Help.....breaking news!!!

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
D

dwill

Full Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Aug 26, 2008
Messages
30
Reaction score
0
Points
50
  1. Pre-Dental
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
My hometown newspaper just released an article today about the study on the future of dentistry. They said within the span of 5 years that the average dental salary is predicted to profoundly drop due to the saturation in the dental work force. They cited many credible sources and according to their facts the median dental salary will be below $100,000.

Is this really going to happen??? :scared: I already got accepted into dental school but should we start looking into other careers like chiropractic or PA???

Please help, all opinions are welcome.
 
dwill said:
My hometown newspaper just released an article today about the study on the future of dentistry. They said within the span of 5 years that the average dental salary is predicted to profoundly drop due to the saturation in the dental work force. They cited many credible sources and according to their facts the median dental salary will be below $100,000.

Is this really going to happen??? :scared: I already got accepted into dental school but should we start looking into other careers like chiropractic or PA???

Please help, all opinions are welcome.
Click to expand...

yes you should..i'm not in yet and will gladly take your seat
 
100k is fine & it depends on where you practice amongst other things. if you're soley in it for the money, i'm sure there are other fields that will appeal to you.
 
Link to the article, please? I would like to see these, "credible sources."

If money is your only draw to dentistry, you are likely heading down the wrong career path. If that's the case, then, yes, I suggest you become a chiropractor or PA.

dwill said:
My hometown newspaper just released an article today about the study on the future of dentistry. They said within the span of 5 years that the average dental salary is predicted to profoundly drop due to the saturation in the dental work force. They cited many credible sources and according to their facts the median dental salary will be below $100,000.

Is this really going to happen??? :scared: I already got accepted into dental school but should we start looking into other careers like chiropractic or PA???

Please help, all opinions are welcome.
Click to expand...
 
bjhath said:
If money is your only draw to dentistry, you are likely heading down the wrong career path.
Click to expand...

If you aren't in it for the money then what are you in it for? Do you have a fetish with teeth?
 
The articles may have been released today but when was it written?
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
if the article is credible, the alarming thing is that dental school cost of attendance (debts), is increasing yearly, yet our salaries would decrease
 
where is your hometown?
 
C'mon people...we all have our [many] reasons for getting into dentistry...and if any of you deny that the $ aspect is at least part of the appeal, you're full of it.
 
vlct0ria said:
C'mon people...we all have our [many] reasons for getting into dentistry...and if any of you deny that the $ aspect is at least part of the appeal, you're full of it.
Click to expand...

Absolutely. I wouldn't consider dentistry at all if it didn't have the potential to pay off $250k in student loans.
 
Most if not all of the dentists ive met ... including my father are seriously nearing retirement and schools are only increasing admission based on the upcoming perceived need for dentists. When my dad was in school the big news on the street was that a new dental vaccine would end the need for dentists all together.
 
vlct0ria said:
C'mon people...we all have our [many] reasons for getting into dentistry...and if any of you deny that the $ aspect is at least part of the appeal, you're full of it.
Click to expand...

ok, so do you plan on choosing a new career based on a 20-40k decrease in salary?
people aren't saying that money isn't part of the appeal. but if you decide that money is the basis for your gravitation to dentistry, maybe it's not the best path for you.
besides, there's an increasing need for dentists.
 
appleonius said:
ok, so do you plan on choosing a new career based on a 20-40k decrease in salary?
people aren't saying that money isn't part of the appeal. but if you decide that money is the basis for your gravitation to dentistry, maybe it's not the best path for you.
besides, there's an increasing need for dentists.
Click to expand...

Well fortunately money is not the basis for my decision to pursue dentistry...therefore the reason I am not changing my mind based on some local paper's article. I've been under the impression also that there is a need for dentists, which makes a story like this even more strange, that the work force is somehow over-saturated...
 
dwill said:
My hometown newspaper just released an article today about the study on the future of dentistry. They said within the span of 5 years that the average dental salary is predicted to profoundly drop due to the saturation in the dental work force. They cited many credible sources and according to their facts the median dental salary will be below $100,000.

Is this really going to happen??? :scared: I already got accepted into dental school but should we start looking into other careers like chiropractic or PA???

Please help, all opinions are welcome.
Click to expand...
I'm confused as to how this thread is better than ones of "*****s posting what are my chances."
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=596614
 
I have heard nothing but the opposite. The few new dental schools in the recent past will not outweigh the increased need for dental care. First of all, all the baby boomers are either retiring dentists or people who need dental care...or both!. Also, the demand for elective dental procedures increase with every episode of, "Top Model"!

Sure, there are locations that have GP/cosmetic dentists on every corner but overall, I think dental care is in short supply Nation wide.

Relax....breath innnnnnn......and outttttttttt......ahhhhhhh :laugh:
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
get em DIZZ
 
ummm there's like a bajillion counties in my state that don't even have a single dentist.
 
I wouldn't doubt it if the five year outlook for dentists has slight slump. More importantly, what is the 10-15 year outlook? Like pdizzle said the baby boomers will be reaching retirement and the field should be wide open. Also as the boomers age as a whole there will be an even greater need for dental care. We will all be fine.
 
:troll:

👎thumbdown👎
:boom:
 
I also read that redheads will be extinct in 50 years.
 
This is revolutionary.
I am changing careers. I suggest many of you also should.
 
doc3232 said:
This is revolutionary.
I am changing careers. I suggest many of you also should.
Click to expand...

dammit so much for going to dental school..im officially giving up my spot and turning to podiatry..my local paper says ppl's feet will be hurting much more than usual in the next 10-15 yrs
 
/agree with Ranelar!!!

:troll:

Dwill is luv'n every second of this.

This is my last post and suggest we all do the same.
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
glk2101 said:
dammit so much for going to dental school..im officially giving up my spot and turning to podiatry..my local paper says ppl's feet will be hurting much more than usual in the next 10-15 yrs
Click to expand...

haha, but nikes are the podiatry equivalent of the anti-cavity vaccine in dentistry
 
vlct0ria said:
Well fortunately money is not the basis for my decision to pursue dentistry...therefore the reason I am not changing my mind based on some local paper's article. I've been under the impression also that there is a need for dentists, which makes a story like this even more strange, that the work force is somehow over-saturated...
Click to expand...

I like your attitude. Going into dentistry because of the appeal of the financial rewards is not necessarily a bad thing. It is definitely one reason BUT IT SHOULD NOT BE THE ONLY REASON. One of the many problems that dentist and school adcomms have with a dental applicant being motivated ONLY by money is that it tends to have unintended adverse consequences that affect everyone. There is always the concern that a dentist motivated only by money can be susceptible to greed which in turn often leads to major health insurance fraud. I see, hear and read about it all the time…dentists treatment plan patients for unnecessary procedures just to line their pockets. I have seen new patients who have come from other dentists and I often question why certain procedures were performed on the patient by the previous dentist when all evidence indicates that the procedure was unnecessary. This is one of the primary reasons why some patients have an inherent distrust of dentists. Every year, hundreds of millions of dollars of insurance fraud is committed in the healthcare industry and many dentists are among them. Health insurance fraud raises the premiums for everyone and as a result, many people can longer afford health and dental care. It's a huge problem which is why the government and major insurance carriers have large departments dedicated solely to the detection and prosecution of insurance fraud. Lawmakers have made criminal penalties for insurance fraud very severe for that reason…to deter it from happening because it has been and still is a big problem in the healthcare industry. There are many cases that get reported in the news media but there are hundreds of thousands of fraud cases that occur quietly under the radar. This is just one reason why adcomms at schools such as UCLA really question a dental applicant's motivation to pursue dentistry. Is pursuing dentistry for financial rewards a bad thing? No…in itself, it is not a bad thing but it's a slippery slope that many dentists fall down and can lead to undesirable results. It's those undesirable results (i.e. insurance fraud) that makes dental adcomms cautious of people who are motivated only by money and rightfully so. Furthermore, there is also the concern that dentists who are motivated only by money can be tempted to make profit a priority over patient care. As pre-dents, you have not had this experience yet but one day, some of you may work as associate dentists in an office. Many of you will be pressured to perform substandard dentistry by managing dentists whose only concern is to meet the minimum profit margin or else you'll get fired. It is then that you will experience what I am saying. That having been said, dentistry in the hands of the wrong person can do a great deal of damage to patients and to the reputation of the dental profession as a whole. As my dean at UCLA once told me, "good people can often end up doing bad things".

P.S. Let me point out that health insurance fraud is pervasive in all aspects of healthcare and not just in dentistry. But since this is a dental forum, I address it from the dental perspective.
 
glk2101 said:
dammit so much for going to dental school..im officially giving up my spot and turning to podiatry..my local paper says ppl's feet will be hurting much more than usual in the next 10-15 yrs
Click to expand...



this

we better study for the PCAT just in case while we are at it!!!!😱😱😱
 
:troll:

I don't have anything but time right now, so I might as well feed the beast!
Bureau of Labor Statistics said:
Employment of dentists is projected to grow nine percent through 2016, about as fast as the average for all occupations. The demand for dental services is expected to continue to increase. The overall population is growing, particularly the number of older people, which will increase the demand for dental care. As members of the baby-boom generation advance into middle age, a large number will need complicated dental work, such as bridges. In addition, elderly people are more likely to retain their teeth than were their predecessors, so they will require much more care than in the past. The younger generation will continue to need preventive checkups despite an overall increase in the dental health of the public over the last few decades. Recently, some private insurance providers have increased their dental coverage. If this trend continues, those with new or expanded dental insurance will be more likely to visit a dentist than in the past. Also, while they are currently a small proportion of dental expenditures, cosmetic dental services, such as fitting braces for adults as well as children and providing teeth-whitening treatments, have become increasingly popular.

However, employment of dentists is not expected to keep pace with the increased demand for dental services. Productivity increases from new technology, as well as having dental hygienists and assistants perform some tasks, will allow dentists to perform more work than they have in the past. As their practices expand, dentists are likely to hire more hygienists and dental assistants to handle routine services.
Click to expand...
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos072.htm

dwill said:
If you aren't in it for the money then what are you in it for? Do you have a fetish with teeth?
Click to expand...
Why yes I do! I enjoy taking pictures of teeth and posting them on my favorite teeth forums for all of my fellow fetishists to peruse and comment on. However, there is nothing I love more than spending an erotic evening pampering and loving my teeth. I begin our date by slipping a long piece of flavored floss between them and gently tugging it back and forth. After that, I lavish them with the warm, wet spray of a Waterpik. The night continues to get hotter with a gentle cuddle using a toothbrush oozing with my favorite flavored party gel. Our date comes to a climactic conclusion with a sensuous swish of rinse that leaves us both with a feeling of tingly, mediciny freshness! 😍

Get a grip dude. I made plenty of money in my previous career, but had very little happiness. It was fun for a while, but was unfulfilling overall. Improving lives, creativity, and the independence of owning a practice are what drew me to dentistry. Money is distant in my decision to make this career change.

Good luck to you!
 
Omg I soiled myself when I read this article! Just kidding, you're an idiot. There is already a glut of dentists in the U.S., but it does not and will not affect reimbursements. It just means it will be harder to find a job.
 
Help! This thread needs to be closed.
 
for those who want to become a dentist sorely b/c of money, i suggest you look into other professions b/c you will not care about your future patients, which is a shame.
 
bjhath said:
Why yes I do! I enjoy taking pictures of teeth and posting them on my favorite teeth forums for all of my fellow fetishists to peruse and comment on. However, there is nothing I love more than spending an erotic evening pampering and loving my teeth. I begin our date by slipping a long piece of flavored floss between them and gently tugging it back and forth. After that, I lavish them with the warm, wet spray of a Waterpik. The night continues to get hotter with a gentle cuddle using a toothbrush oozing with my favorite flavored party gel. Our date comes to a climactic conclusion with a sensuous swish of rinse that leaves us both with a feeling of tingly, mediciny freshness! 😍
Click to expand...

hahaha👍
 
Unless your local paper is the New York Times, I don't buy it.

Dentists are going to start retiring like crazy in the next 10 years...
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
dwill said:
My hometown newspaper just released an article today about the study on the future of dentistry. They said within the span of 5 years that the average dental salary is predicted to profoundly drop due to the saturation in the dental work force. They cited many credible sources and according to their facts the median dental salary will be below $100,000.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I read that today in the Bumblef*ck Gazette.. Under $100,000.. How will we eat?? Besides by using our teeth that is.. I'm so scared! :scared:
 
damn better get my PCAT destroyer
 
I love reading the various justifications for why students are pursuing health care professions, particularly dentistry. Let's all be honest: money and prestige are THE prevailing reasons, deep down, for going into dentistry. If it makes you feel warm and fuzzy to blabber on about loving science, wanting to help people, fix smiles, run a practice, whatever, then continue. It is obviously necessary to say these things in a personal statement and during an interview. But you are being completely dishonest with yourself if you try to make the argument that money is NOT the main reason why you are doing this. When (not if) dentist salaries plummet, applications/competitiveness will decrease accordingly.

Guess what? All of the reasons typically laundry listed for pursuing dentistry also apply to, dare I say it, chiropractic. The big difference is, chiros on average make nowhere near what dentists make. Think about it.

Dr. Rick... out

"Why put off the inevitable."
 
I disagree with the saturation. Every year admissions officers come speak at our dental clubs and show us the trends. Texas schools were crossing 400 new dentists a year in the 70s. Since then, the class sizes have decreased to the 200 they accept every year today. The average practice length is 35 years. So what does that mean? New opportunity. And OK shares a border with Texas, I doubt there is much difference in dentist levels btw the two.
 
dwill... I don't think your local paper could have been any more incorrect. Heard of the "baby boomers"? well there the largely over populated generation nearing the end of there work life... meaning a large percentage of dentists are retiring. Also notably the number of seats available has significantly dropped over the last twenty years so that means less dentists while the population of the world continues to grow.. More patients with less dentists.. I have a hard time seeing how the average salary will drop. Of course it matters where you practice but as long as it is a decent size town 100000 or so you can count on at least 250k... And thats currently so if dentists salaries increase I bet you can do the math.
 
Still don't have to work the hours of a doctor and will make about the same. That's fine.
 
Dancingah said:
A dentist I worked with mentioned that with the number of women getting accepted into dental school, we may actually be in more demand. Sad but true is that many women get trained work a few years and then go part time / retire. That means that the number of active dentists is actually dropping with a growing population. I worry that the goverment will then see a need to then "Bail" us out 🙂

======================
http://www.coursesaver.com
DAT Video Review for Free
Click to expand...

That is a good point. I did not really consider that.
 
dwill said:
They cited many credible sources and according to their facts the median dental salary will be below $100,000.

Perhaps Median Dental Salary = Dentists, Hygenists, and Assistants?


dwill said:
Is this really going to happen??? :scared: I already got accepted into dental school but should we start looking into other careers like chiropractic or PA???quote]

yes.
it is a factor in your decision, yes, but if that is the basis of ur decision, find a new career path.

I love how people get into school then feel they are finally allowed to "admit" that they are in it for the money and fridays at the golf course.

if your doing it for the wrong reason, your gonna be miserable Mon-Thurs and the feeling wont be vindicated by a 3 day long weekend.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
(My tone here was meant to be 95% sarcastic, but I hope it makes you think at least 5%, too).

Hey, I resemble that statement...! Neither an echidna, nor someone named "Billy," I will be a 34-year-old female when I graduate from dental school in 2013 (if I get in this year). I have spent some time considering how the "clock is ticking," as it were... Check your rhetoric: why does a female dentist have to check out of the profession permanently in order to have a couple of babies? Perhaps you shouldn't call it "retiring" if a female dentist takes a little time off to have a family. I realize that this is a consideration male dentists wouldn't really have to think about to the same degree, but I don't think it's very fair for male dentists to be gleefully waiting for the women in the profession to default to being stay-at-home moms, so they can cash in. If you are a good dentist, you will be successful, regardless of gender.

By the way, I think male dentists with giant beer bellies, greater than or equal to the size of a full-term pregnant belly should be forbidden to practice until they get it under control. Just as a matter of principle. That should create a little more income for you!
 
Last edited:
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Personal Statement Help
Replies
1
Views
1K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
D
AADSAS Shadowing Help
Replies
0
Views
1K
DentAspire22
D
Mr.Smile12
Help us create a GPA-DAT grid!
Replies
11
Views
2K
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
[News] Florida Atlantic proposed dental school needs funding
Replies
0
Views
839
Mr.Smile12
Mr.Smile12
V
HELP with UNE prerequisites!
Replies
2
Views
781
Vic360
V
Top Bottom