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The differences between orthodontic assistants and surgical 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 a surgical dental assistant. Additionally, an orthodontic assistant has an average salary of $49,768, which is higher than the $40,006 average annual salary of a surgical dental assistant.
The top three skills for an orthodontic assistant include patients, HIPAA and patient care. The most important skills for a surgical dental assistant are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Orthodontic Assistant | Surgical Dental Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $49,768 | $40,006 |
| Hourly rate | $23.93 | $19.23 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 55,933 | 52,478 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Orthodontic assistants and surgical dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Orthodontic Assistant | Surgical Dental Assistant | |
| Average salary | $49,768 | $40,006 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $96,000 | Between $28,000 And $55,000 |
| 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 a surgical dental assistant in terms of educational background:
| Orthodontic Assistant | Surgical Dental Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 23% | Associate Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between orthodontic assistants' and surgical dental assistants' demographics:
| Orthodontic Assistant | Surgical Dental Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.4% Female, 91.6% | Male, 8.7% Female, 91.3% |
| 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, 8.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 23.6% Asian, 7.4% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |