Specializing After Dental School

[jaypea65]

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I have a question for all of you dental students. Is it worth it to specialize after dental school? I know a general dentist that performs perio and all endo procedures in his own office. Why would you waste the extra money and time if you are competent and feel comfortable performing these procedures?

 

[yojimbo53]

some people would rather be VERY good at ONE thing, then PRETTY good at a LOT of things.

others prefer the variety of a GP.

 

[jackbauer!]

I have a question for all of you dental students. Is it worth it to specialize after dental school? I know a general dentist that performs perio and all endo procedures in his own office. Why would you waste the extra money and time if you are competent and feel comfortable performing these procedures?

Because many general dentists don't feel comfortable enough to do ALL endo and/or perio procedures in office. if **** hits the fan, the GP will be held to the same standards as someone who has been through a specialty post-grad program.

Don't get me wrong, I'm going to be a GP all the way and hope to do some endo and perio procedures, but don't think that a GP is just as competent in these procedures as someone who has 3 additional years of structured training post-dental school.

jb!🙂

 

[rkamsterdam]

I have a question for all of you dental students. Is it worth it to specialize after dental school? I know a general dentist that performs perio and all endo procedures in his own office. Why would you waste the extra money and time if you are competent and feel comfortable performing these procedures?

from a financial standpoint (im not trying ito imply this is of foremost importance)


I think a dentist's grin is much wider when he/she sees a schedule full of 1000+ rct's (as in an endo) rather than a couple of crown's and the remainder of a daily sch. littered with simple fills.

Not trying to discount variety (I plan on becoming a GP), but avg. production is obviously higher for a specialist albeit redundant at times I can imagine 🙂.

Just my $.02

 

[briansle]

from a financial standpoint (im not trying ito imply this is of foremost importance)


I think a dentist's grin is much wider when he/she sees a schedule full of 1000+ rct's (as in an endo) rather than a couple of crown's and the remainder of a daily sch. littered with simple fills.

Not trying to discount variety (I plan on becoming a GP), but avg. production is obviously higher for a specialist albeit redundant at times I can imagine 🙂.

Just my $.02

You'll probably only make $.02 : since you seem to care more about profit potential than patient care.

I read that thread you posted up in the Pre-Med Forum. Asking why they would choose Medicine over Dentistry since dentistry's $$$/hours is better.

If you went into this job for the money, you'll soon find out its not worth it.

 

[toofshucker]

You'll probably only make $.02 : since you seem to care more about profit potential than patient care.

I read that thread you posted up in the Pre-Med Forum. Asking why they would choose Medicine over Dentistry since dentistry's $$$/hours is better.

If you went into this job for the money, you'll soon find out its not worth it.

Dude, relax. What he said was true. One of the biggest reasons people specialize is the increased income. As long as you do an ethical job, wanting more money isn't bad.

 

[Shunwei]

Dude, relax. What he said was true. One of the biggest reasons people specialize is the increased income. As long as you do an ethical job, wanting more money isn't bad.

Exactly. I am not in dentistry purely for the money, but having the income power of a dentist is an important, practical calculation for me to enter this career. Who wouldn't want to work hard and be compensated accordingly? I'd really like to see how many pre-dents would fight to get into dental school if your average dentist in practice makes 40k/yr, instead of five times that much.

 

[ChiefSchlep]

Amsterdam is right. The #1 reason people want to specialize is: $$$$$$

 

[rkamsterdam]

(im not trying ito imply this is of foremost importance)

see excerpt

 

[rkamsterdam]

I truly believe that the ones fortunate enough to specialize do so largely (not wholly) because of the lifestyle. Ortho? <-- briansle, why is this such a bad thing?

Are you so unhumanly altruistic not to consider yourself? certainly not, thats why you chose such a great career as dentistry where you are well rewarded for making a positive difference in the lives of others. Its a win win in my book.

Please guys, dont make me out to be greedy. its just a point of view most people on this board are somewhat afraid to overtly say.

 

[jaypea65]

Because many general dentists don't feel comfortable enough to do ALL endo and/or perio procedures in office. if **** hits the fan, the GP will be held to the same standards as someone who has been through a specialty post-grad program.

Don't get me wrong, I'm going to be a GP all the way and hope to do some endo and perio procedures, but don't think that a GP is just as competent in these procedures as someone who has 3 additional years of structured training post-dental school.

jb!🙂

Although I agree that a GP is certainly not as competent when they first begin performing endo and perio procedures, however I can imagine that as more of these procedures are performed a GP could hold their own. I imagine that dentistry is just like anything else, the more you do, they better you become.

 

[toofshucker]

Although I agree that a GP is certainly not as competent when they first begin performing endo and perio procedures, however I can imagine that as more of these procedures are performed a GP could hold their own. I imagine that dentistry is just like anything else, the more you do, they better you become.

Sure, the more you do, the better you become, but remember as you are getting better at doing run of the mill 1st molar endo, the endodontist is becoming better at doing 8+ canal endo. As a gp, you can become very competent, and some gp's are better at endo than some endodontists, but for the most part most endos are a lot better at endo than most gps.

 

[Dukie]

Sure, the more you do, the better you become, but remember as you are getting better at doing run of the mill 1st molar endo, the endodontist is becoming better at doing 8+ canal endo. As a gp, you can become very competent, and some gp's are better at endo than some endodontists, but for the most part most endos are a lot better at endo than most gps.

Well, of course there will be exceptions. BUT, of course the specialist is going to be far more skilled than the GP at these procedures. In most dental schools, you have to do about FIVE root canals. In endo residencies, they typically have to complete a minimum of about 300 procedures before graduation. They then go out and do up to ten per day. Thus, there is no way the GP will ever have as much experience as the endodontist. The GP may simply be amazingly gifted, but otherwise, the amount of experience will never match up.

 

[charlestweed]

I have a question for all of you dental students. Is it worth it to specialize after dental school? I know a general dentist that performs perio and all endo procedures in his own office. Why would you waste the extra money and time if you are competent and feel comfortable performing these procedures?

A lot of times, GP's are "forced" to refer out perio and endo cases b/c their patients have HMO plans. GP don't get paid much if they do these procedures. HMO pay specialists higher fees and specialists also collect additional co-payments from patients&#8230;..that's how recent grad perio/endo specialists make lots of $$$.

Although I agree that a GP is certainly not as competent when they first begin performing endo and perio procedures, however I can imagine that as more of these procedures are performed a GP could hold their own. I imagine that dentistry is just like anything else, the more you do, they better you become.

I believe proper diagnosis and treatment planning are just as important as good clinical skill&#8230;.and you can only learn these from formal specialty training, not from a few CE classes. You can't do crown lengthening on a severely broken tooth (ferrule effect, biological width)...the tooth has to be extracted. You can't do bone graft on teeth that have horizontal (or one/two wall ) defects.... the tooth needs osseous surgery. You can't place implant in a wrong (compromised) angulation b/c of severe bone loss&#8230;.patient must have proper bone graft prior to implant placement. You can't just do perio surgery on pt and let him/her go&#8230;.his/her perio condition must be periodically monitored after the surgery. This is why you still need specialists.

 

[toofshucker]

Well, of course there will be exceptions. BUT, of course the specialist is going to be far more skilled than the GP at these procedures. In most dental schools, you have to do about FIVE root canals. In endo residencies, they typically have to complete a minimum of about 300 procedures before graduation. They then go out and do up to ten per day. Thus, there is no way the GP will ever have as much experience as the endodontist. The GP may simply be amazingly gifted, but otherwise, the amount of experience will never match up.

That is my point.