why do specialists make more than general dentists?

[JPevzner]

I recently heard that GPs can practice any and all of the specialties they want. Therefore, wouldn't it make sense that they make more money as they have more patients and can charge whatever they want for the procedures?

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[HupHolland]

Just because they can perform all procedures doesn't mean they necessarily do. This is a matter of health care, not a matter of getting milk at wal-mart vs. whole foods.

Who would you go to for getting bony impacted 3rds extracted? RCT on #3 with 45 degree apical curvature? Braces for a pt w/ angles III occlusion?

In addition, specialists are often much more efficient than the GP at performing procedures w/in their specialty. What might take an endodontist 1 hour may take a GP 3 hours. Thus, it may not be cost effective or worth the stress of getting into a sticky situation.

Hup

 

[aphistis]

Just because they can perform all procedures doesn't mean they necessarily do. This is a matter of health care, not a matter of getting milk at wal-mart vs. whole foods.

Who would you go to for getting bony impacted 3rds extracted? RCT on #3 with 45 degree apical curvature? Braces for a pt w/ angles III occlusion?

In addition, specialists are often much more efficient than the GP at performing procedures w/in their specialty. What might take an endodontist 1 hour may take a GP 3 hours. Thus, it may not be cost effective or worth the stress of getting into a sticky situation.

Hup

+1

 

[JPevzner]

good point. However, i'd just like to state that the patient doesn't know how complex the issue is. Therefore, if the dentists feels competent to treat the case, will he charge a similar fee to that of the specialist? From what i understand thus far, a lot of dentists only refer the most complex of cases to specialists. Therefore, it would make sense that specialists have a small pool of patients.

 

[War Eagle]

good point. However, i'd just like to state that the patient doesn't know how complex the issue is. Therefore, if the dentists feels competent to treat the case, will he charge a similar fee to that of the specialist? From what i understand thus far, a lot of dentists only refer the most complex of cases to specialists. Therefore, it would make sense that specialists have a small pool of patients.

There are also many more general dentists than specialists.

 

[somethinpositiv]

When you have the trust of the patient, and give them the choice of referring them out to a specialist or having their GP do it, often they will choose the comfort of staying with the GP that has treated them for years. At least that's the case with my family dentist. He said that when he started doing implants and braces (after learning in CE courses), he told his patient "I can refer you to a specialist, or I can do it for you. Keep in mind that you would be my first real implant/ortho case," and the patient would ask, "are you confident that you can do it well?" and my dentist would say "Yes", and the patient would be like, "Ok, I trust you to do it." MY GP did my braces and I'm happy with the outcome. Then again, he might be the exception, not all GPs can do Specialist-quality work for specialized cases.