Post job

General dentist vs associate dentist

The differences between general dentists and associate dentists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate dentist has an average salary of $148,530, which is higher than the $147,636 average annual salary of a general dentist.

The top three skills for a general dentist include patients, patient care and treatment planning. The most important skills for an associate dentist are patients, DDS, and oral health.

General dentist vs associate dentist overview

General DentistAssociate Dentist
Yearly salary$147,636$148,530
Hourly rate$70.98$71.41
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs48,6127,961
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 50%Doctoral Degree, 49%
Average age4646
Years of experience--

What does a general dentist do?

The primary job of general dentists is to diagnose, treat, and manage patients' oral health care needs, including root canals, fillings, and gum care. They are considered as the main dental care providers for both children and adults. General dentists typically perform a few tasks, including performing regular dental examinations and teeth cleanings, ensuring patients receive an appropriate and timely treatment for their dental issues and performing cosmetic procedures such as teeth whitening and cosmetic bonding.

What does an associate dentist do?

An Associate Dentist helps the dentist carry out dental duties effectively and efficiently. They also help design plans for the treatment of the patients, provide anesthesia, and schedule patients appointments.

General dentist vs associate dentist salary

General dentists and associate dentists have different pay scales, as shown below.

General DentistAssociate Dentist
Average salary$147,636$148,530
Salary rangeBetween $99,000 And $219,000Between $99,000 And $221,000
Highest paying CityHaverhill, MADanvers, MA
Highest paying stateRhode IslandAlaska
Best paying companyBerkshireParis
Best paying industryProfessionalHealth Care

Differences between general dentist and associate dentist education

There are a few differences between a general dentist and an associate dentist in terms of educational background:

General DentistAssociate Dentist
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 50%Doctoral Degree, 49%
Most common majorAdvanced Dentistry And Oral SciencesAdvanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

General dentist vs associate dentist demographics

Here are the differences between general dentists' and associate dentists' demographics:

General DentistAssociate Dentist
Average age4646
Gender ratioMale, 53.5% Female, 46.5%Male, 51.7% Female, 48.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 23.4% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 26.7% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage12%12%

Differences between general dentist and associate dentist duties and responsibilities

General dentist example responsibilities.

  • Set up OSHA plan for the office, and lead OSHA training.
  • Manage HMO and indemnity dental insurances.
  • Observe bonding, restorations, tooth extraction, periodontal surgery, dentures, root canal, and crown placement
  • Perform dental surgical procedures including extraction of diseas or irreparably decay teeth.
  • Work with Rueben Gordon, DDS
  • Hone dental/patient management skills.Alan Jon Napoles, DDS
  • Show more

Associate dentist example responsibilities.

  • Provide and manage direct patient care, including examinations, evaluations, diagnosis and treatment for practice's diverse patient population.
  • Perform quality patient care in a busy Medicaid and insurance practice including root canals, crowns, dentures, and extractions
  • Diagnose and provide treatment for mostly Medicaid patients.
  • Use Dentrix and Dexis software on a daily basis.
  • Fast pace office that serve a large percentage of Medicaid insure pediatric population.
  • Provide patient care in all aspects of general dentistry including tasks like filling, tooth extraction, and setting artificial dentures.
  • Show more

General dentist vs associate dentist skills

Common general dentist skills
  • Patients, 34%
  • Patient Care, 25%
  • Treatment Planning, 15%
  • Diagnosis, 4%
  • OSHA, 2%
  • Dentures, 2%
Common associate dentist skills
  • Patients, 58%
  • DDS, 14%
  • Oral Health, 8%
  • Aspen, 4%
  • Dental Services, 4%
  • Dentures, 3%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs