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The differences between dental equipment technicians and dental assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a dental equipment technician has an average salary of $51,288, which is higher than the $37,730 average annual salary of a dental assistant.
The top three skills for a dental equipment technician include medical equipment, sterilizers and parts inventory. The most important skills for a dental assistant are patients, patient care, and CPR.
| Dental Equipment Technician | Dental Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $51,288 | $37,730 |
| Hourly rate | $24.66 | $18.14 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 43,610 | 69,835 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 58% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Average age | 46 | 38 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Dental equipment technicians and dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dental Equipment Technician | Dental Assistant | |
| Average salary | $51,288 | $37,730 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $71,000 | Between $28,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Saint Paul, MN |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Alameda Health System |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a dental equipment technician and a dental assistant in terms of educational background:
| Dental Equipment Technician | Dental Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 58% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | Purdue University | - |
Here are the differences between dental equipment technicians' and dental assistants' demographics:
| Dental Equipment Technician | Dental Assistant | |
| Average age | 46 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 98.0% Female, 2.0% | Male, 11.5% Female, 88.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.5% Asian, 5.2% White, 76.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 24.4% Asian, 9.1% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 4% |