dental survey Archives - The Wealthy Dentist

Dentist Satisfaction with Dental Associates

January 17, 2021 By Jim Du Molin

Many dentists have been left unsatisfied by their dental associates, this survey found. Of the dentists who have had associate dentists (71% of respondents), 31% have been mostly satisfied, 46% have been partly satisfied, and 23% have been left unsatisfied.

“The associate in my practice expected a six figure income without having to WORK for it!” complained one dentist.

Here are some additional comments from dentists:

“Associates never or rarely cover their expenses.” (General dentist)
“I hired the wife of a friend. Big mistake! She thought practicing dentistry was like going to a country club. We start at 8 am and go to 5 pm. She would get to the office by 10 am and sometimes 10:30 am, see one patient, go out for a long lunch and shopping, maybe come back and see a 2 pm patient, and leave us with no help when we needed it.” (Illinois dentist)
“Dental graduates have the impression that they should demand a salary that is well beyond their ability to produce it.” (Florida dentist)
“Associateships should be exclusively for dentists who are ready to leave a practice, not for dentists who are mid-career.” (North Carolina dentist)
“Don’t add an associate unless you are already too busy to handle all of the appointments that are scheduled and your schedule is currently overbooked.” (General dentist)
“Neither of my two past associates provided restorative dental treatment up to my standards.” (Connecticut prosthodontist)

Filed Under: Dental Surveys, Practice Management Tagged With: Dental Practice Associates, dental survey, dentists

Dental Marketing: Direct Mail Marketing Seems Old-fashioned (video)

January 17, 2021 By Jim Du Molin

Popular daily-deal sites such as Google Offers, Groupon and Living Social have exploded on to the Internet dental marketing scene. These sites make many dentists wonder if tried-and-true methods of marketing — like direct mail — still work for internal marketing.

Why wouldn’t they?

Dentists spend great sums of money to acquire new patients, and not continuing to market to proven buyers is truly a mistake. Regular patient mailings are one of the proven methods for dentists to stay in touch with their patients.

The Wealthy Dentist conducted a survey of dentists to find out if they regularly mail their patient base. A California dentist was quick to respond, “It’s a complete waste of time. Patients ask not to send them any more junk mail. This is not the 1970’s.”

Click on Play to see what the dentists have to say about direct mail marketing –

Are you still doing direct mail marketing? Tell us your story in our comments.

Filed Under: Dental Surveys, Dental Videos Tagged With: Dental Marketing, dental practice, dental practice management, dental survey, dentist, dentistry, dentists

Dental Marketing: 69% of Dentists Do Not Target Dental Insurance Patients

January 17, 2021 By Jim Du Molin

A Center for Disease Control and Prevention report found a primary indicator of access to dental care in the United States is dental insurance. Previous studies have shown that persons with private dental insurance have more dental visits in the previous year than persons without private dental insurance.

The Wealthy Dentist conducted a survey asking dentists if they actively target new insurance patients as part of their dental marketing.

69% of the dentists who responded do not target new dental insurance patients, while 31% do target them.

Location was not a factor in this survey.

Here’s what the dentists had to say about targeting dental insurance patients –

“How do you target new insurance patients?” (North Carolina dentist)

“We choose to remain fee-for-service even in this economy.” (New York dentist)

“We belong to few networks. We do advertise that we take and file most insurance coverage. It makes no difference in our treatment plans.” (Texas dentist)

“We did not participate in any dental insurance plans until very recently, but had too many patients calling to say that, although they didn’t want to leave the practice, they were forced to, as they couldn’t afford to pay the difference for “out of network” any longer. In Illinois, thanks in part to higher taxes on individuals and much higher taxes on businesses, the economy is as bad (or worse) than ever. Even the CHICAGO Mercantile Exchange is talking about leaving Illinois!” (Illinois dentist)

“Yes. If they are in a difficult contracted insurance benefit company and are a business owner or an executive who can make decisions on plans, we encourage them to look at other plans that are less expensive for the employer, better benefits for the patient and better reimbursement for the provider. If they are employees, we strongly encourage them to discuss changing to another plan that benefits the employee, the employer and the Dr. There are many benefits that work so much better. Why should an employer and employee contribute their monies to a insurance benefit that is primarily interested in taking money out of the middle rather than benefit the employer and the employees?” (Minnesota dentist)

Filed Under: Dental Surveys, The Wealthy Dentist Tagged With: dental insurance, Dental Marketing, dental survey, dental surveys, dentist, dentists, survey

Dental Care: Dentists Justify Placing Amalgam

January 17, 2021 By Jim Du Molin

Dental news articles have reported a reduction in the use of amalgam for dental care by dentists over the past 20 years with new restorative techniques.

In the past, The Wealthy Dentist surveys have consistently shown dentists split on the topic of placing amalgam, with about half of dentists remaining loyal to placing amalgam fillings.

In our most recent survey the amalgam dental care trend holds steady with 58% of dentists responding that they still place amalgam.

“Amalgam is still a great restoration,” said one dentist, “and a good service for the patient.”

How frequently dentists place amalgam varies widely —

27% place multiple amalgams per day, or over 300 per year.
12% place about 10 amalgams per year.
8% place about 1 amalgam per day, or at least 200 per year.
6% place 1 amalgam per week, or 50 per year.
5% place 2 amalgams per week, or about 100 per year.

Here are some further dentist comments–

Support placing amalgam:

“It’s easier to work with amalgam versus composite on posterior teeth.” (Arizona dentist)

“A well-placed amalgam can be the difference for a patient who has financial concerns and cannot afford a casting or resin.” (Pennsylvania dentist)

“I offer it for patient’s finances and in difficult areas.” (South Carolina dentist)

“Amalgam is an efficient, cost effective, long lasting restoration if done correctly.” (Massachusetts dentist)

“I certainly place more composites and all-ceramic inlays and onlays when it is necessary. Amalgams are good restorations for non-visible/non-esthetic areas and when the restoration will be small. We allow the patient to decide amalgam or composite in that situation. Sometimes they tell us their financial situation dictates amalgam over composite.” (Ohio prosthodontist)

“I live in rural America and crowns are not financially feasible for many; so I shovel a lot of alloy!” (Wisconsin dentist)

“It’s the best restorative material to use in some instances.” (Tennessee dentist)

“The most inexpensive restorative material- coefficient of thermal expansion close to tooth structure is key to why it lasts so long compared to composite resin; ease of placement and manipulation is best of all direct restorative materials.” (Indiana dentist)

“They last and last and last!” (Texas dentist)

Against placing amalgam:

“Why would I place amalgams in people’s teeth when I can’t throw them down the drain. It seems that fish get more protection than humans.” (General dentist)

“My thoughts about all things that go into the body are: If there is a question about the safety of a product — don’t use it. I hear many questions about the safety of amalgams. There are other dental care products I can use until the questions are answered.” (Texas dentist)

“Amalgams cause the teeth to fracture.” (California dentist)

“I stopped altogether in 1995 when resins became usable as a replacement. Primary reason was I feared a potential class action type suit against any dentist using the material. Pretty pathetic but in this litigious society you have to CYA.” (New Jersey dentist)

“I wouldn’t put it in my dog! I can’t throw it in the garbage legally, but I can place it in your mouth?” (New York dentist)

“We have better materials. We don’t need to use a restorative that was developed in the 1890’s just because it’s easier and cheaper. If it were introduced as a new material today it would never make it or even be allowed. It just doesn’t make sense to use it. Yes, they mostly last “forever,” but at the expense of the tooth.” (General dentist)

“If the scraps are a danger to my assistant, how can I justify placing one in anybody’s mouth?” (California dentist)

“Interesting that the government has rules on the collection and disposal of amalgam as a hazardous waste from the dental suction system BUT feels there is no problem placing the material in someone’s mouth??? Go figure!” (Connecticut dentist)

“I don’t place them, and haven’t since the beginning of my career. However, it’s not because I think they are inferior or toxic. On the contrary, I believe amalgam is a great material. It’s just that composite is a great material when placed properly, AND it looks better.” (Texas dentist)

The ADA states that dental amalgam is a safe, affordable and durable material containing a mixture of metals such as silver, copper and tin, in addition to mercury, which binds these components into a hard, stable and safe substance for dental care.

Filed Under: Dental Surveys, The Wealthy Dentist Tagged With: Amalgam, Dental Amalgam, Dental Care, dental survey, dental surveys, dentist, dentistry, dentists, survey

Dental Survey: Most Dentists Think Amalgam Is Safe Enough

January 17, 2021 By Jim Du Molin

Is dental amalgam safe?

This dentist survey asked if dental amalgam should be banned in the U.S.

Most dentists said amalgam is safe enough for continued use and should not be banned.

Close to half of our survey respondents (48%) think it’s a valuable restorative material.

“We are already adequately governed regarding amalgam use and disposal. We need to advise patients regarding BPA in composites and the drawbacks to composites so that patients are better able to decide on their poison. Or they can use gold.” New York dentist

“The latest from American Association of Dental Research and the International Association of Dental Research is that Amalgam is the most cost effective restorative material, and it has no adverse health effects.” Florida dentist

“Amalgam is still the best restorative material in many situations where it is impossible to keep the field of operation dry.” Illinois dentist

A quarter (25%) of the dentists in our survey think amalgam should not be banned, even though they don’t necessarily think it’s the best material.

“Since it hasn’t ever been proven to be unsafe, it should be left alone – very few people want amalgam in their teeth, and it will die a slow death of it’s own.” New Hampshire dentist

“It may have a place in certain situations, but I personally have not used it since 1999. I also do not think it has definite, dreaded effects on our patients’ health. After all, if it were the deadly material that some have described…why is it safe to bury deceased amalgam patients conventionally and not in toxic waste landfills?” General dentist

“What is leaching out of our composite restorations? I haven’t seen a conclusive study that absolutely proves amalgam is dangerous.” West Virginia dentist

However, 28% of our respondents are on the other side of the amalgam issue: 10% said they tend to think it should be banned. Another 18% think it should be banned, and no one should be using amalgam at all.

“The most toxic heavy metal on the planet! We can’t throw it away, but ok to put it in our teeth? Really??” Tennessee pediatric dentist

“The EPA deems it a bio hazard for the environment. Enough said. The retentive undercuts [required for amalgam] further weaken tooth structure which leads to fractures. With resins a dentist may do minimally invasive dentistry which results in better tooth strength and potentially fewer fractures. I have clinical pictures of an old, class II resin which was placed in 1985 that is still functionally intact with no signs of any marginal breakdown. That shoots down the knock that resins don’t last.” North Dakota dentist

“Anyone interested in the subject should check out the Compendium February 2013, volume 34, number 2. The article “Mercury from Dental Amalgam: Exposure and Risk Assessment”. It’s an eye-opener and reinforces what I have thought about for a long time. Clearly the ADA is avoiding the subject because it knows that all h**l will break loose liability-wise when it finally issue recommendations against it.” Florida dentist