Surgeon vs dental surgeon

The differences between surgeons and dental surgeons can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a surgeon and a dental surgeon. Additionally, a dental surgeon has an average salary of $279,537, which is higher than the $155,553 average annual salary of a surgeon.

The top three skills for a surgeon include patients, general surgery and healthcare. The most important skills for a dental surgeon are patients, diagnosis, and dental clinic.

Surgeon vs dental surgeon overview

	Surgeon	Dental Surgeon
Yearly salary	$155,553	$279,537
Hourly rate	$74.79	$134.39
Growth rate	7%	7%
Number of jobs	37,918	32,596
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	6	6

What does a surgeon do?

A surgeon is a medical professional who conducts surgical procedures on the human body to treat injuries and diseases such as broken bones and cancerous tumors. Surgeons are required to review test results to identify abnormal findings and recommend a plan of treatment to patients. They must manage surgical technicians during the surgery process to ensure all standards of care and safety are followed in the operating room. Surgeons must also address concerns that the patients have about their health and well-being.

What does a dental surgeon do?

A Dental Surgeon performs surgery on various parts of the head, neck, and mouth. They perform repairs on injuries due to facial trauma, reconstruction to correct birth defects, and treatment of various diseases.

Surgeon vs dental surgeon salary

Surgeons and dental surgeons have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Surgeon	Dental Surgeon
Average salary	$155,553	$279,537
Salary range	Between $85,000 And $284,000	Between $150,000 And $517,000
Highest paying City	Lewiston, ME	-
Highest paying state	Maine	-
Best paying company	MaineGeneral Health	-
Best paying industry	Professional	-

Differences between surgeon and dental surgeon education

There are a few differences between a surgeon and a dental surgeon in terms of educational background:

	Surgeon	Dental Surgeon
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 40%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Medicine	Advanced Dentistry And Oral Sciences
Most common college	Duke University	University of Southern California

Surgeon vs dental surgeon demographics

Here are the differences between surgeons' and dental surgeons' demographics:

	Surgeon	Dental Surgeon
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8%	Male, 39.5% Female, 60.5%
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, 1.8% Unknown, 3.8% Hispanic or Latino, 5.0% Asian, 12.7% White, 76.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between surgeon and dental surgeon duties and responsibilities

Surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage insurance authorization and hospital bookings for surgery.
Assist senior staff in dental treatment of several complex procedures including dental treatment of medically compromise patients.
Coordinate with patients and medical staff at civilian and military treatment facilities to schedule medical appointments and retrieve medical documentation.
Observe fracture plating, skin grafting, wind cleaning, amputation, and other Orthopaedic surgeries.

Dental surgeon example responsibilities.

Manage early and moderate periodontal disease, evaluate the results of periodontal treatment and establish maintenance program.
Work collaboratively with other professionals to create effective treatment for the patients.
Research on tobacco induce oral cancers and diagnose and perform surgical treatments on oral cancer patients.
General dentistry focuse on restorative, minor surgeries and open method extractions, removable prosthetics, endodontics, non-surgical periodontics
Review A/R report & outstanding claim for follow up with office manager at EOM.

Surgeon vs dental surgeon skills

Common surgeon skills

Patients, 26%
General Surgery, 12%
Healthcare, 12%
Patient Care, 7%
Mohs, 5%
Private Practice, 4%

Common dental surgeon skills

Patients, 33%
Diagnosis, 10%
Dental Clinic, 9%
Surgical Extractions, 5%
Oral Surgery, 5%
Surgical Procedures, 4%

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Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Surgeon
Surgeon vs Dental Surgeon

Updated January 8, 2025

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