Changes in dentistry

[limitless124]

I am an aspiring dentist and i heard from admission committees and practitioners that dentistry is undergoing numerous transformation in the coming years. I understand the affect obamacare will have on dentistry and I would appreciate when discussing obamacare we avoid a political debate on this thread.

I would like to know what are some of the current changes that dentists are facing or will face in the coming years related to market or policy change that affect/ will affect practice management, patient population, work-life balance or overall business. Also if you are existing practitioner how have you adapted to these changes and what are some solutions to mitigate the cons?

Other than practitioners, i would also love to hear from dental students to get their perspective.

I would appreciate an objective and informative response free from slander and political fractions on this thread

Thanks

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[free99]

I'm not an expert by any means ... I'm just trying to get through gross anatomy at this point ... but these are some topics that are often brought up:

Proliferation of dental schools, seemingly unrestrained tuition increases, introduction of midlevel providers, expansion of corporate dentistry, affordable care act

 

[Nickthegreek]

I would agree with free99 and can also say that other health care professions are going through similar issues, but each profession has its own unique situation and is in a different phase. I am personally a licensed pharmacist changing careers. The proliferation of pharmacy schools and expansion of corporate pharmacy is similar and I feel is of most concern to me in both professions. Pharmacy is at a point where due to corporate expansion and proliferation of schools, the corporate chains dominate over independents. The independents get gobbled up and you end up working for a company and have little chance to work for yourself. With companies, everything is about the bottom line. I feel like I am a salesperson and not a health care professional. Pharmacy schools have more than doubled and so employers will seek cheaper labor so you can be in one day and out the next.

People argue that if you are good at what you do that you won't have to worry but I have seen time and time again companies wanting cheap labor over quality labor. I've seen managers who have done 20 years of awesome sales and service get canned because they can hire a new grad that costs them less. That's just business.

Dentistry is not quite in the phase that pharmacy is in but Time will only tell if a similar situation may happen in dentistry. I would ultimately like to have my own independent practice where I can do what is right for my patients and have my services sell themselves. Not worry solely about the bottom line and how cheap I can be

 

[Upperbyte]

I'm not sure the affordable care act really has any dental implications that will be put in action right now. We just had a presentation on it. Nothing will change overnight. A lot of hype, but don't worry about it (if you are).

 

[yappy]

All changes that may occur in dentistry are due to shifts occurring (occurred?) in the US economy. I'm not going to bring up specifics because its an expansive topic that can be divisive but lets just say I believe the US economy is fundamentally different in 2014 than it was in the 1970s. Any changes specific to dentistry are trite compared to the broader changes both nationally and globally. There is no escaping it - try to enjoy what you do because that is harder to take away.

 

[THS]

Any changes to national healthcare seem to affect dentistry less than other medical fields, thanks to dentist participation in organized dentistry. About 80% of dentists are members of the ADA, as well as their local branches. This is compared to only 20-something % of physicians that are members of any national or local organization. Because of our participation, the ADA is able to lobby against these changes much more than the other healthcare fields.

 

[Nickthegreek]

Any changes to national healthcare seem to affect dentistry less than other medical fields, thanks to dentist participation in organized dentistry. About 80% of dentists are members of the ADA, as well as their local branches. This is compared to only 20-something % of physicians that are members of any national or local organization. Because of our participation, the ADA is able to lobby against these changes much more than the other healthcare fields.

I admire dentists for having such an organized profession. It would be in their best interest to have leverage over their own profession. Pharmacists sadly have less and less every year.

 

[BabyShades]

I admire dentists for having such an organized profession. It would be in their best interest to have leverage over their own profession. Pharmacists sadly have less and less every year.

You brought an interesting concept that I have always been thinking about. How long have you been a pharmicist and do you think location had to do with the saturation?

Few years ago Texas opened up two pharmacy schools (A&M and Texas Tech) because they needed more pharmacists in this state, or at least that is what the government thinks. Now they are building two more schools (UNT and UT Tyler) in Texas. Does this mean that a lot of pharmacists are still able to get a job that pays six figures?

 

[SM555]

You brought an interesting concept that I have always been thinking about. How long have you been a pharmicist and do you think location had to do with the saturation?

Few years ago Texas opened up two pharmacy schools (A&M and Texas Tech) because they needed more pharmacists in this state, or at least that is what the government thinks. Now they are building two more schools (UNT and UT Tyler) in Texas. Does this mean that a lot of pharmacists are still able to get a job that pays six figures?

my sister just graduated last year and makes well over 6 figures from a pharmacy chain .

 

[Nickthegreek]

You brought an interesting concept that I have always been thinking about. How long have you been a pharmicist and do you think location had to do with the saturation?

Few years ago Texas opened up two pharmacy schools (A&M and Texas Tech) because they needed more pharmacists in this state, or at least that is what the government thinks. Now they are building two more schools (UNT and UT Tyler) in Texas. Does this mean that a lot of pharmacists are still able to get a job that pays six figures?

I have been a pharmacist for 9 years now ( seems like 3 lol). When I graduated the unemployment rate was essentially zero. Pharmacists were getting sign on bonuses and you were adequately staffed and made six figures. Then the economy tanked and employers started cutting back on growth and on hiring/resources. But volume kept where it was, if not grew a bit. They realized they could get more with less and just stopped growing and kept cutting resources. Pharmacy schools just keep coming out but employers are not expanding and want more from less. I read there will be a break even point in abrebreak few years and then there will be a surplus. Then employers will take advantage of that situation and unemployment will most likely increase. I think employers will weed out the six figure employees and hire young kids in mounds of debt willing to work for less. This gives pharmacists less and less leverage especially in Areas that are oversaturated. It won't happen overnight but I predict in the next few years

 

[DMDWANNABEE]

The first post gives you most of the hot topics.
I might add that dental insurance companies have begun lowering reimbursement rates in nominal terms for the first time. They have struggled to match inflation for some time, but this is the first actual drop in the dollar amount.

Some minor squabbles with MDs about whether a DDS should be able to use botox and dermal fillers too.

I don't think the AMA is going to change things much.

Edit: Also, preventative dentistry is making some leaps and bounds, so there will probably be a continuation of our steady reduction in caries incidence. That might have practice implications as well.

 

[Bis-GMA111]

obamacare hasn't done much in terms of impeding dental coverage. kids are covered until 19 i believe for standard procedures and ortho, if i'm not mistaken

 

[diasIItema]

People tend to focus on the negative, mostly overblown and speculative, "changes" facing dentistry while ignoring the positive trends. Due to CAD/CAM technology, dentists can pump out crowns, bridges and onlays/inlays like never before. There's digital RPD design as well. It's becoming far easier to perform your own endo, not to mention CE courses that really enable a lot of general practitioners to place implants and locators. Many of the former procedures that were outsourced to specialists remain in house b/c of better technology and CE. It's actually a very exciting time to be a dentist if you know how to effectively manage debt and run a practice well.

For the negatives: ACA barely affects dentistry and most material costs will simply (unfortunately) be shifted to the consumer. Medicaid has been expanded to cover adults for some procedures, so if you're smart with scheduling this can actually be profitable. Midlevel providers will work in underserved areas under the direct/indirect supervision of dentists and will hardly affect client base for most practices. New schools will open up and pump out new dentists, but young dentists tend to flock to suburban/urban areas or corporate practices; if you want to be profitable, go to the areas of need and avoid competition. We don't need new schools, we need better distribution of dentists and opportunities for loan forgiveness.