what is the TRUTH about the best pathway to ORTHO?

[Aceofspades]

I hate to admit it, but it makes sense... But perhaps the only flaw in this I see is that general dentistry encorporates all the specialties, so if you think general dentistry is boring, then all the specialties must be boring....

Most students do very little, if any, ortho in dental school. Some students don't experience that much endo as well.

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[gryffindor]

How is that possibly bad, you guys should explain. Thats just how it is. How about high school? Middle School?

No, it's not how it is. High school and undergrad were just years of fluff I had to endure to get out of the way. I hardly remember anything from all those classes I took. Dental school was not like that. After I finished, I had a very valuable degree. If my specialty aspirations didn't come through, the DDS offered unlimited possibilities for a secure, interesting, flexible, and financially rewarding career. I can't say the same if I hadn't gotten into dental school and had to rely on my degree from college. I would have had the same opportunities with the DDS whether I finished first or last in my dental school class. Since I finished higher up, I left doors open for myself and went on to specialize afterward, but it wasn't necessary. I could have exited the game after dental school and done fine for myself. Also, during residency, my DDS has provided me some good moonlighting opportunities to financially survive residency. I didn't have to rely on my BS in Biology to land a job at Starbucks.

 

[lhtran07]

A GP can perform EVERY procedure considered to be dentistry and confined to the oral cavity. That includes the typical fillings, cleanings, root canals, crowns/bridges, dentures, ...........whatever you envision a 'regular' dentist to be doing.

And then there are the invasive procedures that are normally done by specialists. They include surgical perio, IV sedation, treatment of bony impactions, and implant placements. Again, these are all still legally considered as dentistry. So, as a GP, you can also do all of these procedures.

But you bring up a good point. There's a specialty involved for almost every procedure done by GPs.

The beauty of dentistry is that it's flexible and you have quite a bit of autonomy over what you want to do and not do. As a GP, if you don't want to deal with endo you don't have to, you can focus on crowns/bridges, etc. If you want to do implants, take CE classes and focus on doing implants. So chances are that if you don't find general dentistry interesting, you might not find specializing interesting either. A majority of entering dental students go into dental school with the intention of specializing, but only a few will be able to go on and do that. If you make up your mind now and think that general dentistry is boring, you're not going to enjoy dental school (or your life if you won't be able to specialize).

Either you've shadowed GP's who just do the basic drill-n-fills or you've been misinformed about what GP's can actually do.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=505901
^I read through thread such as this and thought it would be wise to keep an open mind when in dental school instead of narrowing down my choices when I still have so much to learn about dentistry.

 

[makushin]

.

 

[NyCzPeter]

You know what, no matter how hard you bust your ass, you may not be top 10%. This is because 1/3 the classes in dental school are clinical, and it is about having HANDS, not being able to memorize ****. I already see it, people who had 4.0's first semester are getting C's in preclinic. This is why you are a fool to go to dental school if you hate general dentistry. No matter what you think today, odds are you will end up in general dentistry. I'm around people like you everyday, stabbing everyone in the back, obsessing over every class. Nobody likes them, and we are all going to laugh in 3 years when they end up as general dentists.

The other reason we can't stand you is... you really know nothing about dentistry, so to sit here and say ortho is your "passion" is an absolute joke and rings hollow. There's nothing wrong with wanting to excel in school and leave doors open, but please cut the bull**** about dental school being a stepping stone.

BURNNNNNN

lol you forget the fact that dental school is a stepping stone for many people including myself. It is the means towards a high income and stable lifestyle.

 

[Waitlisted2009]

The other reason we can't stand you is... you really know nothing about dentistry, so to sit here and say ortho is your "passion" is an absolute joke and rings hollow. There's nothing wrong with wanting to excel in school and leave doors open, but please cut the bull**** about dental school being a stepping stone.

So much to say...for one I never said anything about Ortho although the post is focused that direction? I think you are angry at someone else or just at predents in general...

It is a stepping stone no matter how much you want to deny it. Every level of education is a stepping stone if you have plans to continue.

 

[gryffindor]

So much to say...for one I never said anything about Ortho although the post is focused that direction? I think you are angry at someone else or just at predents in general...

It is a stepping stone no matter how much you want to deny it. Every level of education is a stepping stone if you have plans to continue.

There really isn't much more for you to say until you have gone through a few semesters of dental school and realize "Wow this is nothing like middle school, high school or college. The workload is intense and worse and so many of my grades are not under my control."

Med school = stepping stone because you must do a residency after in order to practice, and these residencies vary greatly in their compensation when you finish and get a job. An MD alone is not very valuable.

dental school = not stepping stone because 1) you can practice right after you graduate and 2) a GP and a specialist have the same earning potential, they just focus their practice on different procedures

 

[sajjy]

There really isn't much more for you to say until you have gone through a few semesters of dental school and realize "Wow this is nothing like middle school, high school or college. The workload is intense and worse and so many of my grades are not under my control."

Med school = stepping stone because you must do a residency after in order to practice, and these residencies vary greatly in their compensation when you finish and get a job. An MD alone is not very valuable.

dental school = not stepping stone because 1) you can practice right after you graduate and 2) a GP and a specialist have the same earning potential, they just focus their practice on different procedures

Really?

 

[NyCzPeter]

Med school = stepping stone because you must do a residency after in order to practice, and these residencies vary greatly in their compensation when you finish and get a job. An MD alone is not very valuable.

dental school = not stepping stone because 1) you can practice right after you graduate and 2) a GP and a specialist have the same earning potential, they just focus their practice on different procedures

uhhh your logic is faulty here buddy. You're saying med school is a stepping stone towards residency? Well residency itself isn't an end. No one goes to med school for the purpose of doing residency, they go to med school because of money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah.

So likewise, dental school is also a stepping stone because people go there for the money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah

The level of common sense is startlingly low on some of these SDNers.

 

[Jimmy Choo]

uhhh your logic is faulty here buddy. You're saying med school is a stepping stone towards residency? Well residency itself isn't an end. No one goes to med school for the purpose of doing residency, they go to med school because of money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah.

So likewise, dental school is also a stepping stone because people go there for the money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah

The level of common sense is startlingly low on some of these SDNers.

Your mom should've swallowed you instead.
Everyone, please stop derailing my thread with this stupid argument. Who cares about semantics.

 

[Black Teeth]

Your mom should've swallowed you instead.
Everyone, please stop derailing my thread with this stupid argument. Who cares about semantics.

I see you made the choice to go to Harvard. I think you made a good choice if you are going to specialize. The track record at Harvard for helping students get into dental specialties speaks for itself. Good luck.

 

[JamesOSU]

Wow a couple of PREDENTALs are arguing with a DENTIST about who knows more about the profession...

 

[DrReo]

Wow a couple of PREDENTALs are arguing with a DENTIST about who knows more about the profession...

Note the level of professionalism, too.

 

[DrReo]

uhhh your logic is faulty here buddy. You're saying med school is a stepping stone towards residency? Well residency itself isn't an end. No one goes to med school for the purpose of doing residency, they go to med school because of money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah.

So likewise, dental school is also a stepping stone because people go there for the money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah

The level of common sense is startlingly low on some of these SDNers.

What logic, or any intellectual wealth, are you presenting? All he is saying is that one can practice with a dental degree and those with medicine have more years of post doctoral training that is required to practice.

 

[NyCzPeter]

What logic, or any intellectual wealth, are you presenting? All he is saying is that one can practice with a dental degree and those with medicine have more years of post doctoral training that is required to practice.

No that's not all he's saying. His main point was that med school is a stepping stone and dental school isn't. And the grounds of his claim lies on the fact the med students have a mandatory residency while dental students can practice right after. But there are many problems to that argument.

1. Dental school is a stepping stone for many towards money, chicks, altruistic feelings etc

2. Med school is also a stepping stone for the same reasons, but it has nothing to do with there being a residency after since no one goes to med school just so they can do the residency

 

[NyCzPeter]

Your mom should've swallowed you instead.
Everyone, please stop derailing my thread with this stupid argument. Who cares about semantics.

rule 0 noob

No offence princess, but I'm kind of a big deal

 

[gryffindor]

uhhh your logic is faulty here buddy. You're saying med school is a stepping stone towards residency? Well residency itself isn't an end. No one goes to med school for the purpose of doing residency, they go to med school because of money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah.

So likewise, dental school is also a stepping stone because people go there for the money/cash/chicks, and helping people blah blah blah

The level of common sense is startlingly low on some of these SDNers.

I assumed you were being funny and sarcastic with this post. Especially since I am a female so I didn't go to dental school to pick up chicks but I guess there are girls who go to dental school solely to find themselves an ortho or OMS husband.

 

[aphistis]

The only faulty logic I see here is a handful of pre-dental students who think their acceptance letters mean they know more about dentistry than the licensed dentists trying to offer them advice.

 

[gryffindor]

Really?

Yeah, a GP and a specialist have the same earning potential. On a national average basis, specialists average more than GP's because they can charge more for their procedures. However on an individual level, it is up to each individual and specialist how they want to tailor their practices toward how much they want to make. My point is that there is no income ceiling on a GP just because of your training. Dental education doesn't end in dental school. It continues on through Continuining Education courses that you attend in areas you want to learn more about and new procedures you want to learn.

 

[NyCzPeter]

Yeah, a GP and a specialist have the same earning potential. On a national average basis, specialists average more than GP's because they can charge more for their procedures. However on an individual level, it is up to each individual and specialist how they want to tailor their practices toward how much they want to make. My point is that there is no income ceiling on a GP just because of your training. Dental education doesn't end in dental school. It continues on through Continuining Education courses that you attend in areas you want to learn more about and new procedures you want to learn.

If thats the case, then what is the point of specializing? Why would anyone spent more time and go into more debt just to limit themselves to one type of procedure and make the same amount of money?

 

[aphistis]

If thats the case, then what is the point of specializing? Why would anyone spent more time and go into more debt just to limit themselves to one type of procedure and make the same amount of money?

This is why:

Yeah, a GP and a specialist have the same earning potential.

Potential earnings and actual earnings are often quite different. Average actual income for specialists exceeds that for general dentists.

 

[Cold Front]

If thats the case, then what is the point of specializing? Why would anyone spent more time and go into more debt just to limit themselves to one type of procedure and make the same amount of money?

True.

Ortho and OS are the only 2 areas GP's easily refer out. Everything else stays with the GP.

The rest?:

Endodontists: They will soon be called Retreat specialists. Majority of endos are done by GPs.
Pedo: 80% of patients are very compliant, so GP's refer out the other 20% to pedodontists.
Perio: GP's are doing gingivectomies, flaps, etc. Perio is now competing with OS for implants, even with GP's.
Pros: During economic down turn, they prefer to be called GPs.

 

[Black Teeth]

If thats the case, then what is the point of specializing? Why would anyone spent more time and go into more debt just to limit themselves to one type of procedure and make the same amount of money?

Aphistis and Gryffindor can both be right but it depends on the context of the comparison. If I compared the average incomes of general dentists and specialists from different regions then Gryffindor might be right. For example, according to the ADA, the average income of a New England general dentist is comparable to a Southern California dental specialist. Many of my dental school classmates from UCLA who are general dentists moved to Texas precisely for that reason...they wanted to move to an area where general dentists make as much as specialists in California without having to do an extra 2-3 years of specialty schooling. So in a very loose sense, gryffindor may be right...general dentists can have the same earning potential as specialists if they are willing to move to another region.

But If I compared the average incomes of general dentists and specialists from the same region, then Aphistis is right. Dental specialists on average make more than the general dentists that live in that same area. This is usually the comparison that people are more interested in.

 

[Black Teeth]

Ortho and OS are the only 2 areas GP's easily refer out. Everything else stays with the GP.

The rest?:

Endodontists: They will soon be called Retreat specialists. Majority of endos are done by GPs.
Pedo: 80% of patients are very compliant, so GP's refer out the other 20% to pedodontists.
Perio: GP's are doing gingivectomies, flaps, etc. Perio is now competing with OS for implants, even with GP's.
Pros: During economic down turn, they prefer to be called GPs.

Agreed. General dentists are more likely to refer out ortho and OS because it is beyond their expertise. Even a GP who has done tons of ortho CEs is unlikely to attain the level of knowledge of a certified orthodontist.

As for endodontists, pedodontists, periodontists, and prosthdontists, there is a lot of overlap with the scope of general dentists. Most procedures done by these specialists can certainly be done by a general dentist. But the most common reason why these specialists still do well financially is because many general dentists don't believe that it is cost efficient for them to do these procedures. And that's really the key factor. It doesn't make much sense financially for a general dentist to spend an hour doing a root canal when he can prep 2-3 crowns in that same amount of time. The 2-3 crowns will certainly bring him more revenue than the one root canal procedure.

The same can be said for pediatric patients. As far as pediatric patients are concerned, pediatric dentists are not threatened by competition from the GP. There is simply not enough pediatric dentists to satisfy the demand for dental care. More than 6000 general dentists graduate from all the dental schools every year compared to only 400+ pediatric dentists. In fact, for the past several years, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has been trying to get more general dentists to accept pediatric patients. But many general dentists simply don't like dealing with kids. That's why the need for pediatric dentists has exploded over the past few years and why pedo is such a hot specialty at the moment. For that reason, I don't believe your claim that GPs only refer out 20% of the pediatric population is accurate. It's just not supported by the evidence and trend. It's got to be more than the 20% you are claiming in order to be consistent with the rising income of pediatric dentists as documented by the ADA.

In general, the more procedures that a GP is willing to do instead of referring out to a specialist, the higher the overhead costs incurred by that GP. More procedures means more materials costs. It's just not cost efficient for many general dentists to take on too much. I think it's fair to say that as long as general dentists continue to do what is in their best interest financially, there will always be a need for endodontists, pedodontists, periodontists, and prosthodontists.

 

[DrReo]

Are more GPs doing implants these days?

Agreed. General dentists are more likely to refer out ortho and OS because it is beyond their expertise. Even a GP who has done tons of ortho CEs is unlikely to attain the level of knowledge of a certified orthodontist.

As for endodontists, pedodontists, periodontists, and prosthdontists, there is a lot of overlap with the scope of general dentists. Most procedures done by these specialists can certainly be done by a general dentist. But the most common reason why these specialists still do well financially is because many general dentists don't believe that it is cost efficient for them to do these procedures. And that's really the key factor. It doesn't make much sense financially for a general dentist to spend an hour doing a root canal when he can prep 2-3 crowns in that same amount of time. The 2-3 crowns will certainly bring him more revenue than the one root canal procedure.

The same can be said for pediatric patients. As far as pediatric patients are concerned, pediatric dentists are not threatened by competition from the GP. There is simply not enough pediatric dentists to satisfy the demand for dental care. More than 6000 general dentists graduate from all the dental schools every year compared to only 400+ pediatric dentists. In fact, for the past several years, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has been trying to get more general dentists to accept pediatric patients. But many general dentists simply don't like dealing with kids. That's why the need for pediatric dentists has exploded over the past few years and why pedo is such a hot specialty at the moment. For that reason, I don't believe your claim that GPs only refer out 20% of the pediatric population is accurate. It's just not supported by the evidence and trend. It's got to be more than the 20% you are claiming in order to be consistent with the rising income of pediatric dentists as documented by the ADA.

In general, the more procedures that a GP is willing to do instead of referring out to a specialist, the higher the overhead costs incurred by that GP. More procedures means more materials costs. It's just not cost efficient for many general dentists to take on too much. I think it's fair to say that as long as general dentists continue to do what is in their best interest financially, there will always be a need for endodontists, pedodontists, periodontists, and prosthodontists.

 

[Black Teeth]

Are more GPs doing implants these days?

Absolutely. There are clear indications that implant companies such as Nobel Biocare are increasing their marketing campaign for dental implants to GPs. And why not? Implant companies make more money by extending the market to GPs rather than keeping it isolated to specialists. Implants have also started to become integrated into AEGD and GPR programs. Regardless of who places the implant, the financial benefits greatly outweighs the costs. That's why everyone (except for pediatric dentists and orthodontists) wants a piece of the implant pie.

 

[Cold Front]

The same can be said for pediatric patients. As far as pediatric patients are concerned, pediatric dentists are not threatened by competition from the GP. There is simply not enough pediatric dentists to satisfy the demand for dental care. More than 6000 general dentists graduate from all the dental schools every year compared to only 400+ pediatric dentists. In fact, for the past several years, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry has been trying to get more general dentists to accept pediatric patients. But many general dentists simply don't like dealing with kids. That's why the need for pediatric dentists has exploded over the past few years and why pedo is such a hot specialty at the moment. For that reason, I don't believe your claim that GPs only refer out 20% of the pediatric population is accurate. It's just not supported by the evidence and trend. It's got to be more than the 20% you are claiming in order to be consistent with the rising income of pediatric dentists as documented by the ADA.

Kids are more likely to visit a dentist than adults, parents make the choice, that's why pedo is about volume. GP's largest patient age group is between 40-49, while pedo's are 5-9. I was not implying GP's see more kids than pediatric dentists, but was pointing out that pedo referrals from GPs are not as high as ortho and OS referrals. GPs know that most kids are compliant, so they feel comfortable treating them - it's a great practice builder (parents and their kids going to the same practice). So, again, since kids are more likely to go to a dental office than adults, there are not enough GP's to meet the demand - although there are GPs who limit their practice to pediatric patients (like Small Smiles). Nonetheless, the only thing that makes pedo unique is treating patients with special needs.

In general, the more procedures that a GP is willing to do instead of referring out to a specialist, the higher the overhead costs incurred by that GP. More procedures means more materials costs. It's just not cost efficient for many general dentists to take on too much. I think it's fair to say that as long as general dentists continue to do what is in their best interest financially, there will always be a need for endodontists, pedodontists, periodontists, and prosthodontists.

I consider GP's as the quarterbacks of all dental services, they will do whatever they feel comfortable with; 1. do RCT, then crown the tooth, 2. EXT then place an implant, or in the case of pedo 3. prophies and the sealants. Doing whatever you want doesn't necessarily equate to higher operating expenses. It all comes down to the business model and how a practice is run. In fact, on average, specialists have higher expenses than GPs.

 

[Black Teeth]

Kids are more likely to visit a dentist than adults, parents make the choice, that's why pedo is about volume. GP's largest patient age group is between 40-49, while pedo's are 5-9. I was not implying GP's see more kids than pediatric dentists, but was pointing out that pedo referrals from GPs are not as high as ortho and OS referrals. GPs know that most kids are compliant, so they feel comfortable treating them - it's a great practice builder (parents and their kids going to the same practice). So, again, since kids are more likely to go to a dental office than adults, there are not enough GP's to meet the demand - although there are GPs who limit their practice to pediatric patients (like Small Smiles). Nonetheless, the only thing that makes pedo unique is treating patients with special needs.

I consider GP's as the quarterbacks of all dental services, they will do whatever they feel comfortable with; 1. do RCT, then crown the tooth, 2. EXT then place an implant, or in the case of pedo 3. prophies and the sealants. Doing whatever you want doesn't necessarily equate to higher operating expenses. It all comes down to the business model and how a practice is run. In fact, on average, specialists have higher expenses than GPs.

I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say. I'm not comparing the overhead of specialists to the overhead of general dentists. I'm comparing the overhead of general dentists who do certain procedures that overlap with specialists vs. general dentists who don't (aka referring out). The fact that you pointed out that specialists have higher overhead still doesn't support your hypothesis. It's actually irrelevant to the point I was making. For example, many general dentist such as myself, don't do root canals. I don't even do any pulp testing. If I even see a periapical radiolucency on the radiograph, I just refer it out to the endodontists. For that reason, my office does not purchase endo files, gutta percha, sealer, electric pulp tester, and any other equipment associated with endodontics. That stuff is super expensive to buy. Some of that stuff such as the gutta percha and sealer has an expiration date after which you have to throw away and buy new ones every couple of years which is basically money flushed down the toilet. As a result, my office saves a ton of money compared to the GP down the street who chooses to do root canals and has to buy all that expensive stuff. After telling you about all the expensive stuff that you have to buy in order to perform root canals, are you trying to tell me that the GP down the street is not going to have a higher overhead? Your argument doesn't make any sense. How in the world does buying all that endodontic stuff not add up to higher overhead costs? The GP down the street has to buy all that endodontic stuff that I don't have to buy. As a dental student, you should completely understand my point because you probably had to buy all that equipment as well when you entered dental school. Your bank account probably has less money in it because you had to buy all that equipment which you claim doesn't increase overhead costs. I don't know about you but nothing in dentistry comes for free. And if it does, show me where and I'll gladly move there and concede that you won the argument. I'd rather save money than try to prove my point. Until then, your statistics don't explain why my bank account has more money now than it did when my office was performing root canals. Could it be that I don't have to buy all that endodontic junk on a regular basis? And that is why general dentists such as myself don't do root canals...it's just not cost efficient for us. Refer them out is what I will do because I bring in more revenue (not to mention less stress) prepping crowns than performing root canals and at the same time, I save on overhead costs because I don't have to buy equipment to do a root canal. I really do hate looking for that MB2 in maxillary first molars! It waste so much of my time. I'll let the specialist deal with that headache and so will a lot of general dentists. So if you agree with my rationale thus far, then you have to agree that a GP doing certain procedures that overlap with specialists will result in having higher overhead costs.

P.S. - Did it ever occur to you that the reason why general dentists have a lower overhead in your statistics tables is because they refer out to specialists? Just a thought. Statistics are black and white but interpreting them is not. You also need to consider how those statistics were gathered. I could just as easily take your statistics and use them against you to dispute your point.

 

[Jimmy Choo]

Some really great discussion in this thread guys!
I feel like a humbled little girl.

 

[charlestweed]

If thats the case, then what is the point of specializing? Why would anyone spent more time and go into more debt just to limit themselves to one type of procedure and make the same amount of money?

People specialize because they want to have a better lifestyle. The specialists usually work fewer days/week (and fewer hours/day) than the GPs. I specialized because I knew it would be very difficult for me to compete with other GPs in this saturated market (I am in California). In my opinion, it is a lot easier to start a specialty practice than to start a GP practice....all I have to do is to set up an ortho practice in an area where there is a high concentration of GPs who treat mostly Hispanic (and Asian) patients...and such area is not very difficult to find in CA.

Most specialists do very well because there is only a small percentage of GPs who don't refer patients to specialists. Most GPs refer patients to specialists becuase they don't want to deal with all the complications and emergency calls in the middle of the night. In many HMO practices, the GPs have to refer patients with cheap HMO plans to the specialists because the GPs get paid nothing for doing these procedures.

 

[Guy Smiley]

If thats the case, then what is the point of specializing? Why would anyone spent more time and go into more debt just to limit themselves to one type of procedure and make the same amount of money?

Maybe just to do what you enjoy? I work as a general dentist and am going back to do ortho, and to be honest, I would be happy with the same income I have now as a public health dentist - I only hope to make enough to cover the increase in loan payments I'll have after taking out loans for another 2 years. I hope to be able to make more than that, but honestly, if I knew I would have the same net income, I'd still do it because I don't like general dentistry all that much, and I really enjoyed the ortho case I did in school. Ideally the point of specializing is to increase your training and narrow your focus to one area of dentistry you really, really enjoy and are passionate about. I don't think many people who specialize feel like they are "limiting" themselves with what they can do. They get to do what they like best all day long.

 

[NyCzPeter]

Maybe just to do what you enjoy? I work as a general dentist and am going back to do ortho, and to be honest, I would be happy with the same income I have now as a public health dentist - I only hope to make enough to cover the increase in loan payments I'll have after taking out loans for another 2 years. I hope to be able to make more than that, but honestly, if I knew I would have the same net income, I'd still do it because I don't like general dentistry all that much, and I really enjoyed the ortho case I did in school. Ideally the point of specializing is to increase your training and narrow your focus to one area of dentistry you really, really enjoy and are passionate about. I don't think many people who specialize feel like they are "limiting" themselves with what they can do. They get to do what they like best all day long.

Then why not take a bunch of CE classes and open a gp practice limited to ortho?

 

[nug]

Then why not take a bunch of CE classes and open a gp practice limited to ortho?

For one thing, no general dentist or pedo will refer you patients. Second, you can't advertise as an "orthodontist". Third, no matter how much CE you take, you will never be to the level of an orthodontist in terms of diagnosis and treatment planning--you would have no idea how to treat the more complex cases--which probably wouldn't be too good for business. And last, if you ever were to get sued, you would be F---ed!

 

[Guy Smiley]

Then why not take a bunch of CE classes and open a gp practice limited to ortho?

Regardless of what the previous poster said, there are plenty of practices where GP's do orthodontics. Look around on dentaltown. However, I can't see why someone who really feels passionate about it and wants to learn all they can wouldn't want to do a residency in it. Plus, do a 2 year residency and be out and be an orthodontist vs. take many years of CE's and build up a word of mouth general practice limited to ortho. It's just better all around to do the residency if all you want to do is ortho.

 

[Cold Front]

For one thing, no general dentist or pedo will refer you patients. Second, you can't advertise as an "orthodontist". Third, no matter how much CE you take, you will never be to the level of an orthodontist in terms of diagnosis and treatment planning--you would have no idea how to treat the more complex cases--which probably wouldn't be too good for business. And last, if you ever were to get sued, you would be F---ed!

I agree. However, I would say a general dentist who enjoys doing ortho, but not to the level of going back to school for it would still do ortho if the cases are not complex (like class 3's), and patients are not tough.

Just like in endo and pedo, difficult cases should be in the hands of specialists. There are lot of hands on CE courses out there taught by former Ortho program directors that train GP's on how to do simple cases. IF the case requires minor tooth movement and a GP feels he/she can do it, why refer?

Dentistry is all about knowing your limits. Otherwise, there would be laws that stops general dentists from doing anything specialists do.