Plastic surgeon vs board certified orthodontist

The differences between plastic surgeons and board certified orthodontists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a board certified orthodontist has an average salary of $217,108, which is higher than the $172,467 average annual salary of a plastic surgeon.

The top three skills for a plastic surgeon include patients, patient care and hand surgery. The most important skills for a board certified orthodontist are patients, rehabilitation, and EMR.

Plastic surgeon vs board certified orthodontist overview

	Plastic Surgeon	Board Certified Orthodontist
Yearly salary	$172,467	$217,108
Hourly rate	$82.92	$104.38
Growth rate	7%	6%
Number of jobs	3,906	38,212
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Average age	49	46
Years of experience	6	-

What does a plastic surgeon do?

Plastic surgeons must have skills in hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, organization, communication, and teamwork. This career also requires a bachelor's degree in a premedical major and completion of a four-year M.D. and a surgical residency. Those who choose this career path perform reconstructive plastic surgery in order to restore form and function following illness or trauma and/or perform cosmetic surgery for simple alteration of appearance.

What does a board certified orthodontist do?

A board-certified orthodontist specializes in diagnosing and correcting different issues in teeth and jaw. They particularly design and place orthodontic devices to improve teeth and jaw alignment, such as braces and retainers. Their job also entails studying the patients' medical records and dental histories, conducting diagnostic tests, assessing x-rays, developing treatment plans and discussing them with the patients, providing cost estimates, or referring patients to other specialists when necessary. Moreover, as a board-certified orthodontist, it is essential to maintain an active communication line with staff, providing them with guidelines and instructions for successful operations.

Plastic surgeon vs board certified orthodontist salary

Plastic surgeons and board certified orthodontists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Plastic Surgeon	Board Certified Orthodontist
Average salary	$172,467	$217,108
Salary range	Between $87,000 And $339,000	Between $131,000 And $357,000
Highest paying City	Rockville Centre, NY	Oakland, CA
Highest paying state	Maine	Alaska
Best paying company	MaineGeneral Health	Alameda Health System
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between plastic surgeon and board certified orthodontist education

There are a few differences between a plastic surgeon and a board certified orthodontist in terms of educational background:

	Plastic Surgeon	Board Certified Orthodontist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 34%	Bachelor's Degree, 41%
Most common major	Nursing	Pharmacy
Most common college	Case Western Reserve University	University of Southern California

Plastic surgeon vs board certified orthodontist demographics

Here are the differences between plastic surgeons' and board certified orthodontists' demographics:

	Plastic Surgeon	Board Certified Orthodontist
Average age	49	46
Gender ratio	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%	Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 3.0% Unknown, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 17.7% White, 66.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between plastic surgeon and board certified orthodontist duties and responsibilities

Plastic surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Develop x-rays, foot and ankle therapies, including hydrotherapy, ultrasound and hot wax.
Assist with surgery scheduling, casting/removing, & casting for orthotics.
Check patient in/out, collect co-payments/deductibles that apply for orthotics, enter charges/post payments.
Perform administrative tasks regarding origination paperwork for patients, preoperative paperwork, medical clearance, financing and payment.
Complete knowledge of military and DOD protocols pertaining to network and computer systems.

Board certified orthodontist example responsibilities.

Manage Invisalign treatments and procedures.
Implement various techniques, including EMDR and the MBTI, to help clients resolve issues
Provide pastoral/spiritual care to patients and/or families under direction of mentoring chaplains during training.
Work alongside physicians to provide a holistic care to patients and participates in various interdisciplinary meetings.
Care for chronic conditions include hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, thyroid conditions and depression/anxiety among many other common conditions.
Use of family systems theory, CBT, DBT, and solution focuse treatment models

Plastic surgeon vs board certified orthodontist skills

Common plastic surgeon skills

Patients, 55%
Patient Care, 9%
Hand Surgery, 6%
Private Practice, 6%
Medical Procedures, 5%
Surgical Procedures, 4%

Common board certified orthodontist skills

Patients, 54%
Rehabilitation, 18%
EMR, 6%
Patient Care, 6%
Internal Medicine, 5%
Board Certification, 3%

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Plastic Surgeon vs Board Certified Orthodontist

Updated January 8, 2025

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