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The differences between dental assistant/receptionists and registered dental assistants 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 registered dental assistant. Additionally, a dental assistant/receptionist has an average salary of $38,823, which is higher than the $38,145 average annual salary of a registered dental assistant.
The top three skills for a dental assistant/receptionist include patients, customer service and dental procedures. The most important skills for a registered dental assistant are patients, CPR, and RDA.
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Registered Dental Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $38,823 | $38,145 |
| Hourly rate | $18.66 | $18.34 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 80,317 | 76,460 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Associate Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| 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.
A registered dental assistant is responsible for assisting dentists in conducting dental procedures, performing basic dental operations, as well as administrative duties. Registered dental assistants advise the patients on their medications and practices to avoid dental complications, including regular dental checkups and cleaning. They also keep dental records of a patient for reference, sterilize dental tools and equipment, manage the regular maintenance of machines, and check the adequacy of dental supplies. A registered dental assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on updating information on the database, processing payments, and scheduling appointments.
Dental assistant/receptionists and registered dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Registered Dental Assistant | |
| Average salary | $38,823 | $38,145 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $57,000 | Between $28,000 And $51,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | Arlington, MA |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | Minnesota |
| Best paying company | Mount Sinai Health System | Rady Children's Hospital And Health Center |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a dental assistant/receptionist and a registered dental assistant in terms of educational background:
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Registered Dental Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 25% | Associate Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between dental assistant/receptionists' and registered dental assistants' demographics:
| Dental Assistant/Receptionist | Registered Dental Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 6.7% Female, 93.3% | Male, 9.0% Female, 91.0% |
| 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, 6.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 31.6% Asian, 9.0% White, 47.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |