July 16, 2020

Dental Hygienist vs Dental Assistant vs Dentist - what's the difference?

There seems to be a good deal of confusion as to what the difference is between a dental hygienist, dental assistant and a dentist. That comes at no surprise, because the three positions often work very closely together and some overlap in responsibilities can occur.

To better understand how the roles differ, we’ll examine 4 categories: schooling required, job overview, job responsibilities, and average salary. First, the position most familiar to many, the dentist.

DENTIST

SCHOOLING

To be a dentist, a person has to have earned 1 of 2 degrees: Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) degree or Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree. They are essentially the same degree, with the only difference being between what the college or university calls the award. Students who receive a DMD have the same education as those who receive a DDS, and vice versa.

Those who have earned a dental degree have gone through at least 3 years of undergraduate studies, and then 4 more years of dental school—it’s a similar level of education to those in other medical fields. Dentists also must meet continuing education requirements for the remainder of their career, and further postgraduate training is required if they wish to become a dental specialist.

JOB OVERVIEW

Dentists are doctors who specialize in oral health. They are often responsible for leading a team of dental assistants, dental hygienists, lab technicians, and more. They oversee this clinical team to ensure safe and effective oral care for their patients. However, dentists are responsible for more than just teeth and gums. They also care for the muscles of the head, neck and jaw, the tongue and salivary glands, the nervous system of the head and neck and more. Dentists are trained to spot early warning signs of other diseases which may show signs in the oral areas.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Diagnosing oral diseases.
Promoting oral health and disease prevention.
Creating treatment plans to maintain or restore the oral health of their patients.
Interpreting x-rays and diagnostic tests.
Ensuring the safe administration of anesthetics.
Monitoring growth and development of the teeth and jaws.
Performing surgical procedures on the teeth, bone and soft tissues of the oral cavity.

AVERAGE SALARY

There is a very wide gap between lowest and highest average salary for dentists, due to the opportunity for vastly different work environments. On average, they can make exceedingly more in private practice than salaried with a company. Conversely, they could fail as a business owner and lose more money than they make. Different states also can have different pay scales, so be sure to look for average salaries in the areas you’re planning to practice. The lowest average we found, across the nation, was reported at $82k per year. The highest was $240k per year. We took the national average reported salaries from 4 major income reporting agencies and then averaged those. The result? Around $153k per year, or $75 per hour.

DENTAL HYGIENIST

SCHOOLING

It takes a minimum of an associate’s degree (2-year degree) to become a dental hygienist, though there are also some less common bachelor’s and master’s programs available. Those degrees are typically required for research, teaching and clinical practice in public or school health programs.

Two-year programs are commonly found throughout all classifications of college: universities, technical schools and even community colleges. If you are still in high school, consider taking as many biology, chemistry and math classes as possible—this can better prepare you for what lies ahead.

JOB OVERVIEW

As a dental hygienist, you would be responsible for administering a wide range of services. Each state has its own unique set of regulations, though cleaning teeth, examining patients for signs of oral disease, and providing preventative dental care are fairly universal.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

patient screening procedures; such as assessment of oral health conditions, review of the health history, oral cancer screening, head and neck inspection, dental charting and taking blood pressure and pulse
taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays)
removing calculus and plaque (hard and soft deposits) from all surfaces of the teeth
applying preventive materials to the teeth (e.g., sealants and fluorides)
teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health;
(e.g., tooth brushing, flossing and nutritional counseling)
counseling patients about good nutrition and its impact on oral health
making impressions of patients' teeth for study casts (models of teeth used by dentists to evaluate patient treatment needs)
performing documentation and office management activities

AVERAGE SALARY

Pulling statistics again from 4 major income reporting companies, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, we found an average of $72k per year, or about $36 per hour.

DENTAL ASSISTANT

SCHOOLING

To become a dental assistant, as little as 9 months of education is required. However, one can spend as much as 2 years pursuing this goal. Dental assistant programs can be found at many community colleges and technical schools. Accreditation comes from the Commission on Dental Accreditation, which is a portion of the American Dental Association (ADA) created in 1975.

JOB OVERVIEW

As a dental assistant, you will provide general patient care, take x-rays, perform record keeping and schedule appointments. You’ll need to have a good understanding of the tasks dental hygienists and dentists are performing in the office. Your duties will be among the most diverse and comprehensive in the office.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

assisting the dentist during a variety of treatment procedures
taking and developing dental radiographs (x-rays)
asking about the patient's medical history and taking blood pressure and pulse
serving as an infection control officer, developing infection control protocol and preparing and sterilizing instruments and equipment
helping patients feel comfortable before, during and after dental treatment
providing patients with instructions for oral care following surgery or other dental treatment procedures, such as the placement of a restoration (filling)
teaching patients appropriate oral hygiene strategies to maintain oral health;
(e.g., tooth brushing, flossing and nutritional counseling)
taking impressions of patients' teeth for study casts (models of teeth)
performing office management tasks that often require the use of a personal computer
communicating with patients and suppliers (e.g., scheduling appointments, answering the telephone, billing and ordering supplies)
helping to provide direct patient care in all dental specialties, including orthodontics, pediatric dentistry, periodontics and oral surgery

AVERAGE SALARY

Between the 3 professions here today, the dental assistant had the least deviation on average salaries. As a dental assistant, you can expect to make around $36k per year, or $18 per hour.

SUMMARY

	DENTAL ASSISTANT	DENTAL HYGIENIST	DENTIST
SCHOOLING	9 months – 2 years	2 – 8 years	7+ years
WORK SUMMARY	Most diverse set of duties	Most time spent with patients	Highest responsibility
AVG. SALARY	$36k per year	$72k per year	$153k per year

If you’re looking for a rewarding and challenging career in oral care, there is varied selection of positions to choose from to match your goals and aspirations. Each job brings its own set of ups and downs, and things you may find rewarding.

We hope this article has helped to better inform you. Please leave a comment below if you have any questions, comments or concerns. And, as always, keep smiling!