Dental surgeon vs orthodontist

The differences between dental surgeons and orthodontists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a dental surgeon has an average salary of $279,537, which is higher than the $215,333 average annual salary of an orthodontist.

The top three skills for a dental surgeon include patients, diagnosis and dental clinic. The most important skills for an orthodontist are patients, diagnosis, and OSHA.

Dental surgeon vs orthodontist overview

	Dental Surgeon	Orthodontist
Yearly salary	$279,537	$215,333
Hourly rate	$134.39	$103.53
Growth rate	7%	6%
Number of jobs	32,596	18,456
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 29%
Average age	49	46
Years of experience	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 an orthodontist do?

An orthodontist is responsible for evaluating the dental records, including x-ray and surgery results of a patient, administering medications to treat dental issues and avoid further health complications. Orthodontists perform adjustments on the patients' dental condition, including teeth improvement procedures, by utilizing dental equipment and tools for operations. They inspect the efficiency of the operating equipment and machine, ensuring its stability and top-performance condition by conducting regular maintenance and sterilizing equipment to prevent contamination that may affect dental results.

Dental surgeon vs orthodontist salary

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

	Dental Surgeon	Orthodontist
Average salary	$279,537	$215,333
Salary range	Between $150,000 And $517,000	Between $121,000 And $381,000
Highest paying City	-	Sacramento, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Mayo Clinic
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between dental surgeon and orthodontist education

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

	Dental Surgeon	Orthodontist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Bachelor's Degree, 29%
Most common major	Advanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences	Advanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences
Most common college	University of Southern California	University of Southern California

Dental surgeon vs orthodontist demographics

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

	Dental Surgeon	Orthodontist
Average age	49	46
Gender ratio	Male, 39.5% Female, 60.5%	Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3%
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, 3.1% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 17.6% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between dental surgeon and orthodontist 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.

Orthodontist example responsibilities.

Manage Invisalign treatments and procedures.
Present financial arrangements for all patients, which result in increase revenue and accountability of services accept.
Demonstrate outstanding interpersonal, communication and relationship building skills, and establish trust and strong rapport with patients.
Deliver and cement appliances at doctor's request as well as fit and cement orthodontic bands.
Attend educational seminars to obtain the latest technology in orthodontics.
Represent CPE program at regional recruitment events.

Dental surgeon vs orthodontist skills

Common dental surgeon skills

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

Common orthodontist skills

Patients, 68%
Diagnosis, 6%
OSHA, 3%
Ortho, 3%
Dental Practice, 2%
Treatment Planning, 2%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Dental Surgeon
Dental Surgeon vs Orthodontist

Updated January 8, 2025

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