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The differences between orthodontic assistants and oral surgery 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 oral surgery assistant. Additionally, an orthodontic assistant has an average salary of $49,768, which is higher than the $44,205 average annual salary of an oral surgery assistant.
The top three skills for an orthodontic assistant include patients, HIPAA and patient care. The most important skills for an oral surgery assistant are patients, infection control, and patient care.
| Orthodontic Assistant | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $49,768 | $44,205 |
| Hourly rate | $23.93 | $21.25 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 55,933 | 19,858 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 28% |
| 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 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.
Orthodontic assistants and oral surgery assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Orthodontic Assistant | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Average salary | $49,768 | $44,205 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $96,000 | Between $25,000 And $77,000 |
| 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 oral surgery assistant in terms of educational background:
| Orthodontic Assistant | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between orthodontic assistants' and oral surgery assistants' demographics:
| Orthodontic Assistant | Oral Surgery Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.4% Female, 91.6% | Male, 11.1% Female, 88.9% |
| 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, 8.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 8.4% White, 55.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |