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The differences between orthodontic 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 orthodontic assistant and an expanded function dental assistant. Additionally, an orthodontic assistant has an average salary of $49,768, which is higher than the $38,666 average annual salary of an expanded function dental assistant.
The top three skills for an orthodontic assistant include patients, HIPAA and patient care. The most important skills for an expanded function dental assistant are patients, patient care, and vital signs.
| Orthodontic Assistant | Expanded Function Dental Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $49,768 | $38,666 |
| Hourly rate | $23.93 | $18.59 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 55,933 | 69,681 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
An Orthodontic Assistant works under the supervision of an orthodontist. They prepare the appointment rooms prior to patients visits, take the patients oral health history, assess patients through examining them, and determine their needs for orthodontic care.
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.
Orthodontic assistants and expanded function dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Orthodontic Assistant | Expanded Function Dental Assistant | |
| Average salary | $49,768 | $38,666 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $96,000 | Between $28,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | California | - |
| Best paying company | LCMC Health | - |
| Best paying industry | Transportation | - |
There are a few differences between an orthodontic assistant and an expanded function dental assistant in terms of educational background:
| Orthodontic Assistant | Expanded Function Dental Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between orthodontic assistants' and expanded function dental assistants' demographics:
| Orthodontic Assistant | Expanded Function Dental Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.4% Female, 91.6% | Male, 8.8% Female, 91.2% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 8.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.1% Asian, 7.8% White, 57.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |