Dentists shouldn’t have to retire just because they’ve reached a certain age, say doctors. This survey found only 1 dentist in 10 supporting a mandatory retirement age for dentists.
A mandatory dental retirement age was recently in the spotlight when the European Court of Justice ruled in favor of Germany’s law mandating retirement for dentists and firefighters past a certain age, finding it does not constitute age discrimination. [Read more]
Here are some thoughts from dentists:
- “Dental continuing education should be required. Patients know when a practitioner’s abilities are diminishing, as do dentists themselves. Liability concern should prevent dentists from procedures for which they no longer have the skills.” (Mississippi dentist)
- “In Germany and in Europe, there is a mandatory retirement age for workers/employee, so why not for dentists? I do not think it has to do with competence, but rather with social economy and spot for young dentists to practice.” (California orthodontist)
- “I am approaching my 76th birthday and 48th year in practice. I still am able to deliver superb dentistry including full-mouth and cosmetic dentistry cases, but I just see patients three days a week. To me, retirement is a nasty word.” (California prosthodontist)
- “I am about to turn 70 this year, and I feel my skills are better than they have ever been. I take lots of continuing dental education and feel I know so much more about dentistry than most younger recent grads.” (New York dentist)
- “A simple evaluation of current work is very easy to do today. Just have a dentist present pictures and radiographs of current work as a competency report.” (New York prosthodontist)
- “There maybe should be some additional testing in those dentists over 75-80. We have one in our city that I believe is 88… His patients are not getting proper periodontal care and I’m concerned about the dentistry provided.” (California dentist)
- “The doctor should know when it is time to hang it up.” (Texas pediatric dentist)
- “If you can be US president in your 70’s, why not a dentist?”
- “Not only do people’s skills vary, different aspects of dentistry demand different levels of skills. In addition to orthodontics, I practice dental sleep medicine (oral appliances for snoring and obstructive sleep apnea). I could practice the latter until they take me out on a stretcher.” (Oregon braces dentist)
- “We all know dentists that should have ‘retired’ at the age of 30! Some of us can go to 70 with no problems. It depends on the individual.” (Nevada dentist)
- “Dumb idea. Who would make that decision — some governmental bureaucrat? Should there be a mandatory retirement from life itself, too?” (California dentist)
- “The wealth of knowledge and experience an older dentist has would be a loss to our profession if he/she could not mentor a new associate in a clinical environment.” (Pennsylvania dentist)
- “Specialties vary. People vary. It’s insane to consider seriously.” (Colorado orthodontist)
Read more: Dentist Retirement: Dentists Say ‘No’ to Mandatory Retirement Age