One of the many problems in the dental industry you'll face is finding new patients. Even if you've managed to overcome the financial issues inherent to opening a new dental practice, finding new patients is one challenge that requires dedication, a productive team and serious networking.
Most of them face the problem of tooth decay. The severity of oral conditions can even lead to fatal oral cancer.
Almost two thirds (65%) said their practice had unfilled vacancies for dentists, while 87% said they have experienced symptoms of stress, burnout or other mental health problems in the last 12 months, according to the BDA poll.
Dentistry is frequently identified as one of the most stressful occupations. Dentists face daily demands and a work situation that augments stress. For example, professional isolation, perfectionism, economic pressure, and patient fears are all key sources of stress.
Time management is a major factor of stress for dentists. Working long hours as a dentist can be extremely stressful and demanding, which requires great time management. Every patient needs the dentist's undivided attention, but as time passes and one grows weary, it can be challenging to offer the greatest care.
Hospitals never close, but dentists' offices are often open only four days a week or less. That's mainly because staffing is a dentist's biggest operational cost; the fewer days the office stays open, the less a dentist has to shell out to office personnel. (Of course, dentists do respond to emergency calls.
Dentists have incomes that are often large enough to hide financial mistakes. This is perhaps the most significant reason dentists are retiring later than the average American. With a lot of money coming in, they may feel less urgency to get organized and make a plan.
Many people avoid going to the dentist because they worry that there will be pain. Fortunately, most dentists are quite gentle and use appropriate pain management techniques. Another reason people do not like going to the dentist is that they hate the lecture that often comes with an oral exam.
Tooth decay is a condition more widely known as cavities. Did you know that besides the common cold, tooth decay is the most prevalent disease in the United States? It's also one of the most common causes of tooth pain.
We will be treating less mild-moderate periodontitis, less caries but more tooth wear and more peri-implant disease. Patient demands and expectations will continue to increase and there will be a focus on value and impact on quality of life.
Stress-induced burnout is a big problem in the dental industry. Learning how to minimize and handle stress is therefore very important for upcoming dentists. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance isn't always easy, but it's worth it in the long-run.
Imposed closure of dental practices, reduced capacity upon reopening, and public reluctance to visit their dental practices have all contributed and will continue to contribute to a profound drop in income, while costs associated with infection control have increased.
Best-Paying States for Dentists
The states and districts that pay Dentists the highest mean salary are Delaware ($233,860), New Hampshire ($225,140), Oregon ($207,370), Rhode Island ($206,600), and Connecticut ($197,910).
Dentistry is one of the highest-paying medical professions. Dental specialists and those who own their practice can make significantly more money than the average.
Overall, dentists have a moderate to high level of satisfaction — 76.6% of dentists were satisfied with their career.
The work we do is very stressful. It's physically exhausting, and it's emotionally exhausting too, since you're dealing with anxious patients all day. You're looking at rotten teeth all day and listening to the sound of teeth scraping (you get used to it).
Working Conditions
Approximately 90% of all dentists are engaged in delivery of care through private practices. Full-time dentists spend approximately 36 hours per week in their practices, of which approximately 33 hours per week is spent treating patients.
Dentistry is known to be a challenging qualification requiring the development and demonstration of expert knowledge, from terminology to procedures. The curriculum that you will follow at dental school will not be identical for all institutions, but there are some key commonalities.
The “dentist” personality types are typically pragmatic and practical (S), logical and objective (T), and organized and decisive (J).
For dentists, nearly 60% are introverts, 65.9% are thinkers, and 75% are judgers. It can be a struggle for introverts to be cheerful and outgoing all day.