General Practitioner vs. Specialist

[madridmister]

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Hey fellas, just wondering do dental specialists (Orthodontists, Oral Surgeons) make more money than general practitioners? Also, I would like to know any suggestions on what are some good dental schools, and if U. of Michigan grants in-state residency after 1 year.

Thank you so much guys! 🙂

 

[dentstd]

you are your own boss. you make as much as you desire and put effort into.

 

[nate28]

Hey fellas, just wondering do dental specialists (Orthodontists, Oral Surgeons) make more money than general practitioners?

They had better! I think of it this way - You will spend a 2-7 years to specialize and it will cost... I don't know, about $40k a year to do that. Then you are also giving up the income you could have earned in GP. Are you really going to put the time and resources into specializing and not have it pay off?

 

[rchuloholla]

It's not about the money.. it's about the teeth! and the joy of makin them look better 😀 😀 😀 😀

 

[DDS/DMD]

anyone know any realistic figures comparing income for GP vs Specialists? Can GP's make as much as 250k?

 

[bruinpredent]

consider that the current average income for a GP is $177,340 (http://www.ada.org/ada/prod/survey/publications_newreports.asp#private) some make significantly more than that and others don't make nearly as much.

in the end, it depends on your approach...do you place your patients first and set up shop in an area that NEEDS dentists (perhaps an underpriveldged area) or do you approach dentistry as PURELY a business?

those are your ends of the $$$ spectrum. just depends on why you're entering the field.


"i became a doctor for the same four reasons everyone does: chicks, money, power, and chicks."

 

[Bocci Balls]

the avg specialist makes $275,000

 

[Bocci Balls]

the avg specialist makes $275,000

 

[TONItheSURFER]

the avg specialist makes $275,000




..heard enough already?

 

[fightingspirit]

They had better! I think of it this way - You will spend a 2-7 years to specialize and it will cost... I don't know, about $40k a year to do that. Then you are also giving up the income you could have earned in GP. Are you really going to put the time and resources into specializing and not have it pay off?

true, but i bet you many people would still specialize even if it did not necessarily mean making more money. i say this because not everyone is made to be a GP. being a successful GP requires:

1-the dentist to be at least average at everything and good at atleast a few procedures. this is difficult because some people end up below average in certain areas, which would limit the scope of their practice. i think they call those "hole fillers"...
2-the dentist to be popular. one has to have a very versatile personality that is agreeable to people regardless of sex, ethnicity and class. this is also not easy.
3-the dentist to have a business mentality. this is also a challenge.

specializing basically takes off the pressure in those 3 areas and provides the lucky ones an escape from the possibility of failure. this is off course one way to look at this subject.

 

[Squished Rat]

true, but i bet you many people would still specialize even if it did not necessarily mean making more money. i say this because not everyone is made to be a GP. being a successful GP requires:

1-the dentist to be at least average at everything and good at atleast a few procedures. this is difficult because some people end up below average in certain areas, which would limit the scope of their practice. i think they call those "hole fillers"...
2-the dentist to be popular. one has to have a very versatile personality that is agreeable to people regardless of sex, ethnicity and class. this is also not easy.
3-the dentist to have a business mentality. this is also a challenge.
specializing basically takes off the pressure in those 3 areas and provides the lucky ones an escape from the possibility of failure. this is off course one way to look at this subject.

I don't see how specialists can afford to not be agreeable to people regardless of sex, ethnicity and class. I am pretty sure specialists also need to treat everyone well. Also, most specialists also have to run a business. Anyone who owns their own practice will have to have some business know-how no matter what areas of dentistry they practice. Most general dentists like doing a variety of procedures while specialists tend to like one area of dentistry...hence why they specialize.

 

[fightingspirit]

I don't see how specialists can afford to not be agreeable to people regardless of sex, ethnicity and class. I am pretty sure specialists also need to treat everyone well. Also, most specialists also have to run a business. Anyone who owns their own practice will have to have some business know-how no matter what areas of dentistry they practice. Most general dentists like doing a variety of procedures while specialists tend to like one area of dentistry...hence why they specialize.

true, and that's why i said "off course that's one way to look at it"....still, i think running a specialty clinic is less challenging than running a GP clinic. off course the specialist should not be an a$$hole to people but still, the GP is under more pressure to be cool and versatile...at least that's my viewpoint.

 

[TONItheSURFER]

true, and that's why i said "off course that's one way to look at it"....still, i think running a specialty clinic is less challenging than running a GP clinic. off course the specialist should not be an a$$hole to people but still, the GP is under more pressure to be cool and versatile...at least that's my viewpoint.

true.. and to add to that, specialists have it easier by having patients referred to them, compared to dentists that have to market and advertise to get their patients. so basically, specialists don't need an impressive office to attract patients..

 

[aphistis]

true.. and to add to that, specialists have it easier by having patients referred to them, compared to dentists that have to market and advertise to get their patients. so basically, specialists don't need an impressive office to attract patients..

Except specialists just have to market to their potential referrers instead of the public at large. 🙂

 

[chomper]

Hey fellas, just wondering do dental specialists (Orthodontists, Oral Surgeons) make more money than general practitioners? Also, I would like to know any suggestions on what are some good dental schools, and if U. of Michigan grants in-state residency after 1 year.

Thank you so much guys! 🙂

Specialists make more money b/c insurances pay out higher fee schedules to them: specialized work = more expensive. ABC news recently reported the following are the highest paid jobs:
1. Oral Surgeons
2. Orthodontists
3. Prosthodontists
4. Anesthesiologists
the list goes on....but I also work with an oral surgeon, he once made 20k in one day!!!

 

[12YearOldKid]

I have been looking to purchase a practice recently so I have been privvy to a lot of confidential financial info. Whether practice purchase is a good idea right now is a topic for another post.

Most practices seem to net around $130,000 - $230,000 and run about $25,000 worth of personal expenses through the office. The guys on the lower end have real low key practices and are just enjoying things as they come - or they are in saturated markets. The guys on the upper end are really busting it. Full schedules, heavy focus on business, very little down time.

The outliers that everybody here likes to hear about, the GPs netting $300,000+ , are few and far between.

I couldn't tell you about specialty practices.

 

[Squished Rat]

true, and that's why i said "off course that's one way to look at it"....still, i think running a specialty clinic is less challenging than running a GP clinic. off course the specialist should not be an a$$hole to people but still, the GP is under more pressure to be cool and versatile...at least that's my viewpoint.

I think in a lot of ways it is easier to market to the general public than to other dentists. The general public for the most part is uninformed about dentistry and are easier to persuade (or fool). I am not saying anyone should be trying to fool the public for any reason. I am just saying that general dentists are a little more savy about dentistry so you have to be more genuine with them and do better work. Any work you do goes back to a general dentist to scrutinize. If you are a general dentist, you can do marginal work, but as long as you are nice and dont hurt patients, they will love you.