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Orthodontic assistant vs dental officer

The differences between orthodontic assistants and dental officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an orthodontic assistant and a dental officer. Additionally, a dental officer has an average salary of $88,980, which is higher than the $49,768 average annual salary of an orthodontic assistant.

The top three skills for an orthodontic assistant include patients, HIPAA and patient care. The most important skills for a dental officer are patients, oral surgery, and dentures.

Orthodontic assistant vs dental officer overview

Orthodontic AssistantDental Officer
Yearly salary$49,768$88,980
Hourly rate$23.93$42.78
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs55,93377,189
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 23%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age3838
Years of experience22

Orthodontic assistant vs dental officer salary

Orthodontic assistants and dental officers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Orthodontic AssistantDental Officer
Average salary$49,768$88,980
Salary rangeBetween $25,000 And $96,000Between $60,000 And $131,000
Highest paying CityLos Angeles, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyLCMC Health-
Best paying industryTransportation-

Differences between orthodontic assistant and dental officer education

There are a few differences between an orthodontic assistant and a dental officer in terms of educational background:

Orthodontic AssistantDental Officer
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 23%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorDental AssistingAdvanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences
Most common college--

Orthodontic assistant vs dental officer demographics

Here are the differences between orthodontic assistants' and dental officers' demographics:

Orthodontic AssistantDental Officer
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 8.4% Female, 91.6%Male, 79.4% Female, 20.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.2% Asian, 7.9% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 21.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage4%4%

Differences between orthodontic assistant and dental officer duties and responsibilities

Orthodontic assistant example responsibilities.

  • Assist in intravenous sedation, prepare syringes with proper medication, placement of EKG leads, record and monitor during procedures.
  • Monitor patients under iv sedation.
  • Deliver invisalign aligners and place attachments on patients.
  • Assist in orthodontics including taking pictures, panoramic and impressions for invisalign and traditional braces.
  • Remain up to date on CPR certification.
  • Review contracts, HIPAA regulations, and payment plans.
  • Show more

Dental officer example responsibilities.

  • Provide comprehensive dental care for diverse patients
  • Admit patients and attend to their in-patient dental emergencies
  • Assist in oral surgery under local and twilight anesthesia in a private practice setting.Primary IV starter and administer anesthetics on command.
  • Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation and operate resuscitation equipment.

Orthodontic assistant vs dental officer skills

Common orthodontic assistant skills
  • Patients, 38%
  • HIPAA, 6%
  • Patient Care, 5%
  • Chair Side, 5%
  • Infection Control, 5%
  • OSHA, 3%
Common dental officer skills
  • Patients, 39%
  • Oral Surgery, 13%
  • Dentures, 12%
  • Dental Program, 9%
  • Infection Control, 6%
  • Dental Services, 5%

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