Your oral healthcare is incredibly important and has an impact on your overall health. This means that if you want to make sure that your teeth and gums are in great condition, you need to go to an oral healthcare professional regularly. Besides a dentist, it is common to see a dental assistant or an oral hygienist when you go for a checkup. However, it is important to be aware that they are not one in the same. This means that before you book a dental appointment or look into a career in oral healthcare, it is important for you to be informed about what makes a dental assistant different from a dental hygienist. It is easy to get the two confused with one another, but there are real differences that are glaring. Here are some of the differences between a dental hygienist and a dental assistant:
Training
One of the major differences that you need to be aware of when it comes to dental hygienists and dental assistants is the amount of training and education that is required. You need to know that a assistant has less training and education than a hygienist. This means that only a certificate is required to be a dental assistant, but you are required to have a degree of some type to be a dental hygienist. Most dental hygienists are required to complete an Associate or Bachelors degree. This means that if you are looking for the job that requires more training and education, a hygienist is the choice.
Salary
Since there is different amounts of training and education that are required for these positions, it only makes sense that the salary would also be different. The average salary for a dental assistant is about $35,000, while the average salary for a dental hygienist is about $70,000. This means that there is a substantial amount of salary increase that you can expect if you choose to obtain more education and become a dental hygienist instead of just a dental assistant. For the amount of training and education that is required, it is definitely worth the investment to become a hygienist.
Duties
The duties that are required of both in a dental office are similar, but it is important to know that a dental hygienist will have more responsibilities and more tasks that are required to be completed. Just know that they are not the same job.
