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The differences between assistants-at surgery and dental assistant/receptionists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an assistant-at-surgery, becoming a dental assistant/receptionist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an assistant-at-surgery has an average salary of $81,630, which is higher than the $38,823 average annual salary of a dental assistant/receptionist.
The top three skills for an assistant-at-surgery include patients, surgical procedures and HIPAA. The most important skills for a dental assistant/receptionist are patients, customer service, and dental procedures.
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Dental Assistant/Receptionist | |
| Yearly salary | $81,630 | $38,823 |
| Hourly rate | $39.25 | $18.66 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 154,070 | 80,317 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Associate Degree, 25% |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
An assistant at surgery is a medical professional who assists surgeons and nurses during surgical operations and other procedures. They are responsible for setting up and maintaining the cleanliness of operating rooms, preparing and sanitizing tools and equipment, understanding the operations' course, and preparing the patients pre-surgery through interviews and assessments. During the surgery, they provide direct assistance to the surgeon by handing the correct tools, monitoring the patients' vital signs, attaching tubes, and even closing wounds. Moreover, as an assistant at surgery, it is essential to be proactive and have a clear mind presence.
A dental assistant/receptionist is responsible for managing dental appointments, including scheduling or canceling patients' dental sessions. Dental assistants/receptionists inform patients ahead of time if the dentist is out to reschedule another appointment. They also process payments, respond to customer's inquiries about dental services the clinic offers, updating patient information on the database, and creating a patient chart and visiting records for the dental staff's reference. A dental assistant/receptionist must have excellent communication and organization skills to assist patients efficiently and perform administrative tasks as needed.
Assistants-at surgery and dental assistant/receptionists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Dental Assistant/Receptionist | |
| Average salary | $81,630 | $38,823 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $215,000 | Between $26,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Minneapolis, MN |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | Physician Affiliate Group of New York | Mount Sinai Health System |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an assistant-at-surgery and a dental assistant/receptionist in terms of educational background:
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Dental Assistant/Receptionist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Associate Degree, 25% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between assistants-at surgery' and dental assistant/receptionists' demographics:
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Dental Assistant/Receptionist | |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5% | Male, 6.7% Female, 93.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 23.3% Asian, 9.7% White, 51.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.8% Asian, 8.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 4% |