re: dentists - the resurgence of wealthy

If Dr. Smack is not just out of school and trying to orientate himself in the medical community, I can almost guarantee you he is not very well respected by his peers, just based on his comments in this thread.

Everything you say is spot on as we know.

I have no less than 20 medical doctors that are patients of mine and they envy our organizations. They have so much academia within their ranks that don't practice in the real world and actually are compensated with tax dollars.

It would be like trying to get college professors to run a business. Lol

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There was time about 20 years that insurance came hard at dentistry with the whole HMO, PPO, and especially "reduced fee" insurance plans. It was going to be "the future" and we were going to be fricked and controlled just like doctors were. If you didn't get on board, you were going to be left out in the cold. But the vast majority of dentists fought it and simply refused to accept those plans. A small number of dentists jumped on all of those plans. Some did well, but had to work their asses off to make good money. Patients realized it was worthless to have dental insurance with no dentists on it (or at least very limited options). So in the end, we work for cash. Or insurance pays 100% on preventive, 80% on routine care, and 50% on major - and the patient pays the rest. We all took a risk by resisting, and it paid off. tldr - Doctors bend over and grab ankles for the insurance industry, dentists prefer vag.

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This is the exact answer. To the doc saying we should be held to the same standards, you are the reason healthcare is awful. You are just like every other doctor that caved to third party insurance companies who sit behind a desk and don't get to know the patients - only look at profit and bottom line. Dentists are able to provide the personalized quality care that all of you would freak out if it was lost BECAUSE we as members of the ADA stood up and said, "No insurance co will tell us who and how to treat our patients."

You are so clueless. By the way, I responded to an emergency at 4 am last night, dickhead. Also, if I'm not available, I refer to my oral surgeon or dental colleague, not a physician! Laughable. You moron.

I do produce about 1M, take home 200k but you know what? Taking home 200k is not as good as it sounds. I have my personal student loans to pay for the next 10-25 years and actually don't get to keep much of that 200k. That still upset you? Sorry it's free enterprise you communist. Anybody that wants to take on 1.5 M in debt risk straight out of school and charge half of what they do, go for it. You won't be in business long.

I love what I do and the lives I change. I had a woman and husband crying after her smile correction because she hadn't smiled in over 30 years - self esteem.

Also, to the person saying never again to deep cleanings - we hate diagnosing deep cleanings. We hate that you have gum disease. In fact, it's the #1 reason we're sued. Undiagnosed gum disease.

We didn't put the aggressive bacteria in your gums causing your jaw bone to disintegrate. You could just let it rot and wear plastic teeth forever. It's a great diet plan I hear.

We do well because we establish long term caring relationships with our patients. We love what we do so it comes easily. We profit when that patient earns our trust and eventually (sometimes 10 years later) elects to do elective or cosmetic treatment. Do you also hate plastic surgeons? That's mostly elective treatment.

Get a clue.