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What do you guys think?
I concur.there are just aspects of entering GP I more appealing (pt relationships, business, less schooling, less stressful d-school experience, same earning potential, etc.)
The reason why I asked this question is because I have talked with a lot of dental students that look at general dentistry like it is something you settle for if you are not able to specialize. It reminds me of the idea some hold to that dental students are medical school rejects. I just wanted to see if you guys bump into this a lot.I don't know if you can get a good answer from dental students for your question, you should probably ask the specialists themelves!
The reason why I asked this question is because I have talked with a lot of dental students that look at general dentistry like it is something you settle for if you are not able to specialize. It reminds me of the idea some hold to that dental students are medical school rejects. I just wanted to see if you guys bump into this a lot.
I don't know any general dentists who wish they would have specialized.
A lot if not a majority of us started out in undergrad wanting to be MD's. But as the limitation of gpa and race sets in, we switch to dentistry and maybe further on down to optometry and then lab tech. All my friends who opened their own general practice right after graduation are doing extraordinarily well without the need to specialize. I am glad I opened my general practice right after graduation and make a lot of money early so I can retire early before the socialists take over our government next year.
It's funny that they mention that general dentists specialize later on because they want to make the money of a specialist. The reality is that if they specialize they won't make additional money. The problem is with dentists as a whole. They don't have business sense or common sense, most dentists are stupid It's very easy to make 200k+ after 5 years of being a general dentist if you are smart as a business person.
I've heard from many older dentists that advertising is wrong. I have radio ads amongst others and make close to 500k/year and am 6 years out of school and run a ffs office.
A lot if not a majority of us started out in undergrad wanting to be MD's. But as the limitation of gpa and race sets in, we switch to dentistry and maybe further on down to optometry and then lab tech. All my friends who opened their own general practice right after graduation are doing extraordinarily well without the need to specialize. I am glad I opened my general practice right after graduation and make a lot of money early so I can retire early before the socialists take over our government next year.
What are the limitations of race that prevent you from being an MD? I am calling major BS on your statement.
I think you missed the sarcasm.
the main reason people specialize is to make more money while working less, period. all the other reasons such as, 'they love the specific area of dentistry' comes as a distant second. you specialize to make more money while working less, while also liking the area you're specializing in since you'll be doing it for the rest of your life.
I couldn't disagree more. I couldn't fathom doing removable and fixed pros. I am passionate about pedo and love going to work in the morning. I'm not making squat as a resident, and I still love going to work. It's not because of my future income potential, but because I love my job. I would not feel the same as a GP or in another specialty. It's pretty silly of you to generalize people. The only person's motivation you can accurately discuss on here or anywhere is your own.
I couldn't disagree more. I couldn't fathom doing removable and fixed pros. I am passionate about pedo and love going to work in the morning. I'm not making squat as a resident, and I still love going to work. It's not because of my future income potential, but because I love my job. I would not feel the same as a GP or in another specialty. It's pretty silly of you to generalize people. The only person's motivation you can accurately discuss on here or anywhere is your own.
so if pedo wasn't the HOT dental specialty that it is, and was making the same as general dentists, you'd still do it? i doubt it. also, i wasn't talking about the process of residency that attracts people. residency is looked at by many as just a means to an end of obtaining more money while working less.
so if pedo wasn't the HOT dental specialty that it is, and was making the same as general dentists, you'd still do it? i doubt it. also, i wasn't talking about the process of residency that attracts people. residency is looked at by many as just a means to an end of obtaining more money while working less.
so if pedo wasn't the HOT dental specialty that it is
The reason why I asked this question is because I have talked with a lot of dental students that look at general dentistry like it is something you settle for if you are not able to specialize. It reminds me of the idea some hold to that dental students are medical school rejects. I just wanted to see if you guys bump into this a lot.
From day 1 in dental school ~100% of the student body wants to specialize. By the senior year, reality to sets in.
From day 1 in dental school ~100% of the student body wants to specialize. By the senior year, reality to sets in.
From day 1 in dental school ~100% of the student body wants to specialize. By the senior year, reality to sets in.
I get this all the time. After I do a great endo people ask me If I want to specialize in endo. After completing full mouth reconstruction with many fixed units people ask me if I want to go into prosth. I just tell them why should I specialize if I can do the same thing as a GP. If General was a specialty I would choose it. As students we always thing of going farther, but this is a great time to take a deep breath and think about what will make you happy.The reason why I asked this question is because I have talked with a lot of dental students that look at general dentistry like it is something you settle for if you are not able to specialize. It reminds me of the idea some hold to that dental students are medical school rejects. I just wanted to see if you guys bump into this a lot.
Uh, make that 99.9%. I have never, ever, even for a sec had any desire to specialize. What I want from my career as a dentist is to be found in general practice. That being said, good luck to all the rest that do want to specialize, with me out of the competition, it is better odds for all! 😀
wow. a pretty bold statement coming from the SDN stats dude. make that 99.8%... i'm with johntara.jb!🙂
Not sure about this one. I talk with a lot of dental students and a great many of them come into dental school wanting to do general practice. Actually, I was one of them.
OK then what about the very un-hot perio or pros specialty. Very low on the specialty scale and the pay is slightly more than GP and you work less. I strongly disagree with your statements. I'd still rather do perio than be a GP even if I made exactly the same money as a GP. Some do it for more money, but I think the majority do it because they find that specific area of dentistry more appealing. Personally I would dread having to go to work everyday knowing that i would be adjusting prongs on a RPD or doing endo or taking crown impressions etc. I did enjoy restorative. Specializing is only over rated if you don't like the specialty that you're in. you are right, the earning potentials are similar for GP and specialists, but earning potentials and actual earnings are two very different things. on average the acutual earnings are significantly lower for GPs. The average specialist makes around 100K more per year.
there are many reasons for the perio specialty averaging less than other specialties. reasons that i choose not to go into, but just know, every periodontist i know is making more than the 'average' oral surgeon. and i can promise, you would not do anything other than practicing as a gp if you would make the same as a gp. why? because as a gp, you can do whatever the hell you want. if you really loved perio, you would only do perio in your practice, minus the 3 years of schooling for the perio specialty. sure the average specialist makes 100k more per year. but tell that to every gp i know who makes more than twice the average of GPs. the bottom line is, the 'average' is just that, an average. if you choose to be average, you will be average. i, on the other hand, choose to excel way beyond average.
and to capisce, how do i not make sense? of course you didn't tell the pedo directors that you wanted to make x amount of dollars, which furthered your interest in pedo. you told them how much you wanted to help the little kiddies, which is borderline pedophiliac.
so, i repeat, for those who did not understand me, you only choose a specialty because of the prospect of working less while making more. it's time we all realize this. how can i prove this? just look at all the posts in the residency forums about omfs, ortho, and pedo from high schoolers/undergrads. LOL.
I don't know any general dentists who wish they would have specialized.
if you choose to be average, you will be average. i, on the other hand, choose to excel way beyond average.
you told them how much you wanted to help the little kiddies, which is borderline pedophiliac.
you only choose a specialty because of the prospect of working less while making more.
there are many reasons for the perio specialty averaging less than other specialties. reasons that i choose not to go into, but just know, every periodontist i know is making more than the 'average' oral surgeon. and i can promise, you would not do anything other than practicing as a gp if you would make the same as a gp. why? because as a gp, you can do whatever the hell you want. if you really loved perio, you would only do perio in your practice, minus the 3 years of schooling for the perio specialty. sure the average specialist makes 100k more per year. but tell that to every gp i know who makes more than twice the average of GPs. the bottom line is, the 'average' is just that, an average. if you choose to be average, you will be average. i, on the other hand, choose to excel way beyond average.
and to capisce, how do i not make sense? of course you didn't tell the pedo directors that you wanted to make x amount of dollars, which furthered your interest in pedo. you told them how much you wanted to help the little kiddies, which is borderline pedophiliac.
so, i repeat, for those who did not understand me, you only choose a specialty because of the prospect of working less while making more. it's time we all realize this. how can i prove this? just look at all the posts in the residency forums about omfs, ortho, and pedo from high schoolers/undergrads. LOL.
Is perio still a specialty?🙂🙂😉😕😕
Perio's have much higher overhead given the fact that they have to pay numerous hygienists a high hourly salary.
whereas surgeons are 'rough with soft tissue' and treat the gingiva with reckless abandon. 😛
Perio's overhead is very low.... no. 15 blades and silk sutures are inexpensive . and there are virtually no lab expenses. Hygienists usually help generate additional income for their perio bosses.
Let's see...
Today I pulled #15,17,18, crowned #30, 7, and 10, endo on #12, saw a few 'toothaches' and a 6 yr old and 12 yr old for fillings and seals. I think that covered about 4 specialty areas. I can't choose which one I like the best because variety is the spice of life! Plus, I get to see all of these patients again and again and formulate a good relationship with them. I told the 6 yr old that I'd retire by the time she's 30 yrs old and she said I had to be her dentist forever. Personally thought that was cute.
I know that all everyone in school talks about is how much the guy or gal in the class ahead of them got offered and how much so and so's brother, father, etc.. makes now that they are in private practice. But as someone said in an earlier post, it only matters how hard YOU want to work and where you work and who you work on.
I have a good friend that went to UOP (great school) and is now an Oral Surgeon. We produce about the same amount (dollars) and work just as hard five days a week. The long and short of it is that his overhead and staff expenses are lower. There are no hygienists to employ, less front office staff, he pays his assistants a bit more than mine bc of the sedation and postop, and has NO lab bill. The malpractice insurance is a bit more but not enough to counter the lack of a hyg salary or lab bill. Therefore, he may get 50 cents on each dollar collected while the GP, if they are savy, can hope to get 40 cents after learing the ropes. I'll concede that he deserves that extra 10-20% of income because he went to school for 4 more years and is smart as hell.
I have some great literature from dental CPA's that prove all of this if anyone wants the data. Scary how slim the profit margin can be for a doc if they don't manage their practice well.
But, the long and short of it is how hard you work relates to how well you do. There are lots of us that work only 3 or 4 days a week which is great, I'll see those patients that they don't see the 1 or 2 days they're off!!
My hardest day in practice has never been harder than my hardest day in dental school.
Scary how slim the profit margin can be for a doc if they don't manage their practice well.
I would like to peruse said dental CPA literature. Sorry to send to everyone but I can't pm you...