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The differences between assistants-at surgery and oral surgery assistants 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 an oral surgery assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an assistant-at-surgery has an average salary of $81,630, which is higher than the $44,205 average annual salary of an oral surgery assistant.
The top three skills for an assistant-at-surgery include patients, surgical procedures and HIPAA. The most important skills for an oral surgery assistant are patients, infection control, and patient care.
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $81,630 | $44,205 |
| Hourly rate | $39.25 | $21.25 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 154,070 | 19,858 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Associate Degree, 28% |
| 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.
An Oral Surgery Assistant prepares patients for surgery and provides them with needed care. They also make notes about performed procedures, progress, recommendations, and other subjects in the patient's charts.
Assistants-at surgery and oral surgery assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Average salary | $81,630 | $44,205 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $215,000 | Between $25,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | - |
| Best paying company | Physician Affiliate Group of New York | - |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an assistant-at-surgery and an oral surgery assistant in terms of educational background:
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 30% | Associate Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between assistants-at surgery' and oral surgery assistants' demographics:
| Assistant-At-Surgery | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.5% Female, 74.5% | Male, 11.1% Female, 88.9% |
| 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, 8.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 4% |