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Oral surgery assistant vs clerical dentist assistant

The differences between oral surgery assistants and clerical dentist assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an oral surgery assistant and a clerical dentist assistant. Additionally, a clerical dentist assistant has an average salary of $82,890, which is higher than the $44,205 average annual salary of an oral surgery assistant.

The top three skills for an oral surgery assistant include patients, infection control and patient care. The most important skills for a clerical dentist assistant are patients, chair side, and appointment schedules.

Oral surgery assistant vs clerical dentist assistant overview

Oral Surgery AssistantClerical Dentist Assistant
Yearly salary$44,205$82,890
Hourly rate$21.25$39.85
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs19,85818,920
Job satisfaction4-
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Bachelor's Degree, 26%
Average age3838
Years of experience22

Oral surgery assistant vs clerical dentist assistant salary

Oral surgery assistants and clerical dentist assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Oral Surgery AssistantClerical Dentist Assistant
Average salary$44,205$82,890
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $77,000Between $45,000 And $149,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between oral surgery assistant and clerical dentist assistant education

There are a few differences between an oral surgery assistant and a clerical dentist assistant in terms of educational background:

Oral Surgery AssistantClerical Dentist Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Bachelor's Degree, 26%
Most common majorDental AssistingDental Assisting
Most common college--

Oral surgery assistant vs clerical dentist assistant demographics

Here are the differences between oral surgery assistants' and clerical dentist assistants' demographics:

Oral Surgery AssistantClerical Dentist Assistant
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 11.1% Female, 88.9%Male, 14.3% Female, 85.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 26.0% Asian, 9.9% White, 51.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between oral surgery assistant and clerical dentist assistant duties and responsibilities

Oral surgery assistant example responsibilities.

  • Assist in intravenous sedation, prepare syringes with proper medication, placement of EKG leads, record and monitor during procedures.
  • Provide postoperative care with anesthesia patients monitoring vital signs until patient is conscious; establish patient comfort and review prescribe medications.
  • Maintain HIPAA compliance through patient confidentiality.
  • Train how to assist Dr, in surgery.
  • Set up and sterilization of instrumentation, making sure OSHA standards and high standards of the practice are met.
  • Anticipate surgeons' needs, pass instruments, cuts, sutures, hold retractors, obtain and process tissue samples.
  • Show more

Clerical dentist assistant example responsibilities.

  • Help dentist to manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drug and oxygen supply.
  • Enter and chart patient information using Dentrix.
  • Assist Dr. during surgery with tray setups, composites, crown and bridges, partials and dentures.
  • Assist with composite/amalgam restoration, crown & bridge preps/seats, endo, extractions, implants, and general anesthesia.
  • Communicate with patients and insurance companies to schedule appointments and verify benefits and eligibility.
  • Prepare patients for examination, and properly arrange examining rooms with the necessary equipment for procedures.
  • Show more

Oral surgery assistant vs clerical dentist assistant skills

Common oral surgery assistant skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Infection Control, 16%
  • Patient Care, 13%
  • Dental Care, 7%
  • Chair Side, 7%
  • Root Canals, 4%
Common clerical dentist assistant skills
  • Patients, 39%
  • Chair Side, 4%
  • Appointment Schedules, 4%
  • Vital Signs, 4%
  • Front Desk, 3%
  • Instrument Trays, 3%

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