Strip Mall Dentists...

[predentchick]

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Just curious to see some opinions on this board: What do you think of strip mall dental offices? I have come across a lot of people who think negatively of them. They say is says "cheap" and they think the dentist is going to do a cheap job. They say they would go to a Dr. in an office complex only. However, I have heard that strip mall/mall dentists do the best as far as monthly production. Any thoughts?

 

[ItsGavinC]

Just curious to see some opinions on this board: What do you think of strip mall dental offices? I have come across a lot of people who think negatively of them. They say is says "cheap" and they think the dentist is going to do a cheap job. They say they would go to a Dr. in an office complex only. However, I have heard that strip mall/mall dentists do the best as far as monthly production. Any thoughts?

Typically strip mall dentists do FAR better in monthly production than those in large medical complexes. First, strip mall dentists are usually much more visible than those hidden in large complexes. Secondly, those in office complexes often have 2-3 other dentists next door to them in the complex. Thrd, strip mall dentists have a natural way of advertising their services, as they are often found near grocery stores or other areas where women frequent during the day (this is important because women set the appointments for themselves, their children, and their husbands). That is a huge benefit, especially if the office is in a local where it fits into a daily schedule. For example, get the groceries, have the oil changed, get the teeth cleaned, etc. all in the same strip mall.

I'll be the first to admit that strip mall offices typically look very cheesy and have dorky names (SmilesRUs?), but it seems they can come out ahead more easily than complex offices. And that isn't to say that there aren't lots of complex offices that are successful.

 

[toothcaries]

sounds like someone has been listening to their 30 day dental mba...
😉

Typically strip mall dentists do FAR better in monthly production than those in large medical complexes. First, strip mall dentists are usually much more visible than those hidden in large complexes. Secondly, those in office complexes often have 2-3 other dentists next door to them in the complex. Thrd, strip mall dentists have a natural way of advertising their services, as they are often found near grocery stores or other areas where women frequent during the day (this is important because women set the appointments for themselves, their children, and their husbands). That is a huge benefit, especially if the office is in a local where it fits into a daily schedule. For example, get the groceries, have the oil changed, get the teeth cleaned, etc. all in the same strip mall.

I'll be the first to admit that strip mall offices typically look very cheesy and have dorky names (SmilesRUs?), but it seems they can come out ahead more easily than complex offices. And that isn't to say that there aren't lots of complex offices that are successful.

 

[dientesfuertes]

They may be great from a production standpoint, but, personally, I would find it majorly depressing to go to work everyday at a stripmall location as a dentist.
Just my opinion.

 

[Calculus1]

I wouldn't care where my practice is, as long as I am producing.

 

[omaralt]

hey guys, just wondering, how much do these strip mall dentists make?? is it based on percentage or do they make a set salary?
thanks

omar

 

[Zurik5]

It's better than becoming a Wal-Mart dentist 🙂. I would have no problems working in a location like this, as long as the area was anchored by a couple of huge stores.

 

[TTSD]

Well, from everything I hear: Dentistry is all about being able to run a small business.

At least in the Asian community, a lot of the dentists occupy strip mall offices, and they're exceedingly popular. The ones that are in large office complexes, as noted above, usually have to be spread by word of mouth, ads, etc, etc since they are hidden on the Xth floor.

 

[honestpredent]

They may be great from a production standpoint, but, personally, I would find it majorly depressing to go to work everyday at a stripmall location as a dentist.
Just my opinion.

Okay, you sound like someone who isn't in touch with the reality of being a dentist. Here are some harsh realities of becoming a dentist. With all of the positives (great income, great lifestyle, low malpractice insurance, never being sued, never dealing with paperwork) comes the bad

1. You will work in a strip mall- accept it. Nearly every dentist works in a strip mall. You won't be able to afford working in a nice office complex when you first start your practice. It will be too expensive and you will have a tough time attracting patients.

2. You are not a physician and will never be thought of or treated like on by the public. Despite doing the same basic sciences and learning pretty much everything a phyician learns, we still don't receive anywhere near the same level of respect. Even if you net 500K a year and live in a huge house and drive a Porsche, you still won't get the same respect as a physician.

3. People view going to the dentist as a chore. Seeing a dentist is like getting your oil changed. It's a nuisance that people hate dealing with. They don't want to talk to you. They want you to do your business and let them leave. There is very little patient interaction. You will not have a lengthy 20 minute consultation with your patients and receive great adulation

4. As a general dentist, your work will come down to three procedures, crowns, bridges and extractions. That will be your bread and butter. Thus you better like it. Your work can be mundane

The happiest and most successful dentists are the ones who can accept that they aren't physicians. They just want to do their job; make tons of money and have a great lifestyle. The miserable dentists are the ones who thought they would be physicians who subspecialize in the mouth.

I'm all about the strip mall. Lower rent and high production = $$$

 

[toothcaries]

Okay, you sound like someone who isn't in touch with the reality of being a dentist. Here are some harsh realities of becoming a dentist. With all of the positives (great income, great lifestyle, low malpractice insurance, never being sued, never dealing with paperwork) comes the bad

1. You will work in a strip mall- accept it. Nearly every dentist works in a strip mall. You won't be able to afford working in a nice office complex when you first start your practice. It will be too expensive and you will have a tough time attracting patients.

2. You are not a physician and will never be thought of or treated like on by the public. Despite doing the same basic sciences and learning pretty much everything a phyician learns, we still don't receive anywhere near the same level of respect. Even if you net 500K a year and live in a huge house and drive a Porsche, you still won't get the same respect as a physician.

3. People view going to the dentist as a chore. Seeing a dentist is like getting your oil changed. It's a nuisance that people hate dealing with. They don't want to talk to you. They want you to do your business and let them leave. There is very little patient interaction. You will not have a lengthy 20 minute consultation with your patients and receive great adulation

4. As a general dentist, your work will come down to three procedures, crowns, bridges and extractions. That will be your bread and butter. Thus you better like it. Your work can be mundane

The happiest and most successful dentists are the ones who can accept that they aren't physicians. They just want to do their job; make tons of money and have a great lifestyle. The miserable dentists are the ones who thought they would be physicians who subspecialize in the mouth.

I'm all about the strip mall. Lower rent and high production = $$$

🙄
lotsa strong statements there...
...got any links/stats to back up ANYTHING?

 

[Calculus1]

I don't agree with a lot of the above post. BUT Honestpredent does make a good point about the respect thing. When I did my Army training 50 of us were dental and about 250 were MD/DO students. The Army AND the MD/DOs gave us almost no respect, which was cool with me by the end of it all. In fact, even the Officer Basic Course instructors would preface things with, "all you dentists and doctors...." and at our graduation ceremony the keynote speaker kept going on about how going back to our respective MEDICAL school was going to be blah blah blah... Don't let that kind of crap get to you, I had to endure a 6 week camp of it, and to be honest I felt like the MD/DOs deserve more respect than me. They have almost twice as many years of obligation than I have, and less earning potential. Believe me after being out of med school 10 years, plenty of them will wish they could trade all that "respect" for our lifestyle.

 

[predentchick]

I have had some interesting reponses to this thread, which I am thrilled about. My main point it this: If I was a paying customer (which ALL dental patients are) and I needed a crown (roughly 800 bucks) I would go to someone in a "medical" office complex over someone next to a jiffy lube anyday. It just says "I will do the job better!" I DO NOT know why I feel this way, I just do. I can't explain it. I know both of those dentists could have graduated with the same stats, it just says "cheap" to me if someone is willing to do medical work next to an auto parts store. I know the majority are in these places so they must do well. I just have this major reservation about opening a practice in one. However, I maybe once I see numbers and am writing the checks I will feel different.... but I doubt it. Who knows...

 

[Calculus1]

Predentchick, you need to get over yourself.

 

[honestpredent]

I have had some interesting reponses to this thread, which I am thrilled about. My main point it this: If I was a paying customer (which ALL dental patients are) and I needed a crown (roughly 800 bucks) I would go to someone in a "medical" office complex over someone next to a jiffy lube anyday. It just says "I will do the job better!" I DO NOT know why I feel this way, I just do. I can't explain it. I know both of those dentists could have graduated with the same stats, it just says "cheap" to me if someone is willing to do medical work next to an auto parts store. I know the majority are in these places so they must do well. I just have this major reservation about opening a practice in one. However, I maybe once I see numbers and am writing the checks I will feel different.... but I doubt it. Who knows...

Well, I agree. I wouldn't go to the one next to the China Buffet or the Autozone but some strip malls are nicer than others especially on the West Coast. Some Strip Malls will have a Banana Republic and a Cheesecake factory. I wouldn't mind if my practice was in that same complex.

I just meant that it will be tough to locate your dental office in some glass building on the 3rd floor in a posh neighborhood unless you doing a lot of cosmetic dentistry which is another thread altogether.

 

[Leukocyte]

As a customer of a "stip-mall" dentist, I have to say that I really like the service I recieve. It's convenient, it's affordable, and very accessable.

No need to open the yellow-book, or call 1-800-dentist. The office is right there in front of me. I careless that it is next to Sears or JC-penny. It's not like it's in a garbage dump. If you think of it, a stip-mall is in fact a "business complex", right?

I just do not see why in the world would I have to go to a dentist in a big complex, who i guess, might even see less patients/day (thus less experience) than the "mall" counterpart.

I do not know, but dentists in big buildings just sound more intimidating to me.

 

[honestpredent]

🙄
lotsa strong statements there...
...got any links/stats to back up ANYTHING?

You mean lotsa intuitive (common sense) statements. I'm just secure enough with being a dentist that I can admit the downside.

Do you really need a link or a stat stating that people in general respect dentists less than doctors. 🙄

 

[predentchick]

Predentchick, you need to get over yourself.

Ummm... Ok. Why??? Because I don't feel I should set up a practice next to a jiffy lube? By that time, I will have invested a lot of money and 8 years of college education on my career. I think I owe it to hold myself in high regard. We put people's health in our hands. I think that should be done in a more professional setting. Its not about "myself." It is about holding the profession up to a level where an MD/DO WILL give us that respect. Practicing next to a jiffy lube won't get it.

 

[toothcaries]

this guy operates a strip mall practice..
http://www.todaysdental.com/

..he seems to have a little bit of respect in the dental world.

 

[TTSD]

Predentchick, you need to get over yourself.

Nono, predentchick had a valid view. The whole "medical" office complex outside of having pre-built facilities to house medical-related businesses is its image. Some people feel more comfortable if the area has a more professional look regardless of level of care. But strip-mall dentists (went to an orthodontist at one) are just as good, and just as bad as those who house theirs in a medical complex.

But there are reasons for choosing one of the other. Such as visibility, costs, location, etc etc. And what better place to put a dentist office surrounded by candy stores?

 

[ScottDoc]

I am not a dentist or pre-dental but here is my perception of this:


I have been to many dentists b/c I have had to move many times over the years. I have NEVER been to a dentist in any type of complex - it has always been in a strip mall or small shopping center - one was next to a 7 Eleven (in a nice neighborhood). I never thought about the fact they were in a strip mall - not once. I would say I am like most consumers. I chose these doctors b/c they were visable. I repeat VISABLE! Think about this. Also I did not chose because of a fullpage cheezy yellow page ad (don't waste cash on YP's).

 

[honestpredent]

this guy operates a strip mall practice..
http://www.todaysdental.com/

..he seems to have a little bit of respect in the dental world.

Yeah, in the dental world. People respect dentists. They just don't provide them with the same adulation they provide to doctors. And this is only seen as a bad thing by naive people who graduate thinking the public would provide them with the same level of respect. This should be common knowledge by now. It doesn't mean the profession of dentistry is bad. No profession is without its downside. And we all know of the negatives facing medicine. Forgive me for being fair and identifying the ones in dentistry.

 

[predentchick]

I realize there are different kinds of "strip malls." The ones I am referring to are the ones with random businesses in them. There are "medical" strip malls where there are only medical type practices in them. I am not referring to big 12 story buildings. Those are out of the question for dentists due to that very important visibility factor. I am referring to the "random" strip malls vs. medical ones. Just for clarity.

 

[TTSD]

I realize there are different kinds of "strip malls." The ones I am referring to are the ones with random businesses in them. There are "medical" strip malls where there are only medical type practices in them. I am not referring to big 12 story buildings. Those are out of the question for dentists due to that very important visibility factor. I am referring to the "random" strip malls vs. medical ones. Just for clarity.

No.. no, stop now. We all know what type of strip-malls you were referring to.

 

[predentchick]

No.. no, stop now. We all know what type of strip-malls you were referring to.

huh? it seems as though people didn't. a previous post stated there are different kinds of places in different cities. I was providing some clarity as to what i was used to seeing. no need to get snippy! 🙂

 

[toothcaries]

You mean lotsa intuitive (common sense) statements. I'm just secure enough with being a dentist that I can admit the downside.

Do you really need a link or a stat stating that people in general respect dentists less than doctors. 🙄

out of all the "realities" u wrote about..
..you chose the most subjective item, "respect," to defend yourself against a simple "stats" query.
c'mon now...

my point is when u try to pass your opinion off as a "fact"
you had better be able to back it up.

 

[honestpredent]

I understand where pre-dent chick is coming from. When you see DENTIST in big red letters, it does look cheesy in the stip mall. I mean how often do you see ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON in big red letters next to the Albertsons. No one dreams of practicing in a strip mall but it's just part of the dental culture. We dentists love strip malls. ....Uh oh, I better find a URL to back that up. 😀

 

[Calculus1]

Ummm... Ok. Why??? Because I don't feel I should set up a practice next to a jiffy lube? By that time, I will have invested a lot of money and 8 years of college education on my career. I think I owe it to hold myself in high regard. We put people's health in our hands. I think that should be done in a more professional setting. Its not about "myself." It is about holding the profession up to a level where an MD/DO WILL give us that respect. Practicing next to a jiffy lube won't get it.

Why don't you just go to Med school, then? That way you won't have to spend your career trying to get respect from people who don't matter.

 

[honestpredent]

out of all the "realities" u wrote about..
..you chose the most subjective item, "respect," to defend yourself against a simple "stats" query.
c'mon now...

my point is when u try to pass your opinion off as a "fact"
you had better be able to back it up.

Out of all the realities I wrote about, only one had something you could look up and that was the type of dental procedures. Everything esle was in fact SUBJECTIVE if not down right intuitive. For example, do you need a stat backing up the idea that patients view going to the dentist as chore. Please... Your stats request was just a poor attempt to discredit my post because you simply didn't agree with or didn't want to acknowlegde it.

My point is that some things are intuitive and there is no need to debate the issue just to be an ass. Just because I don't cite stats in some dental research journal doesn't mean it's not true to some degree.

 

[Midoc]

1. You will work in a strip mall- accept it. Nearly every dentist works in a strip mall.

3. People view going to the dentist as a chore. Seeing a dentist is like getting your oil changed. It's a nuisance that people hate dealing with. They don't want to talk to you. They want you to do your business and let them leave. There is very little patient interaction. You will not have a lengthy 20 minute consultation with your patients and receive great adulation

#1 is interesting because I rarely see a dental office in a strip mall or any other type of mall. They're usually in stand alone buildings or medical office type buildings.

#3 is correct in that people don't enjoy going to the dentist but then again who enjoys going to the physcian's office either? I have never ever heard anyone express joy about getting to go see their physician. Most of the patients I've seen so far in the clinic have appreciated being talked to and treated with respect rather than just the body that happens to be attached to the mouth we're working on. If you think of patients as just a mouth with teeth in it then you will NOT be liked or respected by your patients.

 

[toothcaries]

Yeah, in the dental world. People respect dentists. They just don't provide them with the same adulation they provide to doctors. And this is only seen as a bad thing by naive people who graduate thinking the public would provide them with the same level of respect. This should be common knowledge by now. It doesn't mean the profession of dentistry is bad. No profession is without its downside. And we all know of the negatives facing medicine. Forgive me for being fair and identifying the ones in dentistry.

this is interesting.
i wonder if this is maybe a cultural difference...
to me, ..how i am "respected"...is not something i really put much thought into..
whether or not some surgeon from mumbai respects me is not going to put clothes on my daughter's back.
as long as my patients receive excellent care and my bottom line is healthy..who the heck cares.

 

[predentchick]

Why do you just go to Med school, then? That way you won't have to spend your career trying to get respect from people who don't matter.

My hell! Why are you making this a personal attack? If I wanted to go to med school, I would have. I want to to dental work, hence the dental school route. This isn't about that. Respect DOES matter when it comes to "people" because "people" need dental work. Even those "people" who are medical doctors. When I graduate with a DMD, I will have the respect of the general public. It is up to me to hold that up and not put myself next to a jiffy lube. My career is more important than that. So don't make this personal. Who needs to get over themself now?

 

[Calculus1]

My hell! Why are you making this a personal attack? If I wanted to go to med school, I would have. I want to to dental work, hence the dental school route. This isn't about that. Respect DOES matter when it comes to "people" because "people" need dental work. Even those "people" who are medical doctors. When I graduate with a DMD, I will have the respect of the general public. It is up to me to hold that up and not put myself next to a jiffy lube. My career is more important than that. So don't make this personal. Who needs to get over themself now?

I guess you showed me.

 

[honestpredent]

this is interesting.
i wonder if this is maybe a cultural difference...
to me, ..how i am "respected"...is not something i really put much thought into..
whether or not some surgeon from mumbai respects me is not going to put clothes on my daughter's back.
as long as my patients receive excellent care and my bottom line is healthy..who the heck cares.

That's fine but it doesn't change the fact that many dentists aren't treated with the same level of respect as physicians. Whether you can or can't deal with that isn't the issue. For some people, they truly expect to be treated with the same level of respect after graduation and are shocked when they never receive. Others know this and don't care.

My point is if you are going to enter any field, you should be aware of the potential drawbacks as well as its strengths. Some people won't view that as a drawback while someone else will. At least this way, they can think twice before entering a field they may or may not enjoy.

 

[Midoc]

Why don't you just go to Med school, then? That way you won't have to spend your career trying to get respect from people who don't matter.

I agree with predentchick regarding a dental office being in a medical type building having a higher degree of PERCEIVED quality. NOTE: I am not knocking strip mall officers, I am only talking about perception. It is similar to buying a name brand vs. an off-brand. Most people generally perceive the name brand to have higher quality but this isn't always the case.

Calculus, I'm not sure who you're saying doesn't matter but I'm sure that you're wrong. If you're saying it doesn't matter whether the general public respects us then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will never seek our care unless they have an emergency and then it is usually too late to save a tooth. If you're saying its our patients then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will have zero compliance with our recommendations and never halt the caries process. If you're saying its the MD's and DO's then you're wrong because they will disrespect our medical consults and ignore our referrals. If you're saying its the person with no teeth and no desire of a denture and doesn't care about being screened for oral cancer or other problems then maybe you're right with that one.

 

[honestpredent]

#1 is interesting because I rarely see a dental office in a strip mall or any other type of mall. They're usually in stand alone buildings or medical office type buildings.

Must be a downtown Detroit thing. Go to burbs like Bloomfield Hills and you will see plenty of strip mall dentists.

is correct in that people don't enjoy going to the dentist but then again who enjoys going to the physcian's office either? I have never ever heard anyone express joy about getting to go see their physician. Most of the patients I've seen so far in the clinic have appreciated being talked to and treated with respect rather than just the body that happens to be attached to the mouth we're working on. If you think of patients as just a mouth with teeth in it then you will NOT be liked or respected by your patients.

I never said people enjoy going to see the physician; they just don't view it as a chore. You don't see your neurologist twice a year or your GI twice a year for a checkup. People only see their doctor if something arises or they want a prescription like Viagra. With dentistry, the process is more routine thus they just want to get in and out ASAP before they start work. I never said that I view patients as a mouth; please don't put words in my mouth.

 

[Calculus1]

That's fine but it doesn't change the fact that many dentists aren't treated with the same level of respect as physicians. Whether you can or can't deal with that isn't the issue. For some people, they truly expect to be treated with the same level of respect after graduation and are shocked when they never receive. Others know this and don't care.

My point is if you are going to enter any field, you should be aware of the potential drawbacks as well as its strengths. Some people won't view that as a drawback while someone else will. At least this way, they can think twice before entering a field they may or may not enjoy.

Honest is right, at my Army OBC there were a few dental students that got very defensive about their chosen profession when they got razzed by some med students. I can understand why, but at the same time, I accept it because as long as I'm doing my job right and my family is taken care of, I don't care if I have to park in near a Jiffy Lube every day.

 

[DDSSlave]

Okay, you sound like someone who isn't in touch with the reality of being a dentist. Here are some harsh realities of becoming a dentist. With all of the positives (great income, great lifestyle, low malpractice insurance, never being sued, never dealing with paperwork) comes the bad

1. You will work in a strip mall- accept it. Nearly every dentist works in a strip mall. You won't be able to afford working in a nice office complex when you first start your practice. It will be too expensive and you will have a tough time attracting patients.

2. You are not a physician and will never be thought of or treated like on by the public. Despite doing the same basic sciences and learning pretty much everything a phyician learns, we still don't receive anywhere near the same level of respect. Even if you net 500K a year and live in a huge house and drive a Porsche, you still won't get the same respect as a physician.

3. People view going to the dentist as a chore. Seeing a dentist is like getting your oil changed. It's a nuisance that people hate dealing with. They don't want to talk to you. They want you to do your business and let them leave. There is very little patient interaction. You will not have a lengthy 20 minute consultation with your patients and receive great adulation

4. As a general dentist, your work will come down to three procedures, crowns, bridges and extractions. That will be your bread and butter. Thus you better like it. Your work can be mundane

The happiest and most successful dentists are the ones who can accept that they aren't physicians. They just want to do their job; make tons of money and have a great lifestyle. The miserable dentists are the ones who thought they would be physicians who subspecialize in the mouth.

I'm all about the strip mall. Lower rent and high production = $$$

honestpredent,

You've brought up some interesting points and a few generalizations.

1. You will have more of choice then you think. If you wish to pursue gp when you graduate, typically you'll associate and later buy into a practice. Although the choices aren't limitless, it's your choice what type of practice with which you decide to associate. Few grads choose to start up a practice from scratch.

2. Comparing a dentist to a physician in terms of respect - that question was never asked or discussed before you brought it up which leads me to think that it's weighing heavily on your mind. The only thing I can say is that this question of respect is really a moot point that only concerns predents, premeds, and the occasional but rare arrogant med student. Dentistry and Medicine are hard jobs, and at the end of the day no practitioner really considers or cares what their level of respect is in the community.

3. I agree, most pts don't like going to the dentist (nor the doctor or lawyer etc if that matters to you). However, whether you interact with your pt is up to you. My experience has been (including personal experience as a student clinician) talking with your pt helps comfort them. Most like talking back too. I'm sure they would rather be elsewhere, but it is not as cold an environment you may think or may have shadowed.

4. I agree that your work is often repetitive. Show me a job anywhere in the health care field that isn't. Nevertheless, as a gp you do a lot more than fixed prosth and extractions. Pedo, endo, operative, removable, and perio off the top of my head. Certainly crowns/bridges are the big money makers but they aren't (or shouldn't be unless you're a shady dentist) the only procedures you will do by a long shot.

Lastly, the happiest dentists are those that love their job and lifestyle period. There's no qualification or distinction of how you compare to a physician in the real world. You have your responsibilities as a dentist to your patient (cosmetic & disease, surgical & medical, etc), which you will learn when you start going through dental school. That is what you'll care about. To accept or not to accept the fact that you're not a physician is what makes predents happy or unhappy, not dentists. Dentists and dental students don't even consider the question.

 

[Midoc]

Must be a downtown Detroit thing. Go to burbs like Bloomfield Hills and you will see plenty of strip mall dentists..

I'm not talking about downtown Detroit. I'm talking about the suburbs and the rest of the state. Most offices are in stand alone buildings or clustered with other medical offices.

I never said people enjoy going to see the physician; they just don't view it as a chore. You don't see your neurologist twice a year or your GI twice a year for a checkup. People only see their doctor if something arises or they want a prescription like Viagra. With dentistry, the process is more routine thus they just want to get in and out ASAP before they start work. I never said that I view patients as a mouth; please don't put words in my mouth.

As well, I never said those things either. I offered them as counterpoints and warnings. I was responding to this sentence: "They want you to do your business and let them leave." Obviously things work slower in a dental school but so far most of the time I've sat down and explained things to patients they expressed gratitude that I took the time to do so.

 

[Calculus1]

I agree with predentchick regarding a dental office being in a medical type building having a higher degree of PERCEIVED quality. NOTE: I am not knocking strip mall officers, I am only talking about perception. It is similar to buying a name brand vs. an off-brand. Most people generally perceive the name brand to have higher quality but this isn't always the case.

Calculus, I'm not sure who you're saying doesn't matter but I'm sure that you're wrong. If you're saying it doesn't matter whether the general public respects us then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will never seek our care unless they have an emergency and then it is usually too late to save a tooth. If you're saying its our patients then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will have zero compliance with our recommendations and never halt the caries process. If you're saying its the MD's and DO's then you're wrong because they will disrespect our medical consults and ignore our referrals. If you're saying its the person with no teeth and no desire of a denture and doesn't care about being screened for oral cancer or other problems then maybe you're right with that one.

Midoc, I was talking about DOs and MDs. And having them consider me an "equal" of theirs doesn't matter one bit. As for our referrals and consults, that's not a matter of respect, but of responsibility to a patient and I don't think any MD/DO will care, then.

 

[toothcaries]

Out of all the realities I wrote about, only one had something you could look up and that was the type of dental procedures. Everything esle was in fact SUBJECTIVE if not down right intuitive. For example, do you need a stat backing up the idea that patients view going to the dentist as chore. Please... Your stats request was just a poor attempt to discredit my post because you simply didn't agree with or didn't want to acknowlegde it.

My point is that some things are intuitive and there is no need to debate the issue just to be an ass. Just because I don't cite stats in some dental research journal doesn't mean it's not true to some degree.

did u read your own post?
again, i made no judgements on whether you are correct...or if u are full of crap.

i'm just a dumb dental student trying to absorb as much as possible.

i dont know...
..maybe i forgot the meaning of "subjective" or something...but, words like "nearly every"...and comments about what a grad can afford...those are not exactly "arbitrary expressions of private tastes".
if u are going to make to make strong statements, you have to back it up... or someone is gonna call BS.


btw, just YESTERDAY i chatted with an accountant that happens give practice management lectures at my uni...and his OPINION was "...if u have a DDS, and a pulse..u will generally be approved for 300k..more than that will need a credit check."



anyways..
my study break is over.
gotta finish reviewing...

btw, i am an ass and proud of it.
😛
peace.

 

[predentchick]

I agree with predentchick regarding a dental office being in a medical type building having a higher degree of PERCEIVED quality. NOTE: I am not knocking strip mall officers, I am only talking about perception. It is similar to buying a name brand vs. an off-brand. Most people generally perceive the name brand to have higher quality but this isn't always the case.

Calculus, I'm not sure who you're saying doesn't matter but I'm sure that you're wrong. If you're saying it doesn't matter whether the general public respects us then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will never seek our care unless they have an emergency and then it is usually too late to save a tooth. If you're saying its our patients then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will have zero compliance with our recommendations and never halt the caries process. If you're saying its the MD's and DO's then you're wrong because they will disrespect our medical consults and ignore our referrals. If you're saying its the person with no teeth and no desire of a denture and doesn't care about being screened for oral cancer or other problems then maybe you're right with that one.

EXACTLY what I was trying to say from the beginning. I just couldn't spit it out with precision. Are you sure you don't want to do a dual DDS/law degree?

 

[ItsGavinC]

hey guys, just wondering, how much do these strip mall dentists make?? is it based on percentage or do they make a set salary?
thanks

omar

Income is obtained the same as any other dentist. "Strip mall dentist" refers only to the LOCATION of the practice, nothing more.

 

[Midoc]

Midoc, I was talking about DOs and MDs. And having them consider me an "equal" of theirs doesn't matter one bit. As for our referrals and consults, that's not a matter of respect, but of responsibility to a patient and I don't think any MD/DO will care, then.

I think we're talking about apples and oranges then. I was talking about respect pure and simple rather than relative place on the (real or imagined) medical hierarchy. There are many levels of respect. My position is that MD's and DO's must have a certain level of respect of dentists for them to treat consults and referrals as if they came from a real healthcare provider.

For the record I have seen returned medical consults that were obviously filled out by an MD/DO that had no respect for dentists. The consult said something to the effect of Patient X has reported a heart murmer, please determine and report back to us whether the heard murmer is organic or functional. The response was: "follow AHA guidelines for SBE prophylaxis." My response (in my head) was "wtf? AHA guidelines say to determine if the murmer is functional or organic, thanks a lot <badword>."

 

[Midoc]

EXACTLY what I was trying to say from the beginning. I just couldn't spit it out with precision. Are you sure you don't want to do a dual DDS/law degree?

DDS/JD? Yikes, in that case I'd have to love and hate myself. I don't think I could take that. 😉

 

[DDSSlave]

The response was: "follow AHA guidelines for SBE prophylaxis." My response (in my head) was "wtf? AHA guidelines say to determine if the murmer is functional or organic, thanks a lot <badword>."

lol.. that is funny.. Sounds to me more like the doc is covering their behind and telling you... when in doubt, use prophylaxis. Too bad, antibiotic resistance is not exactly top priority in the real world of private practice medicine.


edit.... or the doc might just be using poor shorthand to tell you to refer to AHA for drug dosage... 2g Amoxicillin, etc

 

[Calculus1]

Hey Dan, keep an eye out for an "Old army buddy" of mine, his name is Mitch Kreuze and he'll be a first year at Detroit-Mercy. Tell him you heard that he got, "The most ass on the team." He'll get it. Anyway, OBC went swimmingly, you're gonna love it.

 

[Midoc]

Hey Dan, keep an eye out for an "Old army buddy" of mine, his name is Mitch Kreuze and he'll be a first year at Detroit-Mercy. Tell him you heard that he got, "The most ass on the team." He'll get it. Anyway, OBC went swimmingly, you're gonna love it.

Hopefully some day hazing will come back into fashion. 😉
I'll tell him hi for you but I doubt he'll know who I'm talking about if I say "Calculus1 says hi". heh

I'm not too worried about OBC, the only thing I'm a bit concerned about is that mine will be about twice as long as yours was since I can't do it until after I graduate. There could be a positive there too though, everything will be fresh in my mind and I might be more prepared with more training. We'll see in two more years.

 

[Calculus1]

It's not bad, and you'll meet some really awesome people. Tell him LT Aragona says, hi. If you use the "most ass on the team" he'll definitely know who you're talking about. BTW I got a chance to meet with some incoming Captains(people who are doing the 11 week) and they didn't seem too depressed. I will warn you, you need like 50 copies of your orders and 50 copies of your Oath.

 

[honestpredent]

Calculus, I'm not sure who you're saying doesn't matter but I'm sure that you're wrong. If you're saying it doesn't matter whether the general public respects us then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will never seek our care unless they have an emergency and then it is usually too late to save a tooth. If you're saying its our patients then you're wrong because if they don't respect us they will have zero compliance with our recommendations and never halt the caries process. If you're saying its the MD's and DO's then you're wrong because they will disrespect our medical consults and ignore our referrals. If you're saying its the person with no teeth and no desire of a denture and doesn't care about being screened for oral cancer or other problems then maybe you're right with that one.

Midoc

Let's be a little more genuine about this. The general public for whatever reason does not provide the same level of respect to dentists as it applies to physicians. And dentists rightfully expect this same level of respect due their training which is why this "not as much respect" bothers some dentists. It doens't help that Readers Digest has articles telling consumers to be weary of unethical dentists or the fact that shows like 20/20 and Dateline have tried to expose unethical dentists. And let's also not deny that we know dentists who overdiagnose and gut patients for money. It's sad that these dentists exist but they do. Patients are aware of these dentists too much like car mechanics who overcharge of unnecessary procedures. These are issues that I will have no control over and I'm okay with this. Many patients will love and respect the work I do and others won't regardless of how well I treat them. I'm okay with all of this because dentistry has so many positive attributes that outweigh the negative.

I just wish more people in the dental field could be more candid about the drawbacks of dentistry instead of trying to rationalize them or deny them altogether. It's sad that everyone gets so defensive when one lists a few drawbacks to dentistry.

 

[honestpredent]

did u read your own post?
again, i made no judgements on whether you are correct...or if u are full of crap.

No, I just wrote it. You never made any judgements, you just implied them by asking for stats on topics that you knew didn't exist.

i dont know...
..maybe i forgot the meaning of "subjective" or something...but, words like "nearly every"...and comments about what a grad can afford...those are not exactly "arbitrary expressions of private tastes".
if u are going to make to make strong statements, you have to back it up... or someone is gonna call BS.

First of all, I never claimed that my ideas were facts. I said these were harsh realities so anyone with any common sense whatsoever can infer that I was stating my opinion.

Second, some criteria are just intuitive. I shouldn't have to provide financial figures to support the idea that rent in a more professional office complex setting will generally have higher rent. Do I really need to provide financial stats to prove that real estate in Beverly Hills is expensive. No, I don't because that information is rather intuitive. Also, a new grad has no income. It's quite an expenditure to start your own practice from scratch by locating in an expensive office setting. Again, do you really need statistics for you to accept any of this? No, you don't and you were just being an ass.

btw, just YESTERDAY i chatted with an accountant that happens give practice management lectures at my uni...and his OPINION was "...if u have a DDS, and a pulse..u will generally be approved for 300k..more than that will need a credit check."

Did your accountant also guarantee that your practice would gross a particular figure? Does your accountant also know that you are going to be leasing an expensive office in addition to paying for all of your other expenses like say...employees...equipment....you know that type of stuff. Tell your accountant that and he will probably say you need to take out a bigger loan, a much bigger loan. Taking out a 300K loan and purchasing a swanky office with high rent doesn't mean you will be able to generate enough money to pay off that rent. Now, do you need me to quote something from the "Wealth of Nations" or something out of the Harvard Business Journal for you to accept this?

btw, i am an ass and proud of it.
😛
peace.

Good luck with studying. I'm sure we will play again.