why do dentist get high pay?
445290
They really don't get that high of pay considering what their overhead and education cost.  The education alone can cost well over 100 grand.  Add this to start-up costs and you have a struggling professional like many of us non-dentists.  For example the sensor for a digital x-ray system alone can cost around fifteen thousand.  This is for the sensor only.  You have the cost of the computer systems, software, people who install it, and the x-ray machine which can cost twenty thousand and more.  I know of several dentists that have been doing dentistry for about five years who are still only breaking even on many months.  The money comes after you have been practicing a long time and are able to pay-off your loans for equipment and building or rental costs.  My instrument set-up to scale and clean people's teeth is about 150 dollars per set.  I use a new sterilized set on each person.  I have about ten instrument set-up's.  You do the math.  These instruments have to be replaced about every six months depending on how heavy the patient load is.  One instrument alone can cost twenty-five dollars.  A box of prophy paste costs about fifty dollars.  The dentist also has to pay his staff, as the dental assistant mentioned.  He has to carry building insurance, malpractice insurance, disability insurance, etc.  He/she has to pay for someone to fix the equipment when it breaks down, minimum a hundred dollars an hour just for showing up.  This does not even include the parts or labor for the equipment.  I could go on and on, but you should get the point.  Dentistry is expensive to the patient, because it is expensive to the dentist.
966131
It's like being a nurse. There's nothing wrong with it at all, and they're vital and necesary to the utmost. Some might have the inclination or circumstances in life to go further and become a full fledged doctor or lawyer, and that's okay as well. \n\nI don't really know about the pay though, honestly.
566781
A lot of universities will do it for little to no money. They take in people so their students can learn, using real patients. Not to worry the students are in advanced standing and always supervised. They usually do excellent work because they are enthusiastic and working toward a degree. Call the closest dental college and ask.
480020
Yes, because the salary is raising.
938539
oh my god i cant believe that! in NY its crazy dentists send us letters begging us to work for them. i made 42 an hr right out of school with no experience. try and see if they have any temp agencies there like dental staffers or move its worth it. i used to make over 400 a day temping
1161437
True story. \nWhen I was young, a dentist once told me I needed work on my teeth. The only problem was that my parents were hippy artists -- they were dirt poor and couldn't afford it even if I did "need" the work. \nWhen this guy realized that I wouldn't be able to get the work done, he pulled me aside and with half a grin, instructed me to wedge a toothpick between my teeth three times daily and push them in the direction they need to go. \nTo this day, I'm not sure if he was kidding or not. But I did what he said. I did it faithfully for months. And it worked. \nPeople frequently compliment me on my teeth and smile, saying "You must have had work done"!\nNope. I did the work myself. \nI later found out that my dentist was a shoemaker before he became a dentist. Hmmm.
1106756
My mother is a dentist, and they have the same status as other doctors. A dentist performs surgeries, procedures, and must earn a doctorate to practice, just as other doctors.
1005264
To get better paying jobs.
677107
Because hardwork pays off. I see it this way, as a 17 year old. I dropped out, and now I see that the work you do in school, pays off, in the future.\nBig time lawyers, doctors, etc. the people who get paid alot, most of them paid their dues early on in life. So when they got to the career world, they end up with a nice salary.\nBut the thing is, most people just see it as, they get paid alot, and do less work. However, I think everyone does their share of work in the long run, when things are all added up.
810630
In a PPO, you can go anywhere you like, although you may have more out-of-pocket expense in non-participating offices.  He just wants you in the PPO so his reimbursement will be higher.\n\nI'd suggest that you switch to a PPO and then go to another dentist who doesn't "think all teeth with any size cavity needs a root canal and crown."
835864
Prepare to pay.\nYou teeth reflect your health.\nTake care of them. \n5 years is way too long for a visit to a dentist.\nYou must of had some spare money to spend on it during last 5 years. Or you could of paid it off slowly, most dentists have a payment plans.\nGood luck
1159602
Dentists diagnose, prevent, and treat problems of the teeth and tissues of the mouth. They remove decay, fill cavities, examine x rays, place protective plastic sealants on children's teeth, straighten teeth, and repair fractured teeth. They also perform corrective surgery of the gums and supporting bones to treat gum diseases. Dentists extract teeth and make molds and measurements for dentures to replace missing teeth. Dentists provide instruction in diet, brushing, flossing, the use of fluorides, and other aspects of dental care, as well. They also administer anesthetics and write prescriptions for antibiotics and other medications.\n\nDentists use a variety of equipment, including x-ray machines, drills, and instruments such as mouth mirrors, probes, forceps, brushes, and scalpels.\n\nDentists in private practice oversee a variety of administrative tasks, including bookkeeping, and buying equipment and supplies. They may employ and supervise dental hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratory technicians, and receptionists. (These occupations are described elsewhere in the Handbook.)\n\nMost dentists are general practitioners, handling a wide variety of dental needs. Other dentists practice in one of eight specialty areas. Orthodontists, the largest group of specialists, straighten teeth. The next largest group, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, operate on the mouth and jaws. The remainder specialize in pediatric dentistry (dentistry for children); periodontics (treating the gums and the bone supporting the teeth); prosthodontics (making artificial teeth or dentures); endodontics (root canal therapy); dental public health; and oral pathology (studying diseases of the mouth).
825657
Every dentist sets their own rate.  It is usually negotiable.
625727
Some Dental plans are really good. Delta Dental, Met Life, Guardian. When we first started out in business we signed up with quite a few. Over the years we have not had to sign up with any new ones. The low quality plans have dissappeared. We are still members of others that we just hold on to because we like particular patients. Other wise we don't accept new pateiens from the lower paying plans. In general you get what you pay for. PPO plans seem to work because Dentist are compensated for each service at some predentermined rate. Dentist can give you your options expensive and cheap, pretty or less pretty, and he gets paid for the exam. Everybody is happy. If you decide to go with the less expensive treatment that's your decision. Less expensive options require less time and material and the dentist gets paid. More expensive options require more hand skills and integrity and the dentist charges accordingly.\n\nStay away from HMOs and discount cards. If you buy one of these discount cards the dentist staff has to do all this work to figure out your rate, I refuse to see people who have discount cards because I just can't figure out what part of the tooth I should discount. ha.\n\nHMOs; Don't get an HMO if possible. The way HMOs work is the dentist gets a FAT check every month for say 300 patients on a list. You have to see these patients for basic services for free. (sounds good eh?) But most of the time the dentist gets to thinking, why should I bust my butt and HMO patients all day when I can put them off for a few weeks and see the Cash and PPO patients. So right off the bat you become a second class patient. Then lets say your plan covers basic fillings for free, but not crowns and white fillings. Suddenly, you are at a car dealership. OH sorry Mr. Shmo you need a crown and that tooth. By the way you need a deep cleaning and those wisdome teeth should come out. Get the picture? HMO's suck because you can't figure out if you really need a service or are getting served.\n\nI wish you luck. Remember cash works well too. you'll get a bigger discount than those discount cards.\nOtherwise PPO's are the way to go.\n\np.s.  blue cross pays as much as your employer is willing to pay.  so, in general they are very low paying to the dentist.
481722
I wouldn't totally depend on a company like 1-800-dentist.  They are not going to necessarily recommend the best dentist, just dentists that use their service.  I would get in contact with you state dental association.  They will be able to direct you to a dentist that can help you in your area that has a good reputation.  They should know of any complaints made by other patients against the dentists.
516715
I'm a dentist.\n\nThe real reason is because most people, at one time or another, will have some sort of TMJ complaint.  Every time they get this complaint, they are going to want some sort of treatment for it.\n\nWe dentists are happy to make occlusal guards for patients (at $400+ a pop), and the insurance companies basically don't want to be paying $400+ for the thousands and thousands of patients who'd like to have one or would actually benefit from one.\n\nYou have to remember something very important about insurance companies.  It will help their policies make more sense to you:\n\nInsurance companies are not there for your health.  They don't give a damn whether you live or die.  In fact, if you have many health problems, they probably prefer you die!  Insurance companies are like any other company: there to make money, and make as much of it as possible.  You don't make money by paying out a lot for healthcare.  Even if they cut out all the coverage for unnecessary healthcare, they'd still be paying out too much.  Thus, they also cut out a lot of necessary care!\n\nFor example, most dental insurances cover panoramic x-rays once every three years.  Let us say I take a pan when a patient is 15 years old, and find that their wisdom teeth need another year or so before they are ready to be removed.  Come next year, when the teeth are very likely ready to be extracted, I am not able to take a new pan unless I don't charge for it (which I almost always do).  The 1 year-old pan is no longer an acceptable radiograph for removal of wisdom teeth as various structures could have changed in the patient that would modify the surgery significantly.  And what if I wait another two years for the time when a new pan can be taken?  Well, the roots have elongated and now the tooth is more anchored into the bone, and thus the surgery is more involved and morbidity from the procedure goes up.  Furthermore, in another two years, many things can happen, such as infection, development of cysts, etc. etc.  Insurance doesn't give a damn.\n\nInsurance isn't interested in your health.  They will pay as little as they possibly can without getting themselves in to trouble.\n\nThe sooner you understand that, the more obvious it will become to you why they don't cover TMJ problems.
37209
Here are the top 10 paying jobs in the country. All of these will end up far over 150K when you include all bonus, benifits, etc. \n\nAnesthesiologists $70.01+  $145,600+\nInternists, General $70.01+  $145,600+\nObstetricians and Gynecologists $70.01+  $145,600+\nOral and Maxillofacial Surgeons $70.01+  $145,600+\nOrthodontists $70.01+  $145,600+  \nProsthodontists $70.01+  $145,600+\nPsychiatrists $70.01+  $145,600+  \nSurgeons $70.01+  $145,600+  \nChief Executives $68.18    $141,800\nPhysicians and Surgeons, All Other $67.10    $139,600