Endo VS Peds

[SyazS]

Hello everyone, I hope you’re all doing well. I’m currently in my third year and feeling quite torn between pursuing pediatrics or endodontics. I have a few questions and would really appreciate any insights or advice from those who have experience in these fields.
1. What is the average daily income for a newly graduated pediatric specialist and endodontists who works in various offices? I’ve come across a lot of different figures and would love to hear some real-world examples.
2. In your experience, how many years does it typically take to pay off loans and be in a position to open your own office in both specialty.
3. For building a strong resume, is it essential to have volunteer work specifically related to pediatrics, or can any type of volunteer experience be beneficial?

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[Pablo Sanchez]

These are two wildly different specialties. Your questions seem to be focused on the financials. There is serious money in all fields of dentistry, so don’t pick a specialty based off of the money. Pick it based off of interest in the field. Do you like working with kids and their parents? Do you like doing high volumes of low production procedures (peds) or lower volumes of higher producing procedures (endo)? Do you enjoy sitting down and doing a more tedious procedure (endo) or do you like quick and simple procedures (peds)? Are you able to handle patients regularly coming to you in pain (endo)? These are things to consider.

I’m a general dentist and paid off my loans in just over a year and had the money to be able to buy a practice shortly thereafter. If your primary interest is practice ownership, consider general dentistry as well. If you have a genuine interest in one of these fields, pursue that field.

 

[gryffindor]

Do you want to talk to 50+ people a day or 12 people or less a day?

You can make lots of money in either one.

How quickly you pay down your loans before opening a practice depends on how much you have in loans, your lifestyle expectations, and your debt tolerance.

 

[SyazS]

These are two wildly different specialties. Your questions seem to be focused on the financials. There is serious money in all fields of dentistry, so don’t pick a specialty based off of the money. Pick it based off of interest in the field. Do you like working with kids and their parents? Do you like doing high volumes of low production procedures (peds) or lower volumes of higher producing procedures (endo)? Do you enjoy sitting down and doing a more tedious procedure (endo) or do you like quick and simple procedures (peds)? Are you able to handle patients regularly coming to you in pain (endo)? These are things to consider.

I’m a general dentist and paid off my loans in just over a year and had the money to be able to buy a practice shortly thereafter. If your primary interest is practice ownership, consider general dentistry as well. If you have a genuine interest in one of these fields, pursue that field.

Thank you so much for replying! I really like pediatrics because, in my opinion, it has a more nurturing and feminine vibe, and kids generally love me. I also like endodontics because the faculty told me I’m good at it. However, I’m honestly a bit intimidated by constantly handling difficult cases and the challenge of finding MB2 canals. That said, I’ve heard that endodontics can offer $100k–$200k more than pediatrics in the first few years after graduation, which is why I’m considering it as well. Ultimately, I just want to achieve financial stability at some point in my life. I'm really looking to know the numbers to decide better.

 

[SyazS]

Do you want to talk to 50+ people a day or 12 people or less a day?

You can make lots of money in either one.

How quickly you pay down your loans before opening a practice depends on how much you have in loans, your lifestyle expectations, and your debt tolerance.

Thank you so much for your response! I think people might be fine seeing either 10 or 50 patients a day, but seeing 50 patients while earning less money compared to seeing just 10 doesn’t seem worth it. I’m trying to understand the estimated per day salary expected in the market for these specialties when working in a GP office, especially for someone starting out.

 

[Pablo Sanchez]

Thank you so much for replying! I really like pediatrics because, in my opinion, it has a more nurturing and feminine vibe, and kids generally love me. I also like endodontics because the faculty told me I’m good at it. However, I’m honestly a bit intimidated by constantly handling difficult cases and the challenge of finding MB2 canals. That said, I’ve heard that endodontics can offer $100k–$200k more than pediatrics in the first few years after graduation, which is why I’m considering it as well. Ultimately, I just want to achieve financial stability at some point in my life. I'm really looking to know the numbers to decide better.

You’ll achieve financial stability regardless of which area of dentistry you practice. From what you’ve said it doesn’t sound to me like you enjoy endo at all. Someone told you that you were good at it and you think you’ll make more money in it, but in actuality you’ve done too few root canals to be considered “good” and you have anxiety about some of the difficult cases. You’re going to be practicing for a long time. Follow your interests.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Also something to consider, many endo programs expect you to have practice experience after dental school to be considered competitive. Going into endo straight out of dental school isn’t impossible, but definitely harder.

Big Hoss

 

[gryffindor]

Thank you so much for your response! I think people might be fine seeing either 10 or 50 patients a day, but seeing 50 patients while earning less money compared to seeing just 10 doesn’t seem worth it. I’m trying to understand the estimated per day salary expected in the market for these specialties when working in a GP office, especially for someone starting out.

It's not 50 patients a day in pedo vs 10 patients in endo. It's talking to 5 staff members, 22 patients on the schedule and then 22 parents plus all the extra siblings and caregivers that tag along to the appointments. With endo it's talking to like 2 staff members and the 8 mostly adult patients on your schedule who largely come alone to their appointments. Huge difference in the amount of chitchat and conversations.

You can make good money as an associate or private practice with either one. The specialty isn't what dictates financial success. Your drive for money does.

 

[adam's_song]

Thank you so much for replying! I really like pediatrics because, in my opinion, it has a more nurturing and feminine vibe, and kids generally love me. I also like endodontics because the faculty told me I’m good at it. However, I’m honestly a bit intimidated by constantly handling difficult cases and the challenge of finding MB2 canals. That said, I’ve heard that endodontics can offer $100k–$200k more than pediatrics in the first few years after graduation, which is why I’m considering it as well. Ultimately, I just want to achieve financial stability at some point in my life. I'm really looking to know the numbers to decide better.

I mean if I had to compare your reasonings for the two specialties, it seems like you actually like peds but the only reason you're contemplating endo is because faculty have told you you're good at it and you think it'll net you more $$. As any dentist, whether it be general/peds/endo/ortho/perio/etc, you can be financially stable if you make the right choices and don't spend out of your means. As a GP I'd say I'm financially stable but I'm going into peds because it's something I enjoy. A mentor once told me something really important: "If you strive for money, the money will come. If you strive to do the right thing and take care of your patients, the money will also come."

 

[FutureDent020]

With endo it's talking to like 2 staff members and the 8 mostly adult patients on your schedule who largely come alone to their appointments. Huge difference in the amount of chitchat and conversations.

Come alone to their appointments?! Half the time I have to bring the emotional support/ husband/ wife back to also explain to what’s going on. People show up to getting a root canal like they are getting put under general anesthesia and getting an organ removed. It’s f’in exhausting. (I’m joking a little bit obviously, but we do deal with a ton of anxious people). Which would the make peds the absolute worst. God bless those who do it. I treat a lot of kids and while I love the kids, it definitely wears on me. My partner who is close to 60 won’t even see anyone under 18 anymore.

 

[gryffindor]

Come alone to their appointments?! Half the time I have to bring the emotional support/ husband/ wife back to also explain to what’s going on. People show up to getting a root canal like they are getting put under general anesthesia and getting an organ removed. It’s f’in exhausting. (I’m joking a little bit obviously, but we do deal with a ton of anxious people). Which would the make peds the absolute worst. God bless those who do it. I treat a lot of kids and while I love the kids, it definitely wears on me. My partner who is close to 60 won’t even see anyone under 18 anymore.

The emotional support person hahaha. Good to know. I never refer to endo since our patients come to us with their endo already finished. But the one time I did need to make a referral, I had to call like 4 offices before I found one that would see a 10 year old. So I can understand why your partner has an age limit.

 

[FutureDent020]

The emotional support person hahaha. Good to know. I never refer to endo since our patients come to us with their endo already finished. But the one time I did need to make a referral, I had to call like 4 offices before I found one that would see a 10 year old. So I can understand why your partner has an age limit.

Yea, as a younger guy I see a lot of kids. It’s like a rite of passage. The older guys in the area won’t see them.