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Oral surgery assistant vs expanded function dental assistant

The differences between oral surgery assistants and expanded function dental 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 an expanded function dental assistant. Additionally, an oral surgery assistant has an average salary of $44,205, which is higher than the $38,666 average annual salary of an expanded function dental assistant.

The top three skills for an oral surgery assistant include patients, infection control and patient care. The most important skills for an expanded function dental assistant are patients, patient care, and vital signs.

Oral surgery assistant vs expanded function dental assistant overview

Oral Surgery AssistantExpanded Function Dental Assistant
Yearly salary$44,205$38,666
Hourly rate$21.25$18.59
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs19,85869,681
Job satisfaction4-
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Associate Degree, 38%
Average age3838
Years of experience22

What does an oral surgery assistant do?

An Oral Surgery Assistant prepares patients for surgery and provides them with needed care. They also make notes about performed procedures, progress, recommendations, and other subjects in the patient's charts.

What does an expanded function dental assistant do?

An Expanded Function Dental Assistant is responsible for assisting a dentist in examining and treating patients. They place and remove matrix retainers, and clean and polish the coronal surfaces of teeth to remove stains.

Oral surgery assistant vs expanded function dental assistant salary

Oral surgery assistants and expanded function dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

Oral Surgery AssistantExpanded Function Dental Assistant
Average salary$44,205$38,666
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $77,000Between $28,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between oral surgery assistant and expanded function dental assistant education

There are a few differences between an oral surgery assistant and an expanded function dental assistant in terms of educational background:

Oral Surgery AssistantExpanded Function Dental Assistant
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 28%Associate Degree, 38%
Most common majorDental AssistingDental Assisting
Most common college--

Oral surgery assistant vs expanded function dental assistant demographics

Here are the differences between oral surgery assistants' and expanded function dental assistants' demographics:

Oral Surgery AssistantExpanded Function Dental Assistant
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 11.1% Female, 88.9%Male, 8.8% Female, 91.2%
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, 8.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 7.8% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between oral surgery assistant and expanded function dental 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

Expanded function dental assistant example responsibilities.

  • Help dentist to manage dental and medical emergencies by maintaining CPR certification, emergency drug and oxygen supply.
  • Develop and implement individualized dental care plans for patients.
  • Record & follow HIPAA regulations.
  • Perform coronal polishing and sealant placement.
  • Capture digital x-ray imaging using Eaglesoft.
  • Preform placement and contouring of composite restorations and sealants as well as coronal polishing and fluoride application.
  • Show more

Oral surgery assistant vs expanded function dental 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 expanded function dental assistant skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Patient Care, 13%
  • Vital Signs, 9%
  • OSHA, 7%
  • Dexterity, 6%
  • Dental Procedures, 5%

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