Surgical Dental Assistant Jobs in San Diego, CA
Surgical Dental Assistant jobs in San Diego are concentrated in Mission Valley, Kearny Mesa, and La Jolla, across oral surgery practices, periodontal offices, and hospital-affiliated dental clinics. Employers hiring right now include SCA Health, UC San Diego Health, and Rep-Lite. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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200 West Arbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92103, United States
#140403 (RN) Registered Nurse - Surgical ICU
Filing Deadline: Wed 7/15/2026UC San Diego values and welcomes people from all backgrounds. If you are interested in being part of our team, possess the needed licensure and certifications, and feel that you have most of the qualifications and/or transferable skills for a job opening, we strongly encourage you to apply.
UCSD Layoff from Career Appointment: Apply by 07/13/2026 for consideration with preference for rehire. All layoff applicants should contact their Employment Advisor.
Reassignment Applicants: Eligible Reassignment clients should contact their Disability Counselor for assistance.
Current UC San Diego Health CNA (NX) represented RN/NP applicants will be considered after the first 7 days of job posting. All additional applicants will be considered after 14 days of job posting, pending the status of the initial internal CNA (NX) represented applicant pool.
DESCRIPTION
UC San Diego Health is proud to be a four-time Magnet-designated organization and has now earned Magnet with Distinction from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). Magnet is the gold standard for nursing excellence, achieved by only about 10% of hospitals worldwide. Magnet with Distinction is awarded to the highest-performing Magnet organizations, with only a select few earning this prestigious honor. This recognition reflects our commitment to transformational leadership, professional nursing excellence, innovation, exceptional patient outcomes, and an empowering practice environment where nurses thrive.Our Surgical ICU at UC San Diego Health serves a designated Level 1 Trauma Center, and treats approximately 3,000 Trauma, Neuro, Ortho, Spine, and General Surgery patients a year. The Surgical ICU also serves as the comprehensive stroke ICU for the Hillcrest campus. The physicians, nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, and trauma technicians work as a compassionate team that places the greatest value on bedside care, driven by evidence-based practice.
Under general supervision, the SICU Nurse identifies and implements nursing interventions and evaluates results for a wide variety of patient populations. Directs and acts as a resource to other members of the nursing team as assigned. Promotes compliance and support of policies. Achieves trust in professional collegial relationships.
While not required, a cover letter is highly recommended when applying to this position.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Must be a graduate from an accredited school of Nursing.
Registered Nurse (RN) license issued by the State of California.
BLS/CPR and ACLS certifications at time of hire with commitment to get ART within six (6) months of hire date.
Current PALS certification, or must obtain within six (6) months of hire
**Must have two (2) years of recent acute care adult Surgical or Trauma ICU RN experience. If there is an insufficient applicant pool, the department may consider one (1+) or more years of adult ICU specialty experience.
Must have the ability to function in a high-paced environment and must have excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
BSN or MSN.
CCRN certification.
Two (2+) or more years of recent Surgical/Trauma ICU (trauma, neurosurgery and general surgery) experience in a level 1 trauma hospital
SPECIAL CONDITIONS
- Must be able to work various hours, days, shifts, on-call and various locations based on the 24-hour Medical Center's business needs.
- Employment is subject to a criminal background check and pre-employment physical.
- Selected candidate may be hired at the CNIII level pending review and approval by the Nurse Executive Council.
Pay Transparency Act
Annual Full Pay Range: $138,330 - $193,892 (will be prorated if the appointment percentage is less than 100%)
Hourly Equivalent: $66.25 - $92.86
Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Hiring Pay Scale referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Annual Full Pay Range may be broader than what the University anticipates to pay for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).
If employed by the University of California, you will be required to comply with our Policy on Vaccination Programs, which may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.
If applicable, life-support certifications (BLS, NRP, ACLS, etc.) must include hands-on practice and in-person skills assessment; online-only certification is not acceptable.
UC San Diego Health is the only academic health system in the San Diego region, providing leading-edge care in patient care, biomedical research, education, and community service. Our facilities include two university hospitals, a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, Shiley Eye Institute, Sulpizio Cardiovascular Center, the only Burn Center in the county, and dozens of outpatient clinics. We invite you to join our team!
Applications/Resumes are accepted for current job openings only. For full consideration on any job, applications must be received prior to the initial closing date. If a job has an extended deadline, applications/resumes will be considered during the extension period; however, a job may be filled before the extended date is reached.
To foster the best possible working and learning environment, UC San Diego strives to cultivate a rich and diverse environment, inclusive and supportive of all students, faculty, staff and visitors. For more information, please visit UC San Diego Principles of Community.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.
For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination
UC San Diego is a smoke and tobacco free environment. Please visit smokefree.ucsd.edu for more information.
UC San Diego Health maintains a marijuana and drug free environment. Employees may be subject to drug screening.
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
a. "Misconduct" means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
- UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
- UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
- Abusive Conduct in the Workplace
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Top Industries Hiring
- Healthcare & Medical Services
Surgical Dental Assistant Jobs in San Diego: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a surgical dental assistant job in San Diego?
The fastest path is targeting oral surgery groups, periodontal specialty practices, and hospital dental departments in Kearny Mesa, Mission Valley, and La Jolla, where demand is most consistent. Hands-on experience with surgical instrument setups and post-op patient care stands out locally. Candidates who can work across multiple operatories or cover satellite locations for multi-site practices have a clear edge in San Diego's competitive specialty dental market.
Which companies hire surgical dental assistants in San Diego?
San Diego surgical dental assistant roles are posted by SCA Health, UC San Diego Health, and Rep-Lite and others right now, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. Hiring tends to come from both independent oral surgery specialty offices and larger dental service organizations operating multiple San Diego locations.
Are there remote surgical dental assistant jobs in San Diego?
Yes, but only in a limited subset of the role, since surgical dental assisting is overwhelmingly chair-side and hands-on by nature. About 0% of surgical dental assistant openings tied to San Diego are remote or hybrid as of July 2026, typically covering administrative, treatment coordination, or patient communications duties rather than clinical work.
How can I get a surgical dental assistant job in San Diego with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is applying to general dental practices in Mission Valley or Chula Vista that train assistants on the job, then transitioning into surgical roles after gaining chair-side experience. Multi-specialty clinics affiliated with UC San Diego Health or local dental schools often hire entry-level assistants and provide structured mentorship. Completing a dental assisting certificate and securing CPR certification before applying noticeably improves your standing with San Diego hiring offices.
Which industries hire the most surgical dental assistants in San Diego?
San Diego surgical dental assistant roles concentrate in Healthcare & Medical Services, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of July 2026. San Diego's strong base of specialty dental groups, military-affiliated health systems, and academic medical centers drives consistent demand across those sectors throughout the year.
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