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The differences between medical assistants and dental assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical assistant, becoming a dental assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a dental assistant has an average salary of $37,730, which is higher than the $34,900 average annual salary of a medical assistant.
The top three skills for a medical assistant include patients, vital signs and patient care. The most important skills for a dental assistant are patients, patient care, and CPR.
| Medical Assistant | Dental Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,900 | $37,730 |
| Hourly rate | $16.78 | $18.14 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 189,915 | 69,835 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Medical assistants provide support to medical practitioners in both administrative and clerical tasks. They keep and update the patient's medical records, administer medicines under the supervision of a physician, assist during medical examinations, prepare medical samples for laboratory testing, manage the schedule of appointments, and assist the patients with their bills and in filling out needed forms, such as insurance-related documents. Medical assistants should have good communication skills and analytical skills, be organized, and be flexible. They should also have knowledge of how to operate some medical equipment such as x-ray machines.
Dental assistants provide patient care, have the ability to take x-rays, blood pressure readings, and help dentists perform treatments and procedures. They also keep patients' dental records, schedule appointments, prepare and maintain materials and equipment. They may conduct tests that are not much complicated and would not require the supervision of a dentist or dental surgeon. They also may administer and dispense medications to patients under the doctor's orders. Most dental assistants work in dentists' offices as full time in dental practice, but they can specialize and get employment in orthodontic or periodontist offices and other practices.
Medical assistants and dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Assistant | Dental Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,900 | $37,730 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $43,000 | Between $28,000 And $50,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Saint Paul, MN |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Columbia University in the City of New York | Alameda Health System |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Government |
There are a few differences between a medical assistant and a dental assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Assistant | Dental Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 24% | Associate Degree, 23% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between medical assistants' and dental assistants' demographics:
| Medical Assistant | Dental Assistant | |
| Average age | 37 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.4% Female, 89.6% | Male, 11.5% Female, 88.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 25.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 49.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | 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% |