Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between dental assistant/receptionists and medical assistant/phlebotomists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a dental assistant/receptionist, becoming a medical assistant/phlebotomist takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a dental assistant/receptionist has an average salary of $38,823, which is higher than the $33,674 average annual salary of a medical assistant/phlebotomist.
The top three skills for a dental assistant/receptionist include patients, customer service and dental procedures. The most important skills for a medical assistant/phlebotomist are patients, vital signs, and customer service.
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | |
| Yearly salary | $38,823 | $33,674 |
| Hourly rate | $18.66 | $16.19 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 80,317 | 189,206 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
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.
Medical assistants/phlebotomists are medical personnel who execute administrative and clinical tasks in healthcare facilities or units. They are responsible for providing healthcare to patients such as immunization administration, orthopedic supplies, and wound care. It is part of their job to take the blood of patients for blood testing. They also take charge of handling other medical tests for the upkeep of patients' health. These professionals should exhibit compatibility, initiative, and cohesiveness within the team.
Dental assistant/receptionists and medical assistant/phlebotomists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | |
| Average salary | $38,823 | $33,674 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $57,000 | Between $27,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Mount Sinai Health System | Conviva |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Finance |
There are a few differences between a dental assistant/receptionist and a medical assistant/phlebotomist in terms of educational background:
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Medical Assisting Services |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between dental assistant/receptionists' and medical assistant/phlebotomists' demographics:
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist | |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.7% Female, 93.3% | Male, 11.4% Female, 88.6% |
| 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, 10.9% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 23.7% Asian, 8.6% White, 51.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 6% |