Should i specialize?

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areucool1234

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Ok, so lets be honest here. There are a LOT of unsuccessful general dentists. There are also quite a few successful general dentists. I have noticed that orthodontists/periodontists have higher average salaries.

so my question: Do you really need to specialize and do residency for three years? Is it worth it? Does it really give you a bigger salary potential? Does specializing attract more patients?

I heard you can take classes as a general dentists to learn new things. Would ortho put you in a better position to get more money quicker?

DISCLAIMER: AVOID responses like, "You shouldn't even be worrying about it right now" or "Dont do it for the money" or "It's just 3 years of residency, life is long" (yea well 3 years of your youth is 3 years of your youth, you never get your damn youth back!)

Thanks!!!!!!!
 
Yes, specialists have higher salaries on average. This is true in any field as a generalization.

Specialists typically charge more per patient procedure and it's not necessarily about volume (pedo not included). Since there are fewer specialists typically there is less competition, but there are certainly big metropolitan areas where specialists are also on every corner.

No one can tell you if specializing is worth it but you. If you love what you are doing then usually the work put in is worth it. If you are doing if for financial motivation and can put up with doing a job where you may be somewhat unhappy than I guess it could be worth it. No one can answer that though but you. 2-3 extra years of school in the big picture is nothing.
 
areucool1234 said:
Ok, so lets be honest here. There are a LOT of unsuccessful general dentists. There are also quite a few successful general dentists. I have noticed that orthodontists/periodontists have higher average salaries.

so my question: Do you really need to specialize and do residency for three years? Is it worth it? Does it really give you a bigger salary potential? Does specializing attract more patients?

I heard you can take classes as a general dentists to learn new things. Would ortho put you in a better position to get more money quicker?

DISCLAIMER: AVOID responses like, "You shouldn't even be worrying about it right now" or "Dont do it for the money" or "It's just 3 years of residency, life is long" (yea well 3 years of your youth is 3 years of your youth, you never get your damn youth back!)

Thanks!!!!!!!
Click to expand...
You should just tell everybody the exact answer you want. That way nobody will accidentally tell you something you don't want to hear.
 
areucool1234 said:
so my question: Do you really need to specialize and do residency for three years? Is it worth it? Does it really give you a bigger salary potential? Does specializing attract more patients?

DISCLAIMER: AVOID responses like, "You shouldn't even be worrying about it right now" or "Dont do it for the money" or "It's just 3 years of residency, life is long" (yea well 3 years of your youth is 3 years of your youth, you never get your damn youth back!)

Thanks!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

I definitely wouldn't specialize if I were you. In fact, I'll go one step further and tell you not to waste your youth on dental school, either. Your youth would be lost forever. Youth shouldn't be wasted on unimportant things like... oh... your future livelihood. Instead, spend your time youthing it up at the beach, or maybe a mall, or an arcade, or a snow cone stand.
Does specializing attract more patients? No. But being a personable, competent dentist will attract more patients.
 
areucool1234 said:
DISCLAIMER: AVOID responses like, "You shouldn't even be worrying about it right now" or "Dont do it for the money" or "It's just 3 years of residency, life is long" (yea well 3 years of your youth is 3 years of your youth, you never get your damn youth back!)
Click to expand...

damn, you used up all my answers
 
Whatever you do, don't go into pee-doh. You'll regret that decision for the rest of your life.

Endo, Perio and OS are much better. Ortho is too.
 
Agree totally about Pedo. Places like Kool Smiles are popping up everywhere and the only thing you can do in pediatrics is volume volume volume. Although, if you want an easy "residency" it probably isn't much of a challenge stuffing holes in pedo molars for a couple years, but again I don't find that very stimulating so I could be a little biased in my opinion. Probably the best remuneration for minimal effort would be orthodontics, followed by endo, but overall OMFS trumps everything.
If you really want to take your general dentistry to the next level try prosth. I am amazed at the work which comes out of there, be it implant prosthesis or conventional dentures or full mouth rehabs. More than anything you have to follow your interests and be happy with what you do. Good luck.
 
areucool1234 said:
DISCLAIMER: AVOID responses like, "You shouldn't even be worrying about it right now" or "Dont do it for the money" or "It's just 3 years of residency, life is long" (yea well 3 years of your youth is 3 years of your youth, you never get your damn youth back!)

Thanks!!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Just to be clear (and not to rail on the OP), anybody who does dentistry for the money is absolutely crazy. You're fighting a 70% overhead, treating patients who are deathly afraid of you, going through 8+ years of higher education, and contorting you back and neck in ways that would make a gymnast cringe. If you want to make money, there are much quicker and easier ways to do it... Make sure there are other reasons you like dentistry. :idea:
 
orthoenthused said:
Just to be clear (and not to rail on the OP), anybody who does dentistry for the money is absolutely crazy. You're fighting a 70% overhead, treating patients who are deathly afraid of you, going through 8+ years of higher education, and contorting you back and neck in ways that would make a gymnast cringe. If you want to make money, there are much quicker and easier ways to do it... Make sure there are other reasons you like dentistry. :idea:
Click to expand...
I actually picked dentistry for the money. I knew I couldn't do much with a BS degree in Biology. My undergrad GPA was too low for med school. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life working hard in a factory like my parents (and my parents certainly didn't want me to be like them).

I was very fortunate to get accepted to my top-choice dental school and ortho program. With the dream job that I currently have, I am able to help my parents pay off their mortgage, put my kids in good schools, and get rid of my student loans early.

I am glad that I am not smart enough for med school. If I were a physician (like 3 of my cousins, my brother, and my brother-in-law), I wouldn't have the same kind of "stress-free" lifestyle that I currently enjoy.
 
Last edited:
IHeartEndo said:
Whatever you do, don't go into pee-doh. You'll regret that decision for the rest of your life.

Endo, Perio and OS are much better. Ortho is too.
Click to expand...

I love your "Fab 4" of dentistry, IHeartEndo. No one will debate Ortho is a life of luxury and ease.
OMFS is sweet for sure.
Perio, not so much.... my aunt was a hygienist and she didn't like it at all.
As far as endo is concerned, it's not a diminishing specialty at all. Go into that one. I especially like how endodontists are trying to get on the implant bandwagon. I'm confused. I thought endodontists were trying to save natural teeth, but now they want to extract and do an implant? I thought that's what OMFS did. Could it be that they realize that their niche has been largely diminished with GPs using Rotary, and people realizing that they can extract and implant instead of a costly retreat or an apico that may not even work? That must be a a top specialty if they are trying to figure out how to stay afloat.
IHeartEndo is trying to make it sound like Pedo is a bad thing due to his/her inability to interact with and/or manage children. It's definitely not for everyone. If you don't like Pedo, then IHeartEndo is correct that you will regret doing it. Just like those poor souls who regret doing endo when they literally become comatose with boredom and when they get giant, hypertrophic thumbs. But for those of us who enjoy it, life is sweet.
 
IHeartOrtho 😍

beauty is in the eye of the beholder
what's really wonderful is doing something you love
 
charlestweed said:
I am glad that I am not smart enough for med school.
Click to expand...

It's a bit curious how somebody "not smart enough for med school" can get into ortho? Don't forget that med school matriculants are only .1 GPA point higher than dental... it's hardly enough to draw serious conclusions. Maybe your undergrad GPA was low, but you are very easily smart enough for med school. Besides that point, you are right. Dentistry is much better!
 
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