Just follow your head. Follow what you can see yourself doing for the next 40 years. Go and shadow ortho's and pedo's as much as you can . Talk to them all,,, as many as you can,,,, see what fit's your percieved life and personality. You can do good in both area's as long as you are smart enough to find the right area and be the right person .
Soooooo many new grads insist they have to live in a big city ,or in an over saturated area ( they do not realize it though ). They all follow the obvious and easy.
Don't do that!
. Go and find the un filled area's and do whatever kind of dentistry you want and things will be great ( do your homework on where to practice ,,,,, don't be so resigned to live where you are from or where the weather is always warm, or,where it easiest to get a license). Following the road less travelled, often offers the best views and best destinations. Or,,,, do whatever the hell you want and pound sand for the next 40 years.
Ortho is great if you can find the right area to work. Pedo is great in most all area's ( except most big city's/ or other over saturated places ( California, NYC )).
You have to do what works for you. If you don't have a love for pedo, you will go crazy ( despite , whatever your income is),,,,, , ,And income can be very good in Pedo if you have what it takes.
Personally, I love Pedo ( I could have seen myself doing ortho,,,,,,,,maybe,,,,,,,. , but you have to do soooooo much as///// kissing to get referals ( more than all other specialties,,,,,,that I don't think I could have dealt with that so easily ).
In Pedo,,,you do not rely on referrals so much. Maybe in the beginning I guess,,,,a little,,,... But,,,as you develop in practice,,,and , If you are really good,,, word spreads fast (mothers groups ,,and social media crap ). At this point in my career, I get 80 % of new patients from existing patients. I get a ton of referrals,,,from GP's. , but seriously, if I had zero referrals,,,,,from GP's. I would still be fine! No other Specialty can say that.
A warning to all thinking about specializing! Any specialty ( except Pedo) If you want to be sucessful as a specialist, ( especially starting out ). you are going to have to be an incredibly good at as/ kissing mto be busy. You are going to have to call all your,local GP's regulary , take them out to lunch, dinner, professional sporting events,, and throw Big CE courses ( fully paid and sponsored ) and othe shi/ too. At liest in the begining ,,,;,,;, Ortho ,,,, especially , it seems that atliest in my less competitive than normal area. Yeah most of the ortho's are very busy,,,, but oh my gosh do they do sooooo much as/ kissing , I feel sorry for them.
As a Pedo,,,,,, I do absolutely zero solicitation for referals. I did some when I first started out. I was and am always helpfull and friendly with all local GP's when I see them at meetings, or other gatherings. If they give me a phone call, I am cool and helpfull at all times,, I am myself ,,, cool, and happy to help,,, but I do not have to kiss any ones as/.
I get 80 % percent of my new patients and referals from word of mouth and existing patients. Do good and you will do good.
Ortho , and other specialties,,,,,, are a different . They are always out competing with each other, it seems. Always sending crap,to our office ( food, snacks , cakes and deserts,,,,,,, tickets to sporting events, and other sh/. The list goes on)
I feel so sorry for them having to try to do all this crap. Seriously though,,,, just treat my patients right, Make them happy as much as you can and do good work, and I will refer you more. But still, ,the efforts to solicit do not end.
I don't have to do this crap,,,, I do all I can to make the best experience for kids and parents,,,,,, and things explode in good ways! No need to kiss any GP as/ 's
So , yeah for me Pedo is easy to be big if you are a nice ,friendly, sociable, down to earth , humble,yet confident and are great/ awesome ,,,,, with kids . It's easy with all that. With all that,,,,,, income can be amazing.,,,,GP's have no clue.
Any way,,,,, just some things to think about.
My 3 cents.
Good luck and best to you!
