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The differences between registered dental assistants and expanded duty 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 a registered dental assistant and an expanded duty dental assistant. Additionally, an expanded duty dental assistant has an average salary of $39,095, which is higher than the $38,145 average annual salary of a registered dental assistant.
The top three skills for a registered dental assistant include patients, CPR and RDA. The most important skills for an expanded duty dental assistant are patients, OSHA, and patient care.
| Registered Dental Assistant | Expanded Duty Dental Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $38,145 | $39,095 |
| Hourly rate | $18.34 | $18.80 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 76,460 | 23,594 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Associate Degree, 25% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A registered dental assistant is responsible for assisting dentists in conducting dental procedures, performing basic dental operations, as well as administrative duties. Registered dental assistants advise the patients on their medications and practices to avoid dental complications, including regular dental checkups and cleaning. They also keep dental records of a patient for reference, sterilize dental tools and equipment, manage the regular maintenance of machines, and check the adequacy of dental supplies. A registered dental assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially on updating information on the database, processing payments, and scheduling appointments.
An Expanded Duty Dental Assistant helps a dentist perform a wide range of administrative duties. Their duties include making impressions of a patients' teeth, performing preliminary oral examinations, and preparing filling materials.
Registered dental assistants and expanded duty dental assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Registered Dental Assistant | Expanded Duty Dental Assistant | |
| Average salary | $38,145 | $39,095 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $51,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Arlington, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Minnesota | - |
| Best paying company | Rady Children's Hospital And Health Center | - |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a registered dental assistant and an expanded duty dental assistant in terms of educational background:
| Registered Dental Assistant | Expanded Duty Dental Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 33% | Associate Degree, 25% |
| Most common major | Dental Assisting | Dental Assisting |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between registered dental assistants' and expanded duty dental assistants' demographics:
| Registered Dental Assistant | Expanded Duty Dental Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 9.0% Female, 91.0% | Male, 7.9% Female, 92.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 31.6% Asian, 9.0% White, 47.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 7.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 4% |