Orthodontic technician vs certified medical technician

The differences between orthodontic technicians and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an orthodontic technician, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an orthodontic technician has an average salary of $73,370, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.

The top three skills for an orthodontic technician include patients, scheduling appointments and patient care. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Orthodontic technician vs certified medical technician overview

	Orthodontic Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$73,370	$38,859
Hourly rate	$35.27	$18.68
Growth rate	2%	5%
Number of jobs	31,940	164,424
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	12

Orthodontic technician vs certified medical technician salary

Orthodontic technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Orthodontic Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$73,370	$38,859
Salary range	Between $44,000 And $120,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	-	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between orthodontic technician and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between an orthodontic technician and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Orthodontic Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Dental Assisting	Nursing
Most common college	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	University of Connecticut

Orthodontic technician vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between orthodontic technicians' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Orthodontic Technician	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 14.0% Female, 86.0%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 9.5% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	5%	8%

Differences between orthodontic technician and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Orthodontic technician example responsibilities.

Discuss orthodontic procedures with patients and/or parents.
Fix old splints that are send back in for repairs (i.e.
Sterilize instruments using autoclaves, ultrasonic's and chemical disinfectants to maintain accept standards.
Compose written reports of data collect from patient evaluation and present to department chief for thorough analysis of patient diagnosis.
Make models of the mouth and teeth from impressions.
Keep lab orderly, make models of teeth and create retainers, sterilize orthodontic equipment and file teeth models.

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.

Orthodontic technician vs certified medical technician skills

Common orthodontic technician skills

Patients, 45%
Scheduling Appointments, 7%
Patient Care, 6%
Oral Hygiene, 4%
Front Desk, 4%
Examination Rooms, 3%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

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Orthodontic Technician vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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