Please explain OMFS Salary Statistics

[Expert]

fIF you look at the ADA Survey of Dental Income Practice here:
http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science and Research/HPI/Files/10_sdpi.ashx

On page 132, it lists net income by specialty. Specifically for mean salary, it says:
OMFS -----$437,800
Endo----$288,130
Ortho----$281,650
Pedo ----$312,660
Perio - --$255,240
Prost ----$212,200
And the average net income for private practice general dentists is reported as less than $200k.

But, my question is, all the specialties seem to make similar amounts, except for OMFS which appears to be a little skewed. Is this average skewed?
I have heard that on a per-hour basis, OMFS make about twice as much as a GP. However, most of them also tend to work fewer hours per week than a GP. All of this seems to indicate that the number reported here is highly skewed. Please explain, if anybody know.

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[molarext]

What difference does it make if these stats are correct or not? Are you making any future career plans based on them?

 

[Sublimazing]

OMFS on average make a lot more than GP...this is a terrible reason to go into omfs...go into omfs only if surgery excites you...residency is extremely demanding, and the only thing that gets you through is if this stuff gives you a boner

 

[Tigertroll11]

well said

 

[AU07DMD]

OMFS on average make a lot more than GP...this is a terrible reason to go into omfs...go into omfs only if surgery excites you...residency is extremely demanding, and the only thing that gets you through is if this stuff gives you a boner

Well said sublimazing. I once had someone explain OS/residency to me via a food reference. You are going to going to have to eat a massive pie your first year of residency/ internship... either it's the best tasting stuff you've ever had and you keep coming back for more or it's gonna be a s*** pie and you'll spit it out (and quit). There is really no middle ground... either you love it or you hate it.

 

[keeneye]

Well said sublimazing. I once had someone explain OS/residency to me via a food reference. You are going to going to have to eat a massive pie your first year of residency/ internship... either it's the best tasting stuff you've ever had and you keep coming back for more or it's gonna be a s*** pie and you'll spit it out (and quit). There is really no middle ground... either you love it or you hate it.

Don't quit. Take all the necessary measures and precautions to avoid the need to quit. Completing externships, spending time at your school's program and discussing this prospect with faculty and residents will prepare you for the first year. This will bypass the need to quit. What no one ever mentions is the fact that residency only gets better as you progress. General Surgery sucks but only because it overwhelms your life. Otherwise, completing a general surgery year is a privilege; taking care of the most surgically ill patients is a wonderful responsibility and one of the main reasons you will be prepared to manage anything your colleagues will refer to you.

 

[Localnative]

Well said sublimazing. I once had someone explain OS/residency to me via a food reference. You are going to going to have to eat a massive pie your first year of residency/ internship... either it's the best tasting stuff you've ever had and you keep coming back for more or it's gonna be a s*** pie and you'll spit it out (and quit). There is really no middle ground... either you love it or you hate it.

Well I'm a masochist and love eating **** filled desserts.
Where do I fit in that continuum?

Salary is an important subject... I know a lot of people "poopoo" this convo piece but at the end of the day this is a tough but awesome profession and you gotta be financially rewarded in some capacity
Salaries in OS very greatly. no great stats regarding an average annual income. I work 6 days a week (privileges at 4 hospitals) because there's alot of competition in my area and I gotta hustle a bit. My friend works in the Mountain West area, owns his brick and mortar practice/works there 4 days per week with almost no call. He makes *** substantially*** more than I do. We've been out of residency the same amount of time.
In OS, its location location location. Trust me. Scouring the internet for answers has resulted in a number of sleepless nights... When it comes to compensation you gotta play your cards right, make good financial decisions, and get an idea of what the need is in your location of interest. Are you the sole practitioner covering 5 counties in northwestern Idaho? That makes you a very valuable commodity.

 

[navydentist]

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[Silent Cool]

Those numbers are always bogus. When you can bill $2-3k for third molars, and the actual surgery typically takes 5-20min, you do the math. Thats right, an OMFS can have an average set of thirds out in the same time it takes to place a single class 2 composite. There is simply no other procedure in dentistry as lucrative as third molars.

An OMFS in an area that needs his services kills it. And they are not telling anyone about it.

@Localnative ,

Do you have any comments on this?

 

[Regmata]

OMFS start around 180 - 220, with a little variation on the #'s based on location and other typical parameters. Oral surgeons make anywhere from 250k to well over a million per year. Averages probably somewhere in the 500-700k range for guys who have been practicing a bit and are owners or partners. As the above poster said, location, location, location. There are many types of practices available as well. As with any field in medicine or dentistry, their is great variability and opportunity financially...every situation is different.

 

[DDSMD2018]

fIF you look at the ADA Survey of Dental Income Practice here:
http://www.ada.org/~/media/ADA/Science and Research/HPI/Files/10_sdpi.ashx

On page 132, it lists net income by specialty. Specifically for mean salary, it says:
OMFS -----$437,800
Endo----$288,130
Ortho----$281,650
Pedo ----$312,660
Perio - --$255,240
Prost ----$212,200
And the average net income for private practice general dentists is reported as less than $200k.

But, my question is, all the specialties seem to make similar amounts, except for OMFS which appears to be a little skewed. Is this average skewed?
I have heard that on a per-hour basis, OMFS make about twice as much as a GP. However, most of them also tend to work fewer hours per week than a GP. All of this seems to indicate that the number reported here is highly skewed. Please explain, if anybody know.

This data is a national average. I always hate it when people ask about the "average" or "typical" income for a specialty. There are some dentists that make $80k per year and some that make over a million a year. There are some OMFS that make $150k per year and some that make over a million a year. All depends on region, demographics, business relationships, scope of practice, marketing, competition, and a LOT more. But yes, most OMFS make more because they are trained to handle more complex surgery than dentists. That is true of ALL the specialists you just named above, they have training in more advanced procedures. And common sense tells you, why would you go on to further your education and make less money? If money is your motivating factor, then general dentistry is NOT a bad option. I know several that make $500k a year and deal with a LOT less headaches than OMFS. You just gotta learn all the factors that I mentioned above and be good at it. If you want to do a specialty, then I hope you are eventually compensated for furthering your education. But again, you need to take into consideration the same factors I mentioned above. Just because you complete an OMFS residency, don't expect a bunch of people beating down your door to offer you $500-750k per year. You have to go out and make your own opportunities.