Is oversaturation of dentistry a serious concern?

[mgh7860993]

I have been accepted to dental school for this upcoming fall. I've always heard of the concept of oversaturation in dentistry but I didn't think of it as being a big deal that would cause any drastic changes to the point where I'd have to take it as factor to make my desicion to pursue the field or not. However, the more I am exposed to it the more I am hearing concern about this issue. I know there are several dental offices within a given area in most desirable places to live. I'm wondering if it's realistic to think that the supply of number of dentists in a given area can far exceed the demand to the point that dentists will be forced to relocate to other parts of the country to find work? A huge reason I concerned healthcare careers such as medicine and dentistry was due to the demand and the stability that would allow me to find work at whatever part of the country I want to live. But does oversaturation indicate that there is not a shortage and demand for dentists and that we would have to relocate from the places we desire to live in, in order to be able to find opportunities to work? Unlike in medicine, do we not have a shortage of dentists and will not be able to find jobs in any part of the country that we choose to settle in? And will the saturation just continue to increase and grow worse as the years progress? Since I am about to enter this field I just wanted to get an idea of how severe this problem is and if it's a bad idea for people like me who want a profession where they could find a job wherever in the country they choose to settle?

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[Steins;Gate]

There's saturation in medicine as well for specialists (a problem of distribution). Healthcare in general is becoming quite saturated except for primary care medicine and maybe some specialties of dentistry and medicine. Saturated doesn't mean you can't have a great career - just means you need to recognize how to manage these forces.

If you like dentistry, go for it and don't look back.

You can still do well in the city, it just is a bit harder to accomplish this but definitely doable. Do not confuse moving to rural as to being more successful.

 

[DDSER1]

When I interviewed at UNE, the dean told us that one of the biggest decisions we will have to make is if we go rural or urban. He said that if we decide to go rural, he guarantees we will be quiet millionaires within 5 years. If you go urban, he said it'd be much harder to achieve success, but it's still possible. So you can be successful anywhere, just depends on what's important to you.

 

[Steins;Gate]

When I interviewed at UNE, the dean told us that one of the biggest decisions we will have to make is if we go rural or urban. He said that if we decide to go rural, he guarantees we will be quiet millionaires within 5 years. If you go urban, he said it'd be much harder to achieve success, but it's still possible. So you can be successful anywhere, just depends on what's important to you.

What is "rural"?

 

[DDSER1]

What is "rural"?

Exactly what it is, smaller cities or towns where there is not much competition

 

[cacajuate]

When I interviewed at UNE, the dean told us that one of the biggest decisions we will have to make is if we go rural or urban. He said that if we decide to go rural, he guarantees we will be quiet millionaires within 5 years. If you go urban, he said it'd be much harder to achieve success, but it's still possible. So you can be successful anywhere, just depends on what's important to you.

This is the most absurd statement and that dean should be ashamed of himself for saying that. He is preying upon kids who have no idea how hard it is to make money to sell his overpriced school.

 

[MahiMahi]

There are enough dentists, but they aren't in the right places, where people are in real need of dental care. The problem is that many of the people who highly need dental care don't have insurance or the funds to afford it.

What ends up happening is that there is a saturation of dentists in what people consider "desirable" areas to live.

 

[DDSER1]

This is the most absurd statement and that dean should be ashamed of himself for saying that. He is preying upon kids who have no idea how hard it is to make money to sell his overpriced school.

Thats what I thought at first, but from speaking to my friends who moved to rural areas after graduating, and reading some threads here, it seems that people do reaaaally well in those areas

 

[cacajuate]

Thats what I thought at first, but from speaking to my friends who moved to rural areas after graduating, and reading some threads here, it seems that people do reaaaally well in those areas

I believe that but you aren't going to be a millionaire in five years. Making a million in gross in 5 years is very different than having a million dollars in the bank so that you can call yourself a "millionaire."

 

[DDSER1]

I believe that but you aren't going to be a millionaire in five years. Making a million in gross in 5 years is very different than having a million dollars in the bank so that you can call yourself a "millionaire."

Very true, I agree. That would be exceptional

 

[Legacy382]

Not everyone can live in SF, LA, Seattle, Minneapolis, NYC, DC. That's the problem. Lots of dentists want to live and work in higher class communities.

 

[Likkriue]

Very true, I agree. That would be exceptional

Would like to add that you are highly unlikely to even pay off your loans in 5 years much less have a million dollars in the bank.

 

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Rural even seems to be getting more and more crowded since the notion of "go rural and you'll be rich" has caught fire.

 

[Legacy382]

Rural even seems to be getting more and more crowded since the notion of "go rural and you'll be rich" has caught fire.

What is rural to you? Also, what part of the country are you talking about?

 

[Legacy382]

Would like to add that you are highly unlikely to even pay off your loans in 5 years much less have a million dollars in the bank.

The million dollars in the bank is unlikely but I think you can pay off loans in 5 years if you lived wisely in school and afterwards. Live cheaply, no new vehicles, no travelling while in debt, no undergrad debt, only necessities during and after school until you pay off loans. It's possible if you have discipline.

 

[stoopidmonkeycatdog]

Rural even seems to be getting more and more crowded since the notion of "go rural and you'll be rich" has caught fire.

This is what i was thinking would happen as well lol, that being said most people's thoughts on what is rural seem wrong.

 

[DDS9994]

This is the most absurd statement and that dean should be ashamed of himself for saying that. He is preying upon kids who have no idea how hard it is to make money to sell his overpriced school.

I agree 100%, take it from me I ve been at it 15 years, you will not be a millionaire within 5 years of graduation, you can do well but the likelihood of this is slim. Guys driving around in shiny things and sporting Panerai on this wrist doesnt make them millionaires.

 

[DDS9994]

The million dollars in the bank is unlikely but I think you can pay off loans in 5 years if you lived wisely in school and afterwards. Live cheaply, no new vehicles, no travelling while in debt, no undergrad debt, only necessities during and after school until you pay off loans. It's possible if you have discipline.

Nothing is impossible, but with people saying they owe 400 to 500 at alot of schools right now, you would have to throw 100K a year AFTER TAX income at your loan principal and still cover the interest if you want to pay off in 5 years. You can only imagine what you would need to gross to cover this. You would be living quite lean I mean really lean..

 

[redhotchiligochu]

Can't be as bad as pharmacy....

I know of several pharmacy school graduates who took 4-5 years to find a job, some of whom I personally know gave up on it completely, and went to nursing school to become an RN

 

[Legacy382]

Nothing is impossible, but with people saying they owe 400 to 500 at alot of schools right now, you would have to throw 100K a year AFTER TAX income at your loan principal and still cover the interest if you want to pay off in 5 years. You can only imagine what you would need to gross to cover this. You would be living quite lean I mean really lean..

Yes, there are difficult situations where one has minimal options once in a school. There are schools that are total ripoffs. As a consumer of education, you have to be aware of that and plan accordingly. The students with better marks will have their choices. Use this as extra motivation to create the most lucrative choice for oneself both academically and financially. If you don't have the best marks, you have to factor that in and make tough decisions. In the end, 90% of schools will make you a minimally competent dentist. The next jump of being a dentist to being a great dentist is on your own hard work.

 

[tlnjd117]

Yeah there might be an oversaturation of dentists in the city and not in the outskirts, shopping malls with laundromats next to the dental office. BUT that's cause dental school doesn't teach you how to run a business. Being a dentist doesn't just mean you show up, fix teeth and go home to wherever that may be. The business venture and desire to do well leads to the success by doing allll the other things necessary to run a successful business and manage a practice and patients, while doing great dentistry! People just think jobs and money will be handed to them once they graduate.. you truly have to work for the lifestyle you want.

 

[Batmansvoice]

I think it is a problem unless you are willing to take large financial and personal risks to open up an office. Even the rural areas are saturated. I have spent this past year applying to FQHC's in rural areas and have not had any luck. It's difficult when each FQHC has an applicant to position ratio of 20 to 1 if not 40 to 1. 5 years ago, I could probably have secured a job 1 month after graduation. This is definitely not the case now even if I am willing to produce a lot for only a 70-80K salary. I may never get a position with an FQHC.

 

[2TH MVR]

I don't know about you guys, but I would rather practice in a dream area (like Hawaii, N. Scottsdale, San Fran, Seattle, San Diego, Newport Beach, etc. etc.) and make less money than practice in North Platte, Nebraska, or Fargo, N. Dakota, etc. etc and make more money.

 

[jda02624]

I don't know about you guys, but I would rather practice in a dream area (like Hawaii, N. Scottsdale, San Fran, Seattle, San Diego, Newport Beach, etc. etc.) and make less money than practice in North Platte, Nebraska, or Fargo, N. Dakota, etc. etc and make more money.

I am the opposite. Those "dream" areas are super saturated, expensive, and crowded. I think that is why so many new grads struggle finding good work is that they want to live in areas like that, and I can't blame them, they are exciting with lots of things to do. However, from a financial standpoint, I think one would be much better off in a less cutthroat competitive area and one with a low or lower cost of living. I would rather live in an area where I could travel and have the money to do it, instead of suffering financially and fighting traffic, etc. Just my take, but I'm in my late 40's and I am starting to hate being around other people when I'm off work

 

[ncide]

There's a balancing act, and local demographics make the rural vs. urban situation a lot more complicated. There are individuals who do very well catering to patients who will pay a pretty penny for top of the line work in urban areas. There are dentists who work in rural areas where there isn't much competition, but what happens when the average income level for each household is quite low in the area and patients can only afford more simple, less costly treatments?

There are some states with high income taxes, others with high business taxes. Some allow midlevel providers like EFDAs and restorative hygienists that can streamline a doctor's work so the doctor can accommodate more patients. Some states artificially keep dentist competition low by keeping stringent licensure quotas. Others allow foreign trained dentists more ease of entering the market and some states allow dental therapists to practice.

A blanket statement "go rural, you'll be successful" isn't particularly useful advice. There's a lot more thought that should go into it.

 

[wengerout]

I don't know about you guys, but I would rather practice in a dream area (like Hawaii, N. Scottsdale, San Fran, Seattle, San Diego, Newport Beach, etc. etc.) and make less money than practice in North Platte, Nebraska, or Fargo, N. Dakota, etc. etc and make more money.

Like the other poster has stated, the dream areas are largely overrated.

I'm loving NYC, but I wouldn't sign up to this for life. Just don't see myself hitting "da club" at 40.


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[2TH MVR]

I agree with most posters here regarding a new graduate in debt looking to set up their practices in rural areas with less saturation. But when I graduated ... the economics were different and I went straight to the urban area where I wanted to practice in and more importantly ... raise a family. My family and I enjoy beaches (4 hour drive), no snow or ice although ski resorts are only a 3 hour drive, great restaurants, golf, outdoor recreation, hiking year-round, offshore fishing, etc. etc.

I guess maybe the best strategy for a new grad with moderate to high debt (prob all graduates) is to located to an under-served, less saturated rural area ..... make your bank and establish financial independence .... then move to a more desirable area (if that is their choice).

 

[redhotchiligochu]

Only issue I see with rural practice is that many of these small communities frown upon minorities practicing in those areas. I'd love to to practice in rural areas but I'm not sure if patients will be willing to see a dentist who is "unlike them"

 

[Advance]

Only issue I see with rural practice is that many of these small communities frown upon minorities practicing in those areas. I'd love to to practice in rural areas but I'm not sure if patients will be willing to see a dentist who is "unlike them"

If you're the only dentist in the area what choice do they have?

 

[cooliyak]

If you're the only dentist in the area what choice do they have?

If you are their only choice, it is very likely that they will just go without any dental care at all. I've seen them make that choice right in front of me. If they don't like the treatment that you suggest, if they don't have the money to pay for the treatment they want, or if they aren't in any pain, they simply walk away and don't think anymore about it... that is, until one of the teeth that you told them needs a restoration blows up on them and now needs a root canal and crown and they get mad at you for how much more that costs and they ask why they can't just get the filling that you originally suggested... not speaking from experience or anything...

 

[cooliyak]

This is true, regardless of urban/rural location or even poor/wealthy. I hear about this all the time from family friends who are dentists, regardless of location, but I can see this happening more often in rural areas.

My concern is if racism/prejudice is a significant factor when it comes to practicing in rural areas.

It can be. I have had no issue with it, but I know that some of the dental therapy initiatives (specifically in Alaska) were pushed due to this issue. It was hard for people who did not know the culture to connect with their patients and vice versa. Ideally, Alaskans would be trained as dentists elsewhere and come back to work in their own area and culture, but it was too expensive (among other issues), so they tried the New Zealand dental therapy model and were pleased with the results. However, unless you are from a very different culture, I don't think it would be too much of an issue.