OMFS vs. Ortho?

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AspiringDMD

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Hey Everyone,

I was wondering, when I reach this point in my dental school career (currently in hs, I know it is WAY too early, but just wanted to ask...), what do you guys think? Pros and cons of each? I've shadowed GD and Orthodontists before, but never a OMFS. How is their workday like? Malpractice? Stressful? Pay (vs ortho)?

Thanks,

AspiringDMD
 
Way too early and a good chance you could end up going a completely different direction in college which is okay. However it's good to see someone so young already focused and asking questions.
 
it's like night and day but both are goldmines and fantastic careers (that's why they're so hard to get into).

Ortho shadowing: very laid back, the dentist spend some time putting on a kids braces or adjusting them but that was pretty much it. I got a lot of face time w/ him and was able to ask him a bunch of questions w/o interruption. He worked 3 or 4 days a week and took crazy long vacations. he said that it was pretty chill and low stress after the business started to take off.

OS: A real surgeon. crazy busy, interesting cases, hardcore doctor, hectic schedule. badass (i could go on but i don't want to invest more time into my post)
 
!st get into dental school, and actually 1st hand experience what it's like to do/somewhat do both of them (not to mention all the other fields of dentistry) and after you've experienced it yourself, then make that descision. Who knows, you may find after doing both of them, that you really don't enjoy either and would rather be a pedodontist or even a general dentist and do a bit of everything!

ALL areas of dentistry have their pro's and con's, but what's can be a pro to person A can be a con to person B and vice versa. Same thing goes for the lifestyle associated with each. You can have an orthodontist who works longer, crazier hours than an oral surgeon or vice versa, and then there could be a GP that works even longer crazier hours, or far less.

About the only constants in being an orthodontist is that the majority of the patients you see will be teenagers, and for the oral surgeon the only real constant is that you'll be taking some teeth out (atleast every now and then) beyond that, there's a ton of variability
 
AspiringDMD said:
Hey Everyone,

I was wondering, when I reach this point in my dental school career (currently in hs, I know it is WAY too early, but just wanted to ask...), what do you guys think? Pros and cons of each? I've shadowed GD and Orthodontists before, but never a OMFS. How is their workday like? Malpractice? Stressful? Pay (vs ortho)?

Thanks,

AspiringDMD
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Periodontology is where it is at. The true masters of managing and delivering proper care to the periodontium.
 
Seriously...talk about night and day.

I could see someone deciding between Perio and OMFS or maybe Ortho and Pedo....
 
He is in highschool...we don't even know if he has been accepted to college yet...he is at minimum 7 years from making this choice and 5 years from knowing anything about either field. Give the guy a break lol
 
Regmata said:
He is in highschool...we don't even know if he has been accepted to college yet...he is at minimum 7 years from making this choice and 5 years from knowing anything about either field. Give the guy a break lol
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Ahh I see, I thought it was another one of those threads where someone looked at the highest paying specialties and was in the process of throwing the dice to decide which to apply for.
 
Working as an OMFS is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more exciting.

Working as an Ortho is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH easier.

For me, I would personally choose Ortho even though OMFS would be a much more exciting and enjoyable career only because the lifestyle of an Ortho is 2nd only to hollywood and millionaires.
 
americanpierg said:
Working as an OMFS is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more exciting.

Working as an Ortho is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH easier.

For me, I would personally choose Ortho even though OMFS would be a much more exciting and enjoyable career only because the lifestyle of an Ortho is 2nd only to hollywood, periodontists and millionaires.
Click to expand...

Fixed. 👍
 
DrReo said:
Periodontology is where it is at. The true masters of managing and delivering proper care to the periodontium.
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I hope you are being sarcastic. I know several people, one a close friend who went in to perio and all are struggling to find jobs/get work and have crazy extra debt for residency tuition. Nothing against what they do or their training, I've just seen alot of starving periodontist lately (metaphorically speaking). Some can do great, but I think there are some better options out there right now financially speaking...
 
americanpierg said:
Working as an OMFS is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more exciting.

Working as an Ortho is MUCH, MUCH, MUCH easier.

For me, I would personally choose Ortho even though OMFS would be a much more exciting and enjoyable career only because the lifestyle of an Ortho is 2nd only to hollywood and millionaires.
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You know it's not all about the money and lifestyle. Some of us actually are interested in the work you get to do rather than the benefits of a speciality. I'd go for OMFS, period.
 
Sadly, I am going to tell you to go into OMFS. (I am an orthodontist) We need more OMFS out there so that the American Medical Association won't think of OMFS as a dying breed.
 
BlueToothHunter said:
Sadly, I am going to tell you to go into OMFS. (I am an orthodontist) We need more OMFS out there so that the American Medical Association won't think of OMFS as a dying breed.
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I think if the AMA thought OMFS was a dying breed, they wouldn't have bothered to publish their Scope of Practice Series.
 
DrBushvine said:
You know it's not all about the money and lifestyle. Some of us actually are interested in the work you get to do rather than the benefits of a speciality. I'd go for OMFS, period.
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I never said anything about money and lifestyle being everything. I clearly stated some pros of both professions and stated which I would personally choose. If you want to go for OMFS, more power to you. It'd also be beneficial to you if you were more open minded about every situation, as there is not one correct answer for everyone, "period."

And yes, lifestyle plays a large role in my career choice. I would hate to do a job thats enjoyble if it meant my life is misearble, and i would still enjoy to do a job i find slightly monotomous if it means i can accomodate the lifestyle i want. I would LOVE to do cardiac surgery, but I don't think I would be able to handle the time and training necessary to become one, along with the fact that i wouldnt like the lifestyle it entails. Would love the job, but hate what it does to the rest of my life. If I didn't care about money and lifestyle at all, then I would have become a semi-pro golfer, most likely earning just enough to live week by week on golf's small circuit tours.
 
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My buddy's dad who is an oral surgeon once said, "If you decide to specialize, just don't do perio. Things aren't going so well for the perio people."
 
stk said:
My buddy's dad who is an oral surgeon once said, "If you decide to specialize, just don't do perio. Things aren't going so well for the perio people."
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Spoken like one who envies the true soft tissue masters.
 
OMFS is great. Super interesting and great salary.
 
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