Why do dentists earn so much?

Question

Seems to me they're nothing more than car mechanics in people's mouths. Why do they earn £100k?

Answer 1

Imagine spending your days looking to people's mouths and noses and having to learn to live with bad breath. They do delicate work and have a lot of liability. I don't think dentists are vastly overpaid. Car mechanics don't get as much saliva on them.

Answer 2

For a start, they have to train for longer than a doctor. Dentist dont only pull teeth and do fillings. A lot of medical complaints are indicated by problems in th mouth, they also prescribe and use some serious drugs, need to be able to correctly read x-rays, so they need the same training as a doctor and then some more on top of that.

For example, my friends dentist spotted wrong in his mouth and sent him to the doctor, turned out he had leaukeamia. If the dentist hadnt been as highly trained as he was, it could have gone unnoticed until it was too late.

Also doctors are paid by the NHS, dentist can choose to go private if they want and charge what they want.

Also its got to be the most disgusting job - nice pearly whites are lovely, but what about someone who doesnt brush, floss and has green and yellow plaque all over their teeth. Would you want to be peering down their throat?

Answer 3

They went to school for a long time. Here in the U.S. it's 6-7 years of college/grad school. They have to get continuing education credits every year after college, so they're up to snuff. They have a stressful job. Oral health has a big impact on the body as a whole, so what they do can have a large effect on the person they're working on. They can get sued. Most of them run their own practices, meaning they're a manager/owner on top of just being a dentist.

Answer 4

I hope they've washed their hands!! Haha! Right then sparky, this is bright spark here and the reason why is because we believe everything what they say. I was told by a dentist to have all my teeth extracted because of headaches. I had an MRI scan and found out I had numerous blood clots on the brain so that's dentists for you! If in doubt, get a second opinion!

Answer 5

The more education one is required to endure and pass the more that person will want when it is done. Dentists must study medicine and dental studies. They must also pass board exams. It is really very difficult and takes years. The cost of the education may take many years to pay off and the cost for malpractice insurance is high. Combine all these factors and you get your answer.

Answer 6

Good question I wish i knew the answer, if i could turn the clock back I think i may have become a dentist, they seem to be able to pick and chose who they have on their list, and when and where they work.

Answer 7

I have known dentists who diagnosed medical conditions, they prescribe medications and watch out for other aspects of your health. If you have anaphylactic reaction to the injections, they have to be on the ready to take care of you. Dental hygiene is OH-SO-important to general and in particular cardiac health. Let's not go cheap on them. Dental school is hard and gruelling four years out of their lives that you have not probably spent.

And how would you like to spend your days smelling bad breath and putting your hands in those paste covered yucky mouths.

I say they are underpaid.

Answer 8

Would you really wanna stick your face into someone's smelly mouth..? But I guess if you're making comparisons, doctors/nurses, fire/police people don't make that much...

I think that £100k is for private practises... No..?

Answer 9

Well you know all of the products they use are so expensive!!! I know,I'm a dental assistant... Here in Canada...I don't know else where ....every January we receive a list of prices made by the dental association and we have to follow those prices.

Answer 10

Supply and demand. There aren't enough of them, and our marvellous New Labour government have destroyed the NHS part of the dental service. Oh, and they're greedy bastards.