TrackCoach wrote:
re: "A savvy DDS can easily haul in $500k/yr on 4 days/week"
I don't think the dentists I know are making anywhere near that amount; perhaps they are not savvy. In fact, I don't think most MDs are making those kind of bucks.
On the MD point--exactly. That's why they are green with envy at the DDSs. Combine that with their bitterness at having spent way longer in training, having a much higher workload often including taking call, and the total takeover of medical care by for-profit insurance administrators (Whereas dentists, of all the health professions, have done the best at keeping the insurance demons at bay, such as ability to balance bill, etc and the best at staying self-employed--70% of MDs are now employees.)
Now, I will give you that $500k might be a bit of a stretch, in the interest of being provocative. But many, many dentists are deeeep into six figures. Dentistry is starting to get a little worse because of some oversaturation in desirable areas, combined with the emergence of corporate dental factories such as Aspen dental. But DDS/DMD is still by far the best ROI of the health professions, especially if you can become and orthodontist.
Source: am healthcare consultant.