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The differences between dental assistant/receptionists and dental technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dental assistant/receptionist and a dental technician. Additionally, a dental technician has an average salary of $68,232, which is higher than the $38,823 average annual salary of a dental assistant/receptionist.
The top three skills for a dental assistant/receptionist include patients, customer service and dental procedures. The most important skills for a dental technician are patients, dentures, and dental care.
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Dental Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,823 | $68,232 |
| Hourly rate | $18.66 | $32.80 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 80,317 | 45,536 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Associate Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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.
Dental Technicians manufacture dental prosthetics, such as crowns, bridges, and dentures in accordance with the dentist's specifications. They are also responsible for replacing, repairing, or modifying full or partial dentures.
Dental assistant/receptionists and dental technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Dental Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,823 | $68,232 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $57,000 | Between $40,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | Columbia, MD |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Mount Sinai Health System | Private Practice |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a dental assistant/receptionist and a dental technician in terms of educational background:
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Dental Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Associate Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between dental assistant/receptionists' and dental technicians' demographics:
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Dental Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.7% Female, 93.3% | Male, 51.6% Female, 48.4% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 5% |