Can a Oral Surgeon also practice general dentistry?

[alpha2716]

I've posted this before and people said why would I do that. My reply was "Because I can make double money offer general dentistry and oral surgery." Then they said no dentist will refer you any patients. But that doesn't make any since because if I'm the dentist if one of my patients needs oral surgery I can just give it to them. So if I'm wrong about something or if I don't know something please feel free to tell me.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[alpha2716]

Also follow up question. If I can't do other general dental procedures can I do things like cleaning and simple dental procedures? Like hire dental hygienists to do the procedures.

 

[Sublimazing]

You need referrals from more than one dentist to have a successful omfs practice

No one will refer to you if you have hygenists.

 

[flurocore]

You will be broke or not nearly making as much as you could by using your skills as an oral surgeon entirely. I wouldn't want an oral surgeon performing general dentistry and vice versa - I have a feeling you'd get rusty, and if you want to split doing both, you may as well just remain a general dentist and not even do the residency. I still don't get why you would want to do both but I suppose I'm not keeping an open mind here.

 

[ortho lurker]

The OP is smart here because he/she is looking out for the future of dental specialties which will eventually turn into general-dental-specialists. Many of you claim that you will refer out future to specialists when in fact you will end up taking CEs to place implants, bone grafts, short-term ortho, etc. and will refer out less and keep more procedures in-house. I don't blame you because the dental market will get even more saturated and the student loans will continue to skyrocket with no end in sight.

 

[DocJL]

Foolish question.

The OP is failing to understand the practice model of an oral surgeon vs a general dentist.


The reason an OMFS makes on average TWICE what a general dentist does, is because they do more lucrative and expensive procedures all day long.

Their offices are equipped differently also.


Let me put it this way.

A busy single provider general dentist might perform anywhere from 3-6k worth of dentistry in a single 8 hour work day (not including his hygiene department). On a busy day with heavy crown and bridge or cosmetic one can do 2 or even 3 times that amount of production, but that is NOT the norm for most practices, and it is NOT everyday.

A busy OMFS can do 10-15k per day easily doing bread and butter procedures such as 3rd molars and a few implants - and in a well established practice it IS the norm.

 

[bsp1013]

The answer is, you'd make more money doing OS.

 

[Silent Cool]

The OP is smart here because he/she is looking out for the future of dental specialties which will eventually turn into general-dental-specialists. Many of you claim that you will refer out future to specialists when in fact you will end up taking CEs to place implants, bone grafts, short-term ortho, etc. and will refer out less and keep more procedures in-house. I don't blame you because the dental market will get even more saturated and the student loans will continue to skyrocket with no end in sight.

OL,

Can you give the OP some realistic income figures for different specialties from friends that you have? Also, what do you think is the most that someone should owe from dental training?

thanx

 

[CMistry]

http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science and Research/HPI/Files/10_sdpi.ashx

Scroll to page 152 for salary estimates. These are the most realistic numbers you will find.

 

[ballztowallzomfs]

why the F**K would you want to practice general dentistry? We are going into/doing OMFS so we don't ever have to do general dentistry.

 

[KinKs]

Questions like this make me remember why I went on a forum hiatus.

 

[Silent Cool]

http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science and Research/HPI/Files/10_sdpi.ashx

Scroll to page 152 for salary estimates. These are the most realistic numbers you will find.

@CMistry thanks for the link--that's great info!

 

[browncrack]

I worked with a former OMFS who lost his his specialty license due to bad behaviour and so became a general dentist until he could get recredentialled. Very bad idea. His skills at general dentistry were about as solid as my efforts to take out full bony lower 3rds. He eventually got recredentialled and went back to OMFS.

 

[Robert L. Middleton]

An over-all dentist is most of your care dental service. This dentist diagnoses and manages your present oral health health care needs, including teeth care, root canals, fillings, crowns, veneers, connections, and preventive training. Oral surgeons after 4 years of dental school, they must go back and have another 5-6 a long time of education including the education of medical school. An oral surgeon will be the oral doctor who performs various surgical procedures in and around the entire face, lips, and jaw area.

 

[AU07DMD]

An over-all dentist is most of your care dental service. This dentist diagnoses and manages your present oral health health care needs, including teeth care, root canals, fillings, crowns, veneers, connections, and preventive training. Oral surgeons after 4 years of dental school, they must go back and have another 5-6 a long time of education including the education of medical school. An oral surgeon will be the oral doctor who performs various surgical procedures in and around the entire face, lips, and jaw area.

Thanks for clearing that up for me buddy.

 

[setdoc7]

Thanks for clearing that up for me buddy.

It's not just about the money. You really cannot bill yourself as a specialist and practice general dentistry. you can hire a GP to be in your office, the model for group multispecialty practice, but if you wish to provide outpatient specialty care in both GP and OMFS, you will probably have to call yourself a GP and offer these other services. Not worthwhile in my opinion, to spend the extra 4-6 years of training. Again, the GP's will not be inclined to send you any patients if they feel you may take them.
If you wish to train in OMFS, stick with that. Your GP skills will not be enhanced over the 4-6 years of training, and you will likely not want to return to it anyway.

 

[bsp1013]

An over-all dentist is most of your care dental service. This dentist diagnoses and manages your present oral health health care needs, including teeth care, root canals, fillings, crowns, veneers, connections, and preventive training. Oral surgeons after 4 years of dental school, they must go back and have another 5-6 a long time of education including the education of medical school. An oral surgeon will be the oral doctor who performs various surgical procedures in and around the entire face, lips, and jaw area.

It's all about who you know. My practice is the social hub of the community.

 

[Aamiya]

It is based on your money backup, otherwise no issue.