Peds vs ortho specializing

[dentalgirly0209]

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Im a dental student currently torn on what I want to specialize in. I love the digital, mechanical, delayed satisfaction of a long treatment plan aspect of ortho and it’s lifestyle, and the fact I can work with kids who actually want to see me. But I’ve always been thought about peds and I think I’d miss doing fillings, but behavior management with young kids plus their parents have made me worry. Advice?

 

[SuxDrugs&Rocuronium]

Peds. A lot of peds programs are paid (if they are hospital based) and peds tend to do very well financially. You’ll learn behavior management during residency and with experience. For ortho most programs are going to charge tuition

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

You better believe you’ll be dealing with overbearing parents in ortho too.

Big Hoss

 

[OncePreDent]

You better believe you’ll be dealing with overbearing parents in ortho too.

Big Hoss

Very true, also the kids don't want to see the orthodontist except for the day they get the braces off.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Very true, also the kids don't want to see the orthodontist except for the day they get the braces off.

So true. I see kids every day who excitedly ask me when they’re getting braces because their friends have them. Then…they quickly find out that their palatal expander and phase I treatment isn’t as much fun as they had imagined.

Big Hoss

 

[juniordentist]

Everyone wants to do ortho now. My prediction is that in 10 years time once people realise that ortho is a tougher market, it comes with huge debt, that peds will be the more desired specialty.
Having said that, the work in ortho is hard to beat, it really is a great specialty. But, I would still probably pick 3 days a week as a busy pediatric dentist than 5 days a week as an ortho struggling to fill their books for the same salary

 

[JacquesVallee]

Job market is better in Peds but i'd way rather do Ortho assuming debt isn't a factor

 

[yappy]

I just couldn’t imagine doing dentistry on children everyday. It’s really rough. Dentistry asks so much of patients because our procedures are not that fast, are in their oral cavity, and patients are awake.

To find out if it’s for you, I think you should seek out as many pediatric cases as possible in your third year - then you will know.

I would not focus on earning potential when considering peds vs ortho.

 

[2TH MVR]

I just couldn’t imagine doing dentistry on children everyday. It’s really rough. Dentistry asks so much of patients because our procedures are not that fast, are in their oral cavity, and patients are awake.

To find out if it’s for you, I think you should seek out as many pediatric cases as possible in your third year - then you will know.

I would not focus on earning potential when considering peds vs ortho.

Well said. For the OP .... it comes down to. Can you handle working on little kids? As a practicing orthodontist .... I've got to the point where I will rarely treat a child less than 10 yrs old. I rarely do Phase 1 treatments. As a younger orthodontist .... I had the patience to treat these younger patients. But now? No.

 

[toothnumber32]

I would choose ortho only because the I’d rather not do anything at work.

When you’re young you feel like you have the energy for it all. But eventually that changes and all you think about is retiring.

Ortho is the closest thing to retirement from a dental perspective.

There will always be demand for ortho and any other dental speciality. There will always be jobs etc.

 

[juniordentist]

With peds couldn't you make your practice where you only treat kids who are sedated / general anesthetic? Wouldn't working on someone under general anesthetic be easier than any patient who is awake?

 

[charlestweed]

But, I would still probably pick 3 days a week as a busy pediatric dentist than 5 days a week as an ortho struggling to fill their books for the same salary

Most orthodontists see high patient volume by sheduling a lot of patients (50-80 patients) in one day....and they only need to work a few days per week/month. For the other free days that they have, they either travel to work at their other satellite offices or work for a DSO to suplplement their income. Other specialists (OS, pedo, endo, perio) do the same to keep themselves busy.

There are plenty of jobs available here in SoCal and in many large cities in the US. You just have to be willing to travel. The DSO manager has been begging me to give them more days. But I told them I want to slow down. Currently, work 8 days/month at 3 of my offices, 6 days/moth for the DSO, and 1 day/month at my friend's pedo/ortho office. For the other free days, i take care of my own garden and do things around the house to entertain myself.

 

[charlestweed]

I would choose ortho only because the I’d rather not do anything at work.

When you’re young you feel like you have the energy for it all. But eventually that changes and all you think about is retiring.

Ortho is the closest thing to retirement from a dental perspective.

There will always be demand for ortho and any other dental speciality. There will always be jobs etc.

Yup, that's why i love ortho....especially about your statement that I highlighted in BOLD

 

[toothnumber32]

Just think about it this way.

I wouldn’t hesitate to go skiing etc, biking if I was an orthodontist.

No way I’d do any of that as a practice oral surgeon.

If one were to seriously injure his shoulder etc, one could probably get away with it as an orthodontist with no loss of production.
As a pediatric dentist ? Your screwed like the rest of us

 

[toothnumber32]

No one really cares about what they do 30 years from now.
Whether or not their job was intellectually stimulating.

It’s just about survival and paying the bills. In the end you will only care about what job was more tolerable, paid you more, and was less punishing on your body (longevity)

 

[OncePreDent]

Just think about it this way.

I wouldn’t hesitate to go skiing etc, biking if I was an orthodontist.

No way I’d do any of that as a practice oral surgeon.

If one were to seriously injure his shoulder etc, one could probably get away with it as an orthodontist with no loss of production.
As a pediatric dentist ? Your screwed like the rest of us

ehh still would be cautious.. I know an ortho that broke their wrist skiing and messed up the nerve in their hand. They aren't able to practice like they used to; whenever they work for more than a few hours, they have severe pain. They only work 1 day week now. No matter what, in dentistry, you have to be careful about your hands.

Maybe dental anesthesiologist, you wouldn't need to be as careful lol. By far the easiest specialty on your body.

 

[Big Time Hoosier]

Make sure you have a robust disability insurance policy. It’s expensive, but it’s significant peace of mind.

Big Hoss