isn't a good place to learn about dental assisting. The classes are very rushed and the owner and office manager a preoccupied with getting paid, not you learning about dental assisting or getting a job. Don't trust this place.

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skibreeze
Sherman Oaks, US
May 06, 2011 12:20 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

All that I have to say is that the owner is a very dishonest women. She also has a very unstable disposition. There are many other schools out there. This is not a good one.

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gbyrdpop
Plano, US
Feb 27, 2011 2:29 pm EST

To anyone who reads this, the post by the author identified as Tesa and Giana is a farse. I am Gianna. Tessa and I were in the class that is being spoken about as taught by Caitlin Pitalo. Some poor soul is trying to hide behind our names - for what purpose - we can not imagine. Certainly Tessa and I would not misspell our names The National School of Dental Assisting and this class were a great option to help us all become Dental Assistants. Our instructors ARE certified to teach and DO NOT get any comission, I don't even know where that came from? Certainly, there is a valid option for the same certification at the local community college for about the same fees that we paid. However, we got to take the class in an actual dentist office and had hands on experience in the operatories. To my knowledge, most people in the class had a great experience and have gone on to obtain employment, I even got a job 4 weeks before we finshed the class! Caitin encouraged us to attend the National Dental Conference in Dallas and even organized it and went with us, she even signed us up for continuing ed classes. I dont know who that person is that wrote those things about NSDA but they obviously didnt complete the class with me. I don't apreciate you (Tesa and Giana) using my name to complain about my experience. If you need to complain you should at least be honest and not spread viscious lies and not even use your own name. Very childish and imature. No one I know has filed any complaints, I NEVER got answers to the tests. Our instructors did care whether we passed, I felt that over all I have learned a great deal and Caitlin is a great teacher, very knowledgable.

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Tesa and Giana
Plano, US
Feb 17, 2011 7:57 pm EST

I have to agree with you. I too enrolled in the program but here in Frisco, Tx. Thru the National School Of Dental Assisting. We were pretty much given the answers to our quizes, and took the test, all making great grades, however it benefited none of us. Our instructor Caitlin Pitalo, who is a student herself, is and was not certified to teach, when she was at class, after running late, or majority of times, if we were able to even get into class, she was on her cell phone, eating or on a soap box. None of us were prepared properly, and have been told it was not even necessary to enroll in a course like this, it's a waste of your money. Go to an accredited college. We have all filed complaints with the Texas workforce commision, and filed disputes with our credit card companies. The reason they help you ace the class is the instructor is given a commision on the passing students, however whether you pass the actual state test, they could care leas. By the time you reach that point they have already received your full tuition and are done. Do plenty of research before enrolling in any program such as this, and ask alot of questions before paying for it. If it seems to good to be true chances are it is.

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Mellisa St. Jame
Los Angeles, US
Sep 23, 2010 3:10 pm EDT

Well, I'm not bragging about it. The point is that I made the highest score in the class, and I wasn't prepared to work. I didn't have the skills necessary to work in the industry. I learned nothing.

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