Dental laboratory supervisor vs dental assistant

The differences between dental laboratory supervisors and 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 laboratory supervisor and a dental assistant. Additionally, a dental laboratory supervisor has an average salary of $59,839, which is higher than the $37,730 average annual salary of a dental assistant.

The top three skills for a dental laboratory supervisor include OSHA, dental clinic and clinic operations. The most important skills for a dental assistant are patients, patient care, and CPR.

Dental laboratory supervisor vs dental assistant overview

	Dental Laboratory Supervisor	Dental Assistant
Yearly salary	$59,839	$37,730
Hourly rate	$28.77	$18.14
Growth rate	28%	8%
Number of jobs	79,037	69,835
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Associate Degree, 23%
Average age	46	38
Years of experience	2	2

Dental laboratory supervisor vs dental assistant salary

Dental laboratory supervisors and dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dental Laboratory Supervisor	Dental Assistant
Average salary	$59,839	$37,730
Salary range	Between $43,000 And $81,000	Between $28,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	Lynn, MA	Saint Paul, MN
Highest paying state	Wyoming	Alaska
Best paying company	United Health Centers Of The San Joaquin Valley	Alameda Health System
Best paying industry	-	Government

Differences between dental laboratory supervisor and dental assistant education

There are a few differences between a dental laboratory supervisor and a dental assistant in terms of educational background:

	Dental Laboratory Supervisor	Dental Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 32%	Associate Degree, 23%
Most common major	Business	Dental Assisting
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	-

Dental laboratory supervisor vs dental assistant demographics

Here are the differences between dental laboratory supervisors' and dental assistants' demographics:

	Dental Laboratory Supervisor	Dental Assistant
Average age	46	38
Gender ratio	Male, 21.3% Female, 78.7%	Male, 11.5% Female, 88.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 5.5% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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	6%	4%

Differences between dental laboratory supervisor and dental assistant duties and responsibilities

Dental laboratory supervisor example responsibilities.

Manage daily laboratory operations including personnel, client consulting, analyses and adherence to GLP protocols.
Implement an in-house immunofluorescent and special chemistry department, including electrophoresis and fluorescent microscopy, resulting in lower overhead costs.
Implement an in-house immunofluorescent and special chemistry department, including electrophoresis and fluorescent microscopy, resulting in lower overhead costs.

Dental assistant example responsibilities.

Help dentist to manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drug and oxygen supply.
Assist with Endo, implants and periodontal surgeries.
Implement MSDS record keeping and biological monitoring system logs.
Assist in clinical procedures (all specialties except orthodontics).
Maintain highest degree of patient confidentiality as per HIPPA law.
Sole dental assistant for small private practice using a variety of EFDA skills

Dental laboratory supervisor vs dental assistant skills

Common dental laboratory supervisor skills

OSHA, 31%
Dental Clinic, 20%
Clinic Operations, 15%
Patient Flow, 7%
Front Desk, 6%
Dental Assistants, 5%

Common dental assistant skills

Patients, 30%
Patient Care, 6%
CPR, 5%
Oral Care, 4%
Customer Service, 4%
Dental Procedures, 3%

Dental Laboratory Supervisor vs. similar jobs

Dental Laboratory Supervisor related careers

Dental Laboratory Supervisor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Production and Manufacturing Industry
Dental Laboratory Supervisor
Dental Laboratory Supervisor vs Dental Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse production and manufacturing jobs