Dental surgeon vs hand surgeon

The differences between dental surgeons and hand surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a dental surgeon and a hand surgeon. Additionally, a hand surgeon has an average salary of $327,249, which is higher than the $279,537 average annual salary of a dental surgeon.

The top three skills for a dental surgeon include patients, diagnosis and dental clinic. The most important skills for a hand surgeon are patients, EMR, and MRI.

Dental surgeon vs hand surgeon overview

	Dental Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Yearly salary	$279,537	$327,249
Hourly rate	$134.39	$157.33
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	32,596	22,502
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

What does a dental surgeon do?

A Dental Surgeon performs surgery on various parts of the head, neck, and mouth. They perform repairs on injuries due to facial trauma, reconstruction to correct birth defects, and treatment of various diseases.

What does a hand surgeon do?

A hand surgeon is a health professional that is skilled in the field of medicine that deals with problems that relate to the hand, wrist, and forearm. Your job responsibility is to attend to the problems of clients and provide solutions. Most of these problems can be resolved without the need for surgery unless when necessary. Your job is to reduce and get rid of pain and restore movement and function.

Dental surgeon vs hand surgeon salary

Dental surgeons and hand surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Dental Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Average salary	$279,537	$327,249
Salary range	Between $150,000 And $517,000	Between $171,000 And $625,000
Highest paying City	-	Eau Claire, WI
Highest paying state	-	Maine
Best paying company	-	Allina Health
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between dental surgeon and hand surgeon education

There are a few differences between a dental surgeon and a hand surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Dental Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 35%
Most common major	Advanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences	Nursing
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Pennsylvania

Dental surgeon vs hand surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between dental surgeons' and hand surgeons' demographics:

	Dental Surgeon	Hand Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 39.5% Female, 60.5%	Male, 20.9% Female, 79.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between dental surgeon and hand surgeon duties and responsibilities

Dental surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage early and moderate periodontal disease, evaluate the results of periodontal treatment and establish maintenance program.
Work collaboratively with other professionals to create effective treatment for the patients.
Research on tobacco induce oral cancers and diagnose and perform surgical treatments on oral cancer patients.
General dentistry focuse on restorative, minor surgeries and open method extractions, removable prosthetics, endodontics, non-surgical periodontics
Review A/R report & outstanding claim for follow up with office manager at EOM.

Hand surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Schedule patients for surgery and diagnostic testing; eligibility benefits and insurance verification duties.
Assist Dr Fatuma Osman in dental procedures and consults.
Inform patients on various reactions to prescribe medications along with other medical information.
Board-Certify dermatologist performing Mohs surgery, advance reconstruction, blepharoplasty, liposuction, cosmetic & medical dermatology.
Generate billing and conduct follow-up calls.

Dental surgeon vs hand surgeon skills

Common dental surgeon skills

Patients, 33%
Diagnosis, 10%
Dental Clinic, 9%
Surgical Extractions, 5%
Oral Surgery, 5%
Surgical Procedures, 4%

Common hand surgeon skills

Patients, 67%
EMR, 18%
MRI, 8%
Memorial Hospital, 3%
Patient Appointments, 1%
Vital Signs, 1%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Dental Surgeon
Dental Surgeon vs Hand Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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