Pediatric Dentistry vs General Practice - Advice needed!!

[dent33]

I am a general dentist working in New York Metropolitan area. It’s been 2 years since I graduated. I worked at two places but I was not able to make much anywhere - I only made about 110K/annum. Also, at both places I really wasn’t able to do many procedures - I mostly did fillings, extractions, hygiene and SRPs and pedo. I hardly did any crown and bridge or endo.
I applied for pediatric dental residency this year. I interviewed at only one place in NYC, but one of the residents from that program said I stand a good chance of getting in there. I would be getting a stipend in that program.
However, my husband feels it’s not worth doing the residency - in terms of return on investment. We spent 200K on dental school - but I am earning way less than an average general dentist’s salary. Now, if I do residency, taking a pay cut - he is concerned about what if I end up making less than an average pediatric dentist’s salary then as well. I am very interested in doing pediatric dentistry but even I am concerned about the return on investment. Because of my bad experience (in terms of income and also the procedures I did), I am really not able to convince him (or even myself) that I ll earn more money after doing residency.
Right now, we will stay in NYC only if join the residency. If not, we are planning to move to the suburbs. I am hoping, I ll make 130K/annum as a general dentist in suburbs and may be in two years I ll atleast make 150K/ annum.
So, these are my questions:
1. Can I make at least 130K/annum if I move to suburbs, if I only do basic restorative dentistry, extractions and some pedo without doing crown and bridge or endo? Of course, this is just to start initially. I eventually plan on doing crowns but it may take time for me as I hardly did any in the past 2 years.
2. Can I make 150K/ annum in 2 years given my less experience?
3. What is the least that I ll make if I do residency? - I know some pediatric dentists make more than 300K/annum. But I want to know what is the average salary of a pediatric dentist and what will be the minimum salary in worst case scenario - like if I join a FQHC or something which pays very less.
4. Strictly in terms of return on investment - what would be a better choice in my case? Residency or GP?

I really think doing residency would help but my husband thinks otherwise, and I am confused about what to do. I am sorry about the long post but any advice would really be appreciated.

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[PerioDont]

I am a general dentist working in New York Metropolitan area. It’s been 2 years since I graduated. I worked at two places but I was not able to make much anywhere - I only made about 110K/annum. Also, at both places I really wasn’t able to do many procedures - I mostly did fillings, extractions, hygiene and SRPs and pedo. I hardly did any crown and bridge or endo.
I applied for pediatric dental residency this year. I interviewed at only one place in NYC, but one of the residents from that program said I stand a good chance of getting in there. I would be getting a stipend in that program.
However, my husband feels it’s not worth doing the residency - in terms of return on investment. We spent 200K on dental school - but I am earning way less than an average general dentist’s salary. Now, if I do residency, taking a pay cut - he is concerned about what if I end up making less than an average pediatric dentist’s salary then as well. I am very interested in doing pediatric dentistry but even I am concerned about the return on investment. Because of my bad experience (in terms of income and also the procedures I did), I am really not able to convince him (or even myself) that I ll earn more money after doing residency.
Right now, we will stay in NYC only if join the residency. If not, we are planning to move to the suburbs. I am hoping, I ll make 130K/annum as a general dentist in suburbs and may be in two years I ll atleast make 150K/ annum.
So, these are my questions:
1. Can I make at least 130K/annum if I move to suburbs, if I only do basic restorative dentistry, extractions and some pedo without doing crown and bridge or endo? Of course, this is just to start initially. I eventually plan on doing crowns but it may take time for me as I hardly did any in the past 2 years.
2. Can I make 150K/ annum in 2 years given my less experience?
3. What is the least that I ll make if I do residency? - I know some pediatric dentists make more than 300K/annum. But I want to know what is the average salary of a pediatric dentist and what will be the minimum salary in worst case scenario - like if I join a FQHC or something which pays very less.
4. Strictly in terms of return on investment - what would be a better choice in my case? Residency or GP?

I really think doing residency would help but my husband thinks otherwise, and I am confused about what to do. I am sorry about the long post but any advice would really be appreciated.

Firstly I am not familiar with NYC specifically.

1 +2. Almost certainly you can increase your income from 110k/yr, esp now with 2 years experience. Where you are working right now? most corp jobs would offer you more than this.

3. Daily minimums for pedo are much higher than for GP practice. usually at least 1000/day. That being said, I would wait till match day to see if you matched to really worry about this. Pedo and all other residencies have been much more competitive this year. then you can ask the graduating residents from your school what their offers have been.

4. from your post I can't tell if you are very interesting in owning your own office. If you are not, I would definitely do the residency in your situation. Again, don't make any concrete plans till match day.

Good luck to ya! just my two cents

 

[schmoob]

If you get pedo take it. You will make good money and with only $200K in loans you’re in a great spot, especially since it’s a stipend based residency.

 

[DustFreeEraser]

Being out of school for 2 years, who were you able to get reference letters from?

 

[dent33]

Being out of school for 2 years, who were you able to get reference letters from?

I got it from my dental school faculty and the director of the FQHC I am working at

 

[dent33]

So...I am specifically looking for pediatric dentist salaries, in the first couple of years after graduation, in these areas:
New York Metropolitan Area
Dallas, TX
Austin, TX
Philadelphia
Seattle
San Francisco
San Jose, CA
If you are a pediatric dentist working in these areas or if you know of anyone, could you please respond to this post. It would be a big help for me.
Thank you

 

[dentistspec123]

So...I am specifically looking for pediatric dentist salaries, in the first couple of years after graduation, in these areas:
New York Metropolitan Area
Dallas, TX
Austin, TX
Philadelphia
Seattle
San Francisco
San Jose, CA
If you are a pediatric dentist working in these areas or if you know of anyone, could you please respond to this post. It would be a big help for me.
Thank you

I am a Peds dentist in a suburb of NYC.

I am going to be brutally honest and tell you you should probably reconsider pedo if you want to stay in the NY metro area.

NYC has an obscene amount of over saturation of pediatric dentists since there are over 12 peds residencies here. While I am not a recent grad anymore and feel comfortably employed my 2020 grad friends who want to stay here cannot find stable jobs.
Most are working part time in one or two places and still can’t form a full 5 day work week. Offers now are hovering at 800 gaurentee a day or less or just % based. I have one friend who works in manhattan averaging 500-600$ on production a day working like crazy with Medicaid patients (reimbursements for Medicaid are abysmal...50$ recalls, 40$ for an occlusal...so you do the math you need to make any substantial money a day when youre only getting 30-40% of that). Most offices here are very fast paced seeing 50-100 kids a day in pretty subpar conditions (revolving door of staff, no management, old equipment). Any job that may seem reputable has 30-50 plus pediatric dentist applicants.

I feel lucky with the jobs I have but the pandemic also has depressed the market here even worse. I would reconsider investing in Peds if you want to be in the ny metro area unless you really love kids and go in knowing you will be working very hard running two op columns and seeing 2-4 hygiene columns a day.

A seasoned GP in a Ny suburb I can imagine can make a pretty good amount here with a. Better quality of work life, as much as a Peds, so the investment to specialize may not be worth it. Good luck

 

[HowIMetYourMolar]

I’m working in the Philadelphia area, I believe Peds do quite well here. There are quite a few pedodontist in the suburbs but there’s a huuuge need and large patient population though most of them are Medicaid. I interviewed at a Peds office for a GP position and they offered $680/day, I can only assume if they’re offering that to a fresh grad out of dental school for general dentistry, they must be paying their pediatric dentists well.