Endodontist job outlook. What to do after competing residency?

[Sage of Pale Bones]

I was talking to a Dentist I had shadowed a while back about specializing and was looking towards Endodontics (Assuming I keep my grades up XD ). My only concern is the Job outlook. It seems more and more General Dentists are performing Root canals. Is this something I should be worried about?

Also, what do Endodontist do after completing residency? Do the become associates, or start a practice? How do they get Dentist to refer patients to them?

Any feedback is appreciated

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[kingme23]

The endo guest faculty at our school see mostly retreats or very, very difficult cases in their practices. They say the days of getting the home run easy cases are pretty much at an end, and it's only getting worse as implants become more of a staple. Lots of endo residencies are starting to teach implant placement, which says a lot about how confident they feel in the future of endodontics. But if you like endo, I feel like there's always going to be a place in dentistry for endodontists. Starting a practice is gonna be very tough as a new endodontist (or any specialist) unless you go somewhere where there is no competition. Most dentists already have their go-to specialists that they refer to, and there's more experienced ones if something goes bad with option #1. Who is gonna refer to a new guy in town who just graduated residency? Most of the endos I know joined as associates, or travel to different offices like an endo-on-wheels.

 

[endorotary]

The endo guest faculty at our school see mostly retreats or very, very difficult cases in their practices. They say the days of getting the home run easy cases are pretty much at an end, and it's only getting worse as implants become more of a staple. Lots of endo residencies are starting to teach implant placement, which says a lot about how confident they feel in the future of endodontics. But if you like endo, I feel like there's always going to be a place in dentistry for endodontists. Starting a practice is gonna be very tough as a new endodontist (or any specialist) unless you go somewhere where there is no competition. Most dentists already have their go-to specialists that they refer to, and there's more experienced ones if something goes bad with option #1. Who is gonna refer to a new guy in town who just graduated residency? Most of the endos I know joined as associates, or travel to different offices like an endo-on-wheels.

kingme23- I'm curious which endo residencies that you know of that are teaching residents to place implants? The only ones I have heard of is the program at Einstein and Loma Linda.

 

[kingme23]

kingme23- I'm curious which endo residencies that you know of that are teaching residents to place implants? The only ones I have heard of is the program at Einstein and Loma Linda.

I’m not a program director so I don’t know every program that does, but besides the ones you listed I know UConn and UCSF do. The AAE themselves have put out public statements pushing for implant placement to become part of their specialty. I keep up with dental journals and all signs the last year or two have been pointing to implants becoming a routine part of endo residency training.

 

[ysrebob]

Like general dentistry, the outlook varies regionally. Where I am (near a small college town, great area but not near a city), another endodontist could open up from scratch and be busy right away. A couple hours from here in the major metro area where the GPs are hungry, that would be very tough to pull off. Who knows what the future holds, but at the moment endo can be a great specialty IF you are willing to locate where needed.

 

[RoseEndo]

Check AAE website and attend annual AAE meetings. You get all your answers from practicing endodontists with years of experience. I still wait for a day to practice as a super general dentist, but still busy with Endo. The beauty of Endo is having clinical skills to practice other phases of general dentistry as well. I still look forward to a day Endo disappears to practice as a general dentist

 

[makohunter18]

Personally, I have yet to meet an unhappy/underpaid endodontist. The AAE career center seems to have new associate job listings every few days or so. Also, I believe the AAE has done a good job of limiting the amount of new endo programs opening up (maybe due to decreased need) but regardless, the jobs are there.

 

[Endo16]

Personally, I have yet to meet an unhappy/underpaid endodontist. The AAE career center seems to have new associate job listings every few days or so. Also, I believe the AAE has done a good job of limiting the amount of new endo programs opening up (maybe due to decreased need) but regardless, the jobs are there.

Do what you like, and you go a long way. You can work as an associate for few years and then start a practice. Couple of my friends joined GP friends and started group practice. You can also check aae career section to get an idea how market is for new grads: Jobs | AAE Career Center

 

[kingme23]

Check AAE website and attend annual AAE meetings. You get all your answers from practicing endodontists with years of experience. I still wait for a day to practice as a super general dentist, but still busy with Endo. The beauty of Endo is having clinical skills to practice other phases of general dentistry as well. I still look forward to a day Endo disappears to practice as a general dentist

Is that due to you missing the restorative side of dentistry, or because you get tired of the endo?

 

[deleted659902]

Check AAE website and attend annual AAE meetings. You get all your answers from practicing endodontists with years of experience. I still wait for a day to practice as a super general dentist, but still busy with Endo. The beauty of Endo is having clinical skills to practice other phases of general dentistry as well. I still look forward to a day Endo disappears to practice as a general dentist

How's your back doing? I'd imagine it's fine since endodontists use microscopes...

 

[RoseEndo]

Is that due to you missing the restorative side of dentistry, or because you get tired of the endo?

I love Endo, and I am very happy with my decision to practice as an Endodontist. I was a general dentist for three years before entering specialty. I had to work for three years and helped my husband who was doing OMFS at the time. We are both happy with our career choices. Endo helps to practice longer since your posture is upright and you use microscope. I made that comment since I was told more than a decade ago that Endo won’t be around because of implants, but it is strong now because of rise of posterior composites and AAE’s vision to keep numbers tight. It is a unique specialty because you still have genereal dentistry skills and you can always practice general dentistry. I haven’t seen any of my colleagues have any concerns about financial side of it and they do very well. But choose specialty based on what you love and you will do great! Best of luck to you!