How do Dentists compete with each other?

[Arijos0222]

---

Members don't see this ad.

I honestly really had no type of idea of how many dentists there are in the USA.

https://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=dentist&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&sa=N&tab=wl

How can these dentists compete with each other? Look at Florida, or New York, or Connecticut... How can a new grad open their own practice and and expect to compete with 30-40 dentists in a 15 mile radius? It seems almost impossible and I'm not entirely sure how a new practice owner will make 150-250K in 5 years or so when their are already many established practices... How much does this limit geographical location of which I would want to practice in? Like say, Northern California or say, Sarasota, Florida?

I feel that Dentistry is heading towards nearly the same saturation as Pharmacy.

 

[UCSFx2017]

Only the nice, popular areas are saturated.

 

[JAWSSS]

I will start to worry when dentists start practicing at a Wal-mart.... or at CVS.

Also... That map looks WAY worse when you search for doctors...

 

[cmF]

I will start to worry when dentists start practicing at a Wal-mart.... or at CVS.

Also... That map looks WAY worse when you sear for doctors...

They already have pharmacists and optometrists at Walmart. Why not dentists?! 👎

 

[Bis-GMA111]

to answer your question OP...

[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obZkuFoTPI4[/YOUTUBE]

 

[periopocket]

Chair side manner, personality. Adaptability and clinical skill. LOCATION!

 

[jeffity]

Chair side manner, personality. Adaptability and clinical skill. LOCATION!

Seriously. All dentists are not created equally. OP, I don't know if you're old enough to have been there yet, but it makes sense to me when I think about why I've switch dentists or PCPs (for myself or children). In fact, at 9:30 today I have an appointment (3rd one) with a specialist and I'm not going back like I know he's going to want me to. I'll find another doctor. Why? I'm not a fan of his personality and he isn't really listening to what I'm telling him. He's a douche. Funny. Sounds exactly like what they told us in lecture this year.

And that's just one part of the puzzle. Dentistry is awesome and we are all going to be fine as long as we understand there's more to success than just earning the degree.

 

[SteinmetzMD]

I think Wal-Mart having dentists is the next step in the field, probably.

It will definitely make it harder on those who have their own private practices, but it will also be another option for Dentists right out of Dent School who don't want to start their own practice right away.

 

[jwdent]

When you look at a map that shows all of the dental offices of course its going to look like its hard to compete in dentistry. But look at many other things on google maps like restaurants, medical doctors, lawyers, and you will question how they all compete too.

Like other posters have said. Not all dentists are the same. Instead of wondering how much a dentists earns, the questions should be how much will you, Dr. so and so earn? The people I know who are earning big money in dentistry are not doing so only because they have a DDS or DMD. They are personable, confident people with a business sense.

I don't expect that everyone in my class 5 years out will be earning the same amount. People in my class having vary personalities and varying goals.

 

[Ferneezy]

I live in Orlando, and would like to stay here. Does anyone know how the market is here? I don't need a mega huge business or anything, I'd be satisfied with a comfortable, healthy office if I get to stay in my hometown. Is that possible in a popular city like Orlando? Also, my father-in-law is a dentist here, so perhaps that can be an advantage.

does your father-in-law browse and post on sdn?

 

[NDPitch]

How can these dentists compete with each other?

The folks on dental town would tell you that "you don't". And that "this is why the days of dentistry being a great career are over".

Are they pessimistic or speaking from experience? I do not know the answer to that one. It's pretty much a fact, though, that there are areas where the market is saturated and there aren't enough patients to please all the dentists in the area. Some people say that's because of delayed retirement but I'm not so sure. I'm one of the people that doesn't believe in the whole "dental shortage" prediction. It's a distribution problem, not a shortage. Dentists are a dime a dozen in the areas that people enjoy living in.

 

[blankman321]

The folks on dental town would tell you that "you don't". And that "this is why the days of dentistry being a great career are over".

Are they pessimistic or speaking from experience? I do not know the answer to that one. It's pretty much a fact, though, that there are areas where the market is saturated and there aren't enough patients to please all the dentists in the area. Some people day that's because of delayed retirement but I'm not so sure. I'm one of the people that doesn't believe in the whole "dental shortage" predictions. It's a distribution problem, not a shortage. Dentists are a dime a dozen in the areas that people enjoy living in.

does the same apply to physicians, or is their demand so great (we're limited to a part of the human body no bigger than a cup) that a "physician shortage" exists in every popular place?

 

[NDPitch]

does the same apply to physicians, or is their demand so great (we're limited to a part of the human body no bigger than a cup) that a "physician shortage" exists in every popular place?

Hmm. My opinion is that medicine just has a higher demand. I think most of the general public has a PCP and they go for their annual visits. On the flip side, I think a lot of people don't have a dentist.

There are a lot of citizens that don't go the dentist because they either don't have insurance, they think it's too expensive, they're afraid, they think they don't need a cleaning, or perhaps a combination of these things. Mix these conditions with dentists on every corner, and you can see why dentists in areas like SoCal are having a hard time.

But, the shortage in medicine (I think) is mostly limited to primary care. Everyone wants to specialize these days. No one wants a GP salary when you're 350k in the hole. But there will definitely be a job waiting for you after your 7 years of schooling, haha.

Successful dentistry to me is about location, personality, business skills, and word of mouth.

 

[blankman321]

Hmm. My opinion is that medicine just has a higher demand. I think most of the general public has a PCP and they go for their annual visits. On the flip side, I think a lot of people don't have a dentist.

There are a lot of citizens that don't go the dentist because they either don't have insurance, they think it's too expensive, they're afraid, they think they don't need a cleaning, or perhaps a combination of these things. Mix these conditions with dentists on every corner, and you can see why dentists in areas like SoCal are having a hard time.

But, the shortage in medicine (I think) is mostly limited to primary care. Everyone wants to specialize these days. No one wants a GP salary when you're 350k in the hole. But there will definitely be a job waiting for you after your 7 years of schooling, haha.

Successful dentistry to me is about location, personality, business skills, and word of mouth.

thanks for the reply. so is it tougher to break in as a dermatologist/surgeon in a popular city then?

as a previous pharmacy tech who is aware of the pharmacy saturation, im just hoping dentistry doesn't become like pharmacy. Though a lot of pharmacists (not the specialized ones) seem to offer more of a product than a service (e.g. dentist cleaning someones teeth)

 

[dans105]

How can a new grad open their own practice and and expect to compete with 30-40 dentists in a 15 mile radius?

I plan to purchase a practice with an existing patient base. I think opening your own place from scratch would be very hard, and there could be several years of hard times before you get on your feet. But if you're set on living in a certain place that may be your only option.

 

[Arijos0222]

I plan to purchase a practice with an existing patient base. I think opening your own place from scratch would be very hard, and there could be several years of hard times before you get on your feet. But if you're set on living in a certain place that may be your only option.

What are the chances of the patients that are already there even liking you? 😱

 

[Ferneezy]

usually there are mechanisms in place to ease the transition:

1) previous owner "introduces" new owner to patients via letter and/or in-person as they show for appointments

2) previous owner is retained as an associate for some time (up to a year from what i've seen)

 

[yappy]

There are many office; however, I've read from a dental economics article that an offices' optimal patient number for a solo practice is ~700 active patients. Dental offices, as capital, do not have a high utilization rate.

 

[dans105]

What are the chances of the patients that are already there even liking you? 😱

Hey, what's that supposed to mean???!!? 😡