Are there too many dentists?

[screwedpremed88]

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In many big cities, I will see two or three dental practices within the same shopping center. Do you think we are going to have too many dentists in the future? How is the job outlook for dentistry? Are there many dental school graduates who are unemployed or who have started practices and failed?

 

[doc3232]

No...we are fine. If anything, we need more.

 

[adn244]

yeah i dont think there will ever be enough. dentists are always in high demand👍

 

[angelnyc89]

^^gotta agree with both posts above me. I think the industry needs more and there will never be enough.

 

[dru180]

There is lots of information out there that says dentists are in high demand. There are more dentists retiring than there are entering the work-force every year (thanks to baby-boomer generation retiring). But the answer is slightly more involved than a simple yes. What you are noticing is a crap load of dentists condensed in an urban area. A lot of these city areas (esp nice areas) are probably over-saturated with dentists (lets face it most dentists who make a healthy salary don't want to live in the boonies or in a crappy area). So the answer to your question, in my personal opinion, is probably both yes and no. In general there is clearly a need for dentists, but they aren't exactly spread evenly over the country. know what i mean?

 

[dru180]

P.S. I just noticed you are pre-med. I'm sure its probably the same with doctors and their various practices.

 

[Near]

I've heard areas like Southern California in particular are too saturated with dentists.

But yeah, I know what you mean. In my city of about 30,000 people, just driving around I noticed around 8-10 dental practices.

 

[hunterpostbacst]

But, it's a lot of dentists in cities where most of us want to live rest of our lives. This is a problem. I don't want to live in surburb.

 

[Vicviper]

Some areas are really just densely packed with dentists, I know my neighborhood in Southern California has literally a dentist on every block. But in our Introduction to Dentistry class last week, we were shown numbers of dental graduations and retirements, and it comes out that the number of dentists is actually seeing a somewhat sharp decline, I don't remember the exact numbers, but something like 5000 dentists are retiring every year, and only 4000 dentists are entering the work force, so we're losing a net of 1000 dentists a year!

So don't worry, you'll be able to find a job 🙂

 

[The Anhedonia]

there are several things to consider:

1) the number of dentists in the US are unevenly distributed between cities, suburban areas, and rural areas. Yes, in several major cities, there are too many (so much so that many are filling for bankruptcy and going out of business). In some rural areas, there is 1 dentist per 50,000 people.

2) the average age of dentists in the US is about 48. In Minnesota, it's 51. So figure in 20 years, there will be a HUGE void to fill.

 

[The Anhedonia]

I've heard areas like Southern California in particular are too saturated with dentists.

But yeah, I know what you mean. In my city of about 30,000 people, just driving around I noticed around 8-10 dental practices.

yeah, and i bet you they're all persian. 😀

 

[Zubnaya Feya]

But, it's a lot of dentists in cities where most of us want to live rest of our lives. This is a problem. I don't want to live in surburb.

You can practice in a suburb and live in a city, no?

 

[ch8nnel]

there are several things to consider:

1) the number of dentists in the US are unevenly distributed between cities, suburban areas, and rural areas. Yes, in several major cities, there are too many (so much so that many are filling for bankruptcy and going out of business). In some rural areas, there is 1 dentist per 50,000 people.

2) the average age of dentists in the US is about 48. In Minnesota, it's 51. So figure in 20 years, there will be a HUGE void to fill.

agree 👍

 

[oae]

yeah, and i bet you they're all persian. 😀

What this suppose to mean? Too many Iranian dentists?

 

[Mackchops]

Here's an interesting example I heard about. NYC is so saturated with dentists yet more new grads want to practice in the city because they're convinced that's where the money is. While it's true that the ceiling is probably higher, the competition is greater. In fact, a new dentist in NYC makes pretty much exactly the same, if not LESS than someone practicing in suburban/rural upstate - there's simply more of a need (you earn what you produce - no patients, no job). Couple this with the MUCH higher cost of living in Manhattan and the fact that merely practicing in NYC means you have about TEN TIMES the malpractice insurance premiums (city folk are much more sue-happy) and you're left with a no-brainer. Avoid urban areas. You don't have to practice in appalacian North Carolina either -- just an hour or two outside of New York makes a world of difference in the number of available patients, ease of finding work, and increased earning potential.

Also, how many new dental schools have opened recently? They're opening because there's a need for young dentists.

 

[TheMillionaireNextDoor]

yeah, and i bet you they're all persian. 😀

Everyone knows how you people get through school.

 

[Andrew324]

The United States and the world needs many many more dentists

 

[The Anhedonia]

What this suppose to mean? Too many Iranian dentists?

it means exactly what it says. there are tons of persians (iranians, it's the same thing) in the medical fields (especially dentistry). and i would venture to say that at least half of those persians live in southern california. they don't call LA "Tehran-geles" for nothing 🙂 (geography lesson of the day --> LA has the highest concentration of Persians outside of Iran).

Everyone knows how you people get through school.

what the heck is that supposed to mean? 😉

 

[Vicviper]

It seems like more of the Dentists in the OC are Asian, but it's not like the race of your dentist really matters.

 

[The Anhedonia]

It seems like more of the Dentists in the OC are Asian, but it's not like the race of your dentist really matters.

of course not, just silly observations 🙂

 

[ReallyCuteGirl]

It seems like more of the Dentists in the OC are Asian, but it's not like the race of your dentist really matters.

Actually, it probably does. People are biased no matter what. Try starting a practice in an Asian neighborhood, you'll go bankrupt in less than a week. I'm sure the same thing will happen to me if I opened a practice near "them."

 

[NyCzPeter]

I remember hearing that if you're willing to move to Alaska, they pay up to 300k. WoW 😱. 4 year millionare

 

[DrReo]

I remember hearing that if you're willing to move to Alaska, they pay up to 300k. WoW 😱. 4 year millionare

What tax bracket are you dreaming of?

 

[Vicviper]

I remember hearing that if you're willing to move to Alaska, they pay up to 300k. WoW 😱. 4 year GROSS millionare

Fixed that one for you, hehehe 🙂

 

[The Anhedonia]

I remember hearing that if you're willing to move to Alaska, they pay up to 300k. WoW 😱. 4 year millionare

and NET 200k. good luck with that 😉

 

[DentalDuck]

Everyone knows how you people get through school.

Yeah, what is that supposed to mean? I've heard rumors, but the only way I plan on getting through school is hard work.

 

[pixidust]

no we won't have too many dentists in the future.

we should have more dental schools though!

 

[mantraman1010]

with the way rap stars are popping up left and right, you'll be in business for a long time making them grills.