Going to be real here, should I go into dentistry if my main motive is money?

[engmedpt]

conduct a correlational study and get back to me when your done if you want to start throwing evidence around and say i have none (you clearly provided none either). your statement is very unlikely to hold with the majority of financially driven applicants. ive seen it, and ive also had many docs give horrific advice, pushing pills and pushing surgery when alternative methods couldve easily fixed the patients problem (in some cases they did, exercise and ice, rehab, cardiovasular treatments to reduce neuropathy and possible limb loss). spend some time in hospitals and private practices to see the sides of the spectrum. MD, DMD, DO carry a lot of prestige and unsaid infallibility in society. Financial drive for vacation homes is not the motivation applicants should have (in fact, with the current debt and location of your matriculation, you might not see large earnings til 40 or 45)

sounds great....keep on living by a man from the 1800s who liked being a hermit. its sad you have to remain skeptical of those people...maybe deterring money driven applicants will make you trust your doctor more.

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[Jack8276]

Why are MD, DOs even part of the thread lol? I just wanted to know about dentistry. My respect to all those who replied. I just want to know if dentistry provides a very feasible path into wealth.

 

[Jack8276]

I do appreciate alternative solutions but I have no interest in MD/DO. None at all.

 

[Ferneezy]

How long does it take for a dentist to start making money? I heard somewhere 5-10 years after they finish school? Is that accurate?

dentists make money the moment they start working, just like everyone else.

perhaps you should clarify what you mean by "making money" and "wealthy".

perhaps you should read up on dental town to get a feel for the mechanics behind a dentist's compensation.

perhaps you should hang in a dental office and gain enough of a practitioner's trust that they will open their books to you, allowing you to see first hand what they make.

 

[hellopeople]

Why are MD, DOs even part of the thread lol? I just wanted to know about dentistry. My respect to all those who replied. I just want to know if dentistry provides a very feasible path into wealth.

People are bringing the MD thing up because many people who consider one, consider the other. They have similar pre-reqs, both deal with patient care, and are in the same ball-park in terms of competitiveness, at least initially.
I agree with the yappy guy (or gal) above; medicine would almost certainly have a better ROI if you are looking at money only.
If you have no interest in medicine, you want to work as an employer rather than an employee (probably joint-ownership in a group practice), consider ~$150,000 to be your idea of good money, and really don't have any "passion" for another career - then go for it. Why not?

Please be ethical. Don't be that guy who tries to over treat. F that guy.

 

[Jack8276]

People are bringing the MD thing up because many people who consider one, consider the other. They have similar pre-reqs, both deal with patient care, and are in the same ball-park in terms of competitiveness, at least initially.
I agree with the yappy guy (or gal) above; medicine would almost certainly have a better ROI if you are looking at money only.
If you have no interest in medicine, you want to work as an employer rather than an employee (probably joint-ownership in a group practice), consider ~$150,000 to be your idea of good money, and really don't have any "passion" for another career - then go for it. Why not?

Please be ethical. Don't be that guy who tries to over treat. F that guy.

I will be ethical. I hate it when hygienists try to trick me into using products I don't need.

 

[Jack8276]

This thread has been nice, cool insight.

 

[Daneosaurus]

I will be ethical. I hate it when hygienists try to trick me into using products I don't need.

Like dental floss???

 

[Jack8276]

Like dental floss???

Like overly expensive mouthwash.

 

[WestHollywoodReporter]

Yeah go for it. Listen you want a profession where you will be making lots of money but also be regarded as well respected in society. I'm a d1 currently. My passion is house music and music production but guess what there's a million of those so I study hard and get passing grades and when I'm out I'll do what I want to do while I practice dentistry to make money. People always are so quick to judge you for doing something you just for money. Screw those people, they aren't paying your bills. Btw Instagram those dude named Dr Sean sadri he's a celeb dentist and works directly with edm producers. He's making bank flying to Dubai to do general dentistry. Also it shows you that you don't have to specialize to make bank. Cosmetic dentistry in the NYC area can get you half a mil a year. Gingival extension, Botox, enamel lengthening and crown lengthening. Also look up dr Michael apa. Before I started dental school I was thinking maybe $250,000 would be nice or you know $110,000. But after seeing these guys and the ballets that practice on Park Ave NYC I know what is possible to make with the right connections and the right marketing tools.

You know there's a lot of kids in my school that really hate to admit that they are motivated by money and they are full of ****. Even the professors at my university say "we all know you guys wanted to come to dental school because you wanted to help people, you guys are saints, and that you fed mother Teresa, and you guys love working with your hands blah blah blah". They know it's bull****. Here you got professors with their own private practices driving to work in Porsches or beamers rocking tag and Rolex watches. Believe me everyone is concerned with their bottom line.

To end this I want to say dental school is hard as ****. Work hard now and you can be partying for the rest of your life. I'm in my late twenties (starting late) and I know that after this is done with, I will be enjoying life for a very longtime. So don't listen to people on here hating on you because you want to do something honest (school) in exchange for money. Isn't the whole point of education to have a good life? If it weren't for the "promised" good life I would have dropped out of high school. This is my opinion. I don't need people arguing with me because there's no right or wrong way to think about life.
Ok I'm done good luck.

 

[Screwtape]

Yeah go for it. Listen you want a profession where you will be making lots of money but also be regarded as well respected in society. I'm a d1 currently. My passion is house music and music production but guess what there's a million of those so I study hard and get passing grades and when I'm out I'll do what I want to do while I practice dentistry to make money. People always are so quick to judge you for doing something you just for money. Screw those people, they aren't paying your bills. Btw Instagram those dude named Dr Sean sadri he's a celeb dentist and works directly with edm producers. He's making bank flying to Dubai to do general dentistry. Also it shows you that you don't have to specialize to make bank. Cosmetic dentistry in the NYC area can get you half a mil a year. Gingival extension, Botox, enamel lengthening and crown lengthening. Also look up dr Michael apa. Before I started dental school I was thinking maybe $250,000 would be nice or you know $110,000. But after seeing these guys and the ballets that practice on Park Ave NYC I know what is possible to make with the right connections and the right marketing tools.

You know there's a lot of kids in my school that really hate to admit that they are motivated by money and they are full of ****. Even the professors at my university say "we all know you guys wanted to come to dental school because you wanted to help people, you guys are saints, and that you fed mother Teresa, and you guys love working with your hands blah blah blah". They know it's bull****. Here you got professors with their own private practices driving to work in Porsches or beamers rocking tag and Rolex watches. Believe me everyone is concerned with their bottom line.

To end this I want to say dental school is hard as ****. Work hard now and you can be partying for the rest of your life. I'm in my late twenties (starting late) and I know that after this is done with, I will be enjoying life for a very longtime. So don't listen to people on here hating on you because you want to do something honest (school) in exchange for money. Isn't the whole point of education to have a good life? If it weren't for the "promised" good life I would have dropped out of high school. This is my opinion. I don't need people arguing with me because there's no right or wrong way to think about life.
Ok I'm done good luck.

There definitely is money in dentistry, no doubt the 1% in most professions do very well. But I urge you, and anyone reading this, that as healthcare professionals we are always professionally and ethically REQUIRED to put the patient's welfare first. Anyone going into dentistry or any other health career, please never forget this. There is equal or more money in other fields that do not require such trust and sometimes selfless actions. This fact is why many people in health careers caution those who seek money as #1.

The ability to generate a good income was a main reason I chose dentistry, but far from the only one.

 

[CMistry]

Going into dentistry for the money is a bad decision.

1) They money isn't THAT good; lots of jobs can pay mid 6-figures these days
2) The work is backbreaking; lots go on disability
3) The loans are atrocious
4) Competition is fierce and if you're not passionate it shows
5) Don't think you'll be very respected as a dentist...
6) If you're in it for the money you'll end up doing unethical things and regretting them

/ Rant

P.S. I have much more experience than most of the dental/pre-dental students who replied to this thread.

 

[WestHollywoodReporter]

Going into dentistry for the money is a bad decision.

1) They money isn't THAT good; lots of jobs can pay mid 6-figures these days
2) The work is backbreaking; lots go on disability
3) The loans are atrocious
4) Competition is fierce and if you're not passionate it shows
5) Don't think you'll be very respected as a dentist...
6) If you're in it for the money you'll end up doing unethical things and regretting them

/ Rant

P.S. I have much more experience than most of the dental/pre-dental students who replied to this thread.

Actually the money is pretty good lol. It depends how you want to work: do you want to accept all insurances? Do you want to do enamel lengthening, are you going to do implants? are you marketing yourself well on instagram etc. Are you automatically liking everything dental related on instagram with Likestagram while marketing to a subset of individuals and getting your name out there? Now I'm a dental student, but since the financial aspect interests me very much I've researched all of this and spoke to some big earners in Park Ave.

 

[mis_gnomer]

If your sole motivation is to make money, there are easier ways to do it than becoming a dentist.

 

[PocketRocket]

Yeah sure why not. It's your life do whatever you want

 

[CanaDMD]

If your sole motivation is to make money, there are easier ways to do it than becoming a dentist, and these other fields could potentially have even greater financial payoff. Investment banking, financial management, certain branches of real estate, etc. have the potential to be just as or even more lucrative and don't have as much of an upper limit for income. Yes, most dentists live comfortably with a steady income, but you'll probably never find one who is absurdly rich.

The careers I mentioned also entail less debt and intense schooling. Choosing a career outside dentistry also means that you won't work with your hands all day, put your hands in people's gross mouths, or have back aches after a long day. Unfortunately someone still might throw up on you, but it's more likely to be one of your hookers who got too drunk on the yacht than a screaming kid in a dental chair. Not being in healthcare also means that ethics will not factor into your daily decisions as much, and if you aren't remotely passionate about dentistry matters of moral principles and empathy will probably be at best cumbersome to you. My point is that the upside of the comfortable dental lifestyle is also inextricably bound to challenges inherent to the profession, namely its intellectual rigor, physical intensity, ethical bent, and interpersonal focus.

My favorite illustration of this is a man named Herman Ostrow, for whom USC's dental school is named following his generous $35 million dollar endowment. Ostrow graduated from the dental school in 1945, but eventually transitioned into real estate in the LA area, where he earned most of his money. I think it's safe to say that a person working with a dental salary alone could not fathom giving away that amount of money. And if money is the only thing it comes down to, dentistry seems like a poor decision.

I love it when people use examples such as investment banking. Like becoming a high-paid investment banker is an easy thing. Unless you went to an Ivy or your family is well-connected (if your family is well connected, you probably went to an ivy anyways), it's a hell of a step to get a high paying job in these said fields.

MOST real estate brokers, financial managers, investment bankers I know make way less than MOST of the dentists I know. Few make way more, in all these fields. I know dentists who make as much as top investment bankers... I guess the only difference is, well, dentistry has a higher floor.

 

[ruby0wl]

dentists make money the moment they start working, just like everyone else.

perhaps you should clarify what you mean by "making money" and "wealthy".

perhaps you should read up on dental town to get a feel for the mechanics behind a dentist's compensation.

perhaps you should hang in a dental office and gain enough of a practitioner's trust that they will open their books to you, allowing you to see first hand what they make.

Hi Ferneezy, how does a student gain access to dental town? Whenever I try to make an account to read up on dentist forums, I get a message stating that it is for healthcare professionals only and cannot access the forums.

 

[CanaDMD]

Hi Ferneezy, how does a student gain access to dental town? Whenever I try to make an account to read up on dentist forums, I get a message stating that it is for healthcare professionals only and cannot access the forums.

You need to be a dental student

 

[charlestweed]

I love it when people use examples such as investment banking. Like becoming a high-paid investment banker is an easy thing. Unless you went to an Ivy or your family is well-connected (if your family is well connected, you probably went to an ivy anyways), it's a hell of a step to get a high paying job in these said fields.

MOST real estate brokers, financial managers, investment bankers I know make way less than MOST of the dentists I know. Few make way more, in all these fields. I know dentists who make as much as top investment bankers... I guess the only difference is, well, dentistry has a higher floor.

I find it amusing when people here say there are plenty of jobs (that are easier than dentistry) out there that allow you bring home a 6-figure income. If it's so easy, then why are so few (I heard it's about 5%) who make over 100k/year ? And even if one can get a 6-figure job without having a DDS, how long will he/she be able to keep it? If he/she is fired or laid off, how easy is it for him/her to find another 6-figure job? It's more important to look at the accumulated wealth instead of the annual income.

You can be an average dentist, who doesn't need to own a practice, and make 6-figure income. My sister, my wife and I are just average dentists. We open our offices in highly saturated areas and charge fees that are much lower than what most of our colleagues in other states charge their patients. And we all love our jobs. It's not very hard to find associate dentist jobs right after graduation. You can easily find an associate job even when you are in your late 50s, early 60s. Dentistry offers you financial stability over a long period of time (as long as you don't get sick or have carpel tunnel). Dentistry allows you to make money quickly so you can start investing in stock or in real estates. Many dentists become rich not from doing dentistry but from the profits they earn from other investments.

 

[Hyunin1210]

how does a student gain access to dental town? Whenever I try to make an account to read up on dentist forums, I get a message stating that it is for healthcare professionals only and cannot access the forums.

If you have been accepted to a dental school, you can also use your acceptance letter/email to gain access.

 

[CanaDMD]

I find it amusing when people here say there are plenty of jobs (that are easier than dentistry) out there that allow you bring home a 6-figure income. If it's so easy, then why are so few (I heard it's about 5%) who make over 100k/year ? And even if one can get a 6-figure job without having a DDS, how long will he/she be able to keep it? If he/she is fired or laid off, how easy is it for him/her to find another 6-figure job? It's more important to look at the accumulated wealth instead of the annual income.

You can be an average dentist, who doesn't need to own a practice, and make 6-figure income. My sister, my wife and I are just average dentists. We open our offices in highly saturated areas and charge fees that are much lower than what most of our colleagues in other states charge their patients. And we all love our jobs. It's not very hard to find associate dentist jobs right after graduation. You can easily find an associate job even when you are in your late 50s, early 60s. Dentistry offers you financial stability over a long period of time (as long as you don't get sick or have carpel tunnel). Dentistry allows you to make money quickly so you can start investing in stock or in real estates. Many dentists become rich not from doing dentistry but from the profits they earn from other investments.

I love you. Glad to see a dentist sharing my point of view. So if you didn't believe me, a lone dental student, a one upper just vouched

I have family in the tech industry doing better than many dentists out there. Which means I've seen first hand HOW MANY of their colleagues are scraping off 70-90k/yr jobs in their 30s and 40s (not that those salaries are low, but come on, that doesn't compete with even an associate's salary)

 

[jeffk805dent]

I love you. Glad to see a dentist sharing my point of view. So if you didn't believe me, a lone dental student, a one upper just vouched

I have family in the tech industry doing better than many dentists out there. Which means I've seen first hand HOW MANY of their colleagues are scraping off 70-90k/yr jobs in their 30s and 40s (not that those salaries are low, but come on, that doesn't compete with even an associate's salary)

keep in mind many of those tech jobs' salaries that are high tend to be in high cost of living areas (SF/Silicon Valley) to compensate for the insane cost of living, whereas a dentist's salary in a lower COL area could potentially be much higher and means your salary will go much further in those areas for your spending. I'll admit though I have not fully researched the tech job market and its demand in smaller cities, so it would be great if someone pointed me out to some data that contradicts what I said above.

Besides health-care, the only job I've noticed that pays incredibly well in all types of cities is accounting, I'm not talking about the bookkeeper or AP/payroll type positions, I'm talking folks with 4-5 years of public accounting experience with a CPA license. Those folks have it pretty good in a variety of cities and the avoidance of stressful hours of public accounting.

 

[Kayaker89]

I love it when people use examples such as investment banking. Like becoming a high-paid investment banker is an easy thing. Unless you went to an Ivy or your family is well-connected (if your family is well connected, you probably went to an ivy anyways), it's a hell of a step to get a high paying job in these said fields.

MOST real estate brokers, financial managers, investment bankers I know make way less than MOST of the dentists I know. Few make way more, in all these fields. I know dentists who make as much as top investment bankers... I guess the only difference is, well, dentistry has a higher floor.

Yeah I find this funny too, and you hear it on sd all the time. My friend majored in finance to "make the big bucks" in investment banking. Turns out you basically have to go to ivy leagues or have really good connections. He makes 60k in nyc and works 70-80 hour weeks looking at computer screens all day. You do this until you prove yourself in sales, which means you either have a ton of rich friends or somehow get lucky making thousands and thousands of cold calls. Seems like an awful existence to me. Pretty much the only fields where you can study hard and be handed a high paying job are engineering or health care. I would certainly advice anyone who can do it to major in one on those two fields.

 

[jeffk805dent]

Going into dentistry for the money is a bad decision.

1) They money isn't THAT good; lots of jobs can pay mid 6-figures these days
2) The work is backbreaking; lots go on disability
3) The loans are atrocious
4) Competition is fierce and if you're not passionate it shows
5) Don't think you'll be very respected as a dentist...
6) If you're in it for the money you'll end up doing unethical things and regretting them

/ Rant

P.S. I have much more experience than most of the dental/pre-dental students who replied to this thread.

out of curiosity what jobs would you say have mid-6 figures

I can think of only:

actuary (after passing the first 4-6 exams)
pharmacy manager (these are increasingly becoming hard to come by)
nurse practitioner
engineer (w/ 10 years experience)
CPA (w / 1o years experience)

I didnt put finance because there tends to be a lot of finance grads from non-target schools thinking they'll rake in the big bucks only to top out at 80k - better off with a career in the trades.

 

[dentalcpa90]

out of curiosity what jobs would you say have mid-6 figures

I can think of only:

actuary (after passing the first 4-6 exams)
pharmacy manager (these are increasingly becoming hard to come by)
nurse practitioner
engineer (w/ 10 years experience)
CPA (w / 1o years experience)

I didnt put finance because there tends to be a lot of finance grads from non-target schools thinking they'll rake in the big bucks only to top out at 80k - better off with a career in the trades.

Management Consulting but the lifestyle is not great and a lot of traveling.

Computer Science - Programming, IT, and Data Science

 

[jeffk805dent]

Management Consulting but the lifestyle is not great and a lot of traveling.

Computer Science - Programming, IT, and Data Science

Shoot I'd forgotten about consulting, I remember that being a big deal from 2008-2012, is the job market for that still great?

At my undergrad alma matter, USC, Computer Science is put within the engineering dept (as I mentioned above) but I guess its unique enough to be deemed a separate career from engineering.

 

[dentalcpa90]

Shoot I'd forgotten about consulting, I remember that being a big deal from 2008-2012, is the job market for that still great?

Yes, it is still good. In most business schools, the tiers of jobs are Investment Banking > Consulting > > > > Public Accounting.

The good thing about accounting though is that you can easily transfer over to any company/industry and work normal hours but mostly like you won't be rich though. Enough for a comfortable life though. Also, you can find work any where, unlike investment banking, where you have live in a major city (SF/NY).

At my undergrad alma matter, USC, Computer Science is put within the engineering (as I mentioned above) but I guess its unique enough to be deemed a separate career from engineering.

I would put it separate. CS is way more in demand and higher pay. Engineering is also very regional based too. I would do research on where most of the jobs are located before you actually choose a specialty to major in.