What Do Orthodontic Assistants Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for orthodontic assistants?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what orthodontic assistants do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Orthodontic Assistants Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about orthodontic assistants by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
Orthodontic Assistants perform limited clinical duties under the direction of a dentist. Clinical duties may include equipment preparation and sterilization, preparing patients for treatment, assisting the dentist during treatment, and providing patients with instructions for oral healthcare procedures. May perform administrative duties such as scheduling appointments, maintaining medical records, billing, and coding information for insurance purposes.
Popular Job Titles For Orthodontic Assistants
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Dental Assistants
- Registered Dental Assistants
- Orthodontic Assistants
- Oral Surgery Assistants
- Orthodontic Dental Assistants
- Pediatric Dental Assistants
- Expanded Function Dental Assistants
- Dental Assistants/Receptionist
- Expanded Duties Dental Assistants
- Licensed Dental Assistants
- Dental Office Assistants - Business Assistant
- Lead Dental Assistants
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for orthodontic assistants can be found.
Best Industries for Orthodontic Assistants
Orthodontic Assistants Jobs By Industry
- Offices of Dentists: 90.5%
- Outpatient Care Centers: 1.7%
- Offices of Physicians: 1.7%
- Employment Services: 1.3%
- Federal Government, Civilian: 1.1%
- Education and Hospitals (State Government): 0.8%
- Other: 2.9%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of orthodontic assistants can be found working in the Offices of Dentists sector. In 2022, about 90.5% of all jobs for orthodontic assistants were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include Outpatient Care Centers (1.7%), Offices of Physicians (1.7%), Employment Services (1.3%), Federal Government, Civilian (1.1%) and Education and Hospitals (State Government) (0.8%).
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Certificates & Microcredentials for Orthodontic Assistants
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What Do Orthodontic Assistants Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what orthodontic assistants do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work orthodontic assistants do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that orthodontic assistants tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Orthodontic Assistants
Top 5 Common Skills for Orthodontic Assistants
Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Communications | 31,227 | 22% |
Customer Service | 25,465 | 18% |
Detail Oriented | 19,026 | 14% |
Multitasking | 12,764 | 9% |
Scheduling | 11,460 | 8% |
For common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for orthodontic assistants, followed by customer service, detail oriented, multitasking, scheduling and computer literacy.
Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Communications | 31,227 | 22% |
Customer Service | 25,465 | 18% |
Detail Oriented | 19,026 | 14% |
Multitasking | 12,764 | 9% |
Scheduling | 11,460 | 8% |
Computer Literacy | 9,793 | 7% |
Multilingualism | 9,639 | 7% |
Spanish Language | 8,345 | 6% |
Positivity | 8,306 | 6% |
Self-Motivation | 7,902 | 6% |
Teamwork | 6,582 | 5% |
Organizational Skills | 6,444 | 5% |
Interpersonal Communications | 6,328 | 4% |
Willingness To Learn | 6,152 | 4% |
Operations | 5,298 | 4% |
Lifting Ability | 5,096 | 4% |
Management | 4,999 | 4% |
Verbal Communication Skills | 4,915 | 3% |
Professionalism | 4,566 | 3% |
Administrative Functions | 4,267 | 3% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Orthodontic Assistants
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Dental Assistants | 262,218 | 62% |
Registered Dental Assistants | 42,044 | 9.9% |
Orthodontic Assistants | 27,923 | 6.6% |
Oral Surgery Assistants | 10,041 | 2.4% |
Orthodontic Dental Assistants | 10,190 | 2.4% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was dental assistants, with 75,930 unique job postings. Registered dental assistants were second, with 6,830 postings, followed by orthodontic assistants, oral surgery assistants and orthodontic dental assistants.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to orthodontic assistants.
Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
---|---|---|
Dental Assistants | 262,218 | 62% |
Registered Dental Assistants | 42,044 | 9.9% |
Orthodontic Assistants | 27,923 | 6.6% |
Oral Surgery Assistants | 10,041 | 2.4% |
Orthodontic Dental Assistants | 10,190 | 2.4% |
Pediatric Dental Assistants | 8,723 | 2.1% |
Expanded Function Dental Assistants | 9,779 | 2.3% |
Dental Assistants/Receptionist | 8,614 | 2% |
Expanded Duties Dental Assistants | 7,616 | 1.8% |
Licensed Dental Assistants | 3,764 | 0.9% |
Dental Office Assistants - Business Assistant | 4,079 | 1% |
Lead Dental Assistants | 2,665 | 0.6% |
General Practical Dental Assistants | 3,744 | 0.9% |
Dental Office Assistants | 2,728 | 0.6% |
Endodontic Dental Assistants | 2,729 | 0.6% |
EFDA Certified Dental Assistants | 3,090 | 0.7% |
Training Assistants | 5,071 | 1.2% |
Administrative Assistants | 3,963 | 0.9% |
Dental Assistants/Registered Dental Assistants | 2,448 | 0.6% |
Experience Coordinators | 1,530 | 0.4% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for orthodontic assistants? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for orthodontic assistants.
How much do orthodontic assistants make?
Orthodontic Assistants: How do you become one?
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