I'm both interested in GP (not specializing after dental school) or pedo- I really enjoy working with kids. Does anyone haveany insight on the pros & cons of pedo?
Thanks
Thanks
Pedo vs GP
- Thread starter Tri_dent
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There's a HUGE difference between working with kids and working on kids. 😀 I would keep pedo in mind, but wait until you've actualy been in clinic before worrying about specializing. For what it's worth, though - the GPs are gonna be the ones who get to work with all the fun kids. The pedos get all the brats.
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...is that I can see all the kids I want to and none that I don't.
The upside to being a pediatric dentist would include a potentially higher salary, the prestige of being a specialist, getting to work with kids all day, the challenge of difficult cases, and the satisfaction that comes from knowing you're doing a job that would have most other dentists back in school getting their MBA. It will also be easier to set up an office. You could go pretty much anywhere and be busy from day one. Lastly theirs not a lot of CE on treating kids so if you want to learn more a residency is one of the only ways to do it.
You won't get just the bad apples. There are plenty of people (usually with a higher dental IQ) who are willing to pay more to take their well adjusted kid to the pediatric dentist. But you will get a lot of bad apples.
As a GP I would say about 40% of my patients are under 18 and 20% are under 12, which is fun and we have a good time, but I don't think I could do it all day. To me treating a 3 year old is not an exercise in perfection but just fixing the problem as quickly as possible so you don't use up their attention span and get a fussy kid. Pedos can whip out a pulpotomy and SSC in about 5 minutes which is an excellent service to the patient. I just happen to enjoy being able to take my time, refine my work, and aim for excellence. I also enjoy the variety that comes with root canals, crowns, dentures, perio, etc...
My friends that went into pedo said the first few months of their residency felt more like rodeo school (learning to hog tie kids) than dental school. One pedo assistant I know said it was a daily experience to have yelling, crying, screaming, and puking. GOD BLESS THEM for they are better people than I.
You'll get enough exposure in dental school to know whether it's right for you by the time you have to make that decision. I'd recommend keeping your grades up so if you decide its for you you'll have plenty of options.
JMHO
Rob
The upside to being a pediatric dentist would include a potentially higher salary, the prestige of being a specialist, getting to work with kids all day, the challenge of difficult cases, and the satisfaction that comes from knowing you're doing a job that would have most other dentists back in school getting their MBA. It will also be easier to set up an office. You could go pretty much anywhere and be busy from day one. Lastly theirs not a lot of CE on treating kids so if you want to learn more a residency is one of the only ways to do it.
You won't get just the bad apples. There are plenty of people (usually with a higher dental IQ) who are willing to pay more to take their well adjusted kid to the pediatric dentist. But you will get a lot of bad apples.
As a GP I would say about 40% of my patients are under 18 and 20% are under 12, which is fun and we have a good time, but I don't think I could do it all day. To me treating a 3 year old is not an exercise in perfection but just fixing the problem as quickly as possible so you don't use up their attention span and get a fussy kid. Pedos can whip out a pulpotomy and SSC in about 5 minutes which is an excellent service to the patient. I just happen to enjoy being able to take my time, refine my work, and aim for excellence. I also enjoy the variety that comes with root canals, crowns, dentures, perio, etc...
My friends that went into pedo said the first few months of their residency felt more like rodeo school (learning to hog tie kids) than dental school. One pedo assistant I know said it was a daily experience to have yelling, crying, screaming, and puking. GOD BLESS THEM for they are better people than I.
You'll get enough exposure in dental school to know whether it's right for you by the time you have to make that decision. I'd recommend keeping your grades up so if you decide its for you you'll have plenty of options.
JMHO
Rob
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The only money I make off of pediatric patients is on prophies, flouride and bitewings. Because all of the areas around me are fluoridated, I rarely see caries on these kids. Pedodontists make a huge amount of their income off of hygiene. You can employ a couple of hygienists and see patients every 20 minutes.
I disagree with the prestige part of being a specialist. Prestige is produced from within and the way that you treat patients and the work you do. I have a local peridontist who doesn't know what crown lengthening means and an oral surgeon who should be named sargeant hack. Neither of them have much prestige in my eyes or of the people living in the community.
I disagree with the prestige part of being a specialist. Prestige is produced from within and the way that you treat patients and the work you do. I have a local peridontist who doesn't know what crown lengthening means and an oral surgeon who should be named sargeant hack. Neither of them have much prestige in my eyes or of the people living in the community.
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That's a pretty big misconception regarding pedos. I worked with one for about 3 years and got to see first-hand. Granted, they do see more children who will present problems, but as a whole that is a very small percentage of a pediatric practice.
Also, kids who present problems at the dentist aren't necessarily "brats". I hope when you practice one day and you encounter a child who is behaving inappropriately, you think of the myriad of possible reasons behind it other than the fact that the child is choosing to be "bratty". The dentists who believe that a child is misbehaving for that reason, instead of realizing the probable motives and employing behavior management techniques, are the ones who can't deal with a child in the chair.
don't mean to be a smart a$$, but it depends on where.
heck, you can say there's a huge shortage of pretty much anything, if you're referring to the right locale.
heck, you can say there's a huge shortage of pretty much anything, if you're referring to the right locale.
Very true. Based on various criteria, there is a huge shortage of EVERY dental specialty, as well as general dentists.
I have a pediatric dentist in my office 3 days a week. She rents space from me. On those 3 days, my staff hates me...🙄
Think long and hard before you go into pedo. You need to have the right attitude. Prestige is something you earn not something handed out at graduation. You want fake prestige, buy a Porsche😀
Think long and hard before you go into pedo. You need to have the right attitude. Prestige is something you earn not something handed out at graduation. You want fake prestige, buy a Porsche😀
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thisisit in regards to your previous reply: sorry if this is a stupid question....but i had to ask since i am sort of interested in pedo....does your staff 'hate' you on thsoe days because the pedodontist is an unpleasant stress case to work with or do the kids cause a ruckus? or both?
Most of my staff are allergic to the constant SCREAMING...😉
It's difficult to work on these kids. No one refers good kids. Just the bad ones, remember that. having said that, if you have the right attitude, you will succeed in any field.
It's difficult to work on these kids. No one refers good kids. Just the bad ones, remember that. having said that, if you have the right attitude, you will succeed in any field.
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Trying not to sound to crass, but rather than contemplating the "myriad of possible reasons" for the behavior, I will be thinking about which pedo in town will appreciate this referral the most. 😉
I have two kids of my own, have taught 4-8 yr olds in Sunday School for many years, and worked for a year and a half in an institution for the mentally handicapped. I love all of those experiences. I also love the experience I have had with dentistry up until now. I just cannot imagine the sick mind that would want to combine these two activities.
