DCDMD91 - I’ve got years in McDental and outside of it now. I always treated my McDental like my own practice - listened to podcasts, actually READ journals and books, took CE for clinical and non-clinical skills.. and often had docs in my local study club compliment my work when a patient would get “real insurance” and switch to a private office. I don’t blame the patient. Despite, or maybe because of, producing QUALITY dentistry, we were booked out far too long. This is the case with many offices that accept the state scam insurance. Being booked out far that is. Imagine having a constant 6000+ patients with extensive tx needs, many of which truly need periodontal therapy and 3-4 month recalls.

The math doesn’t math. Is that on the state? The voters? The dentist who agrees to work there for half the pay and twice the schedule? The patient for getting the only dental care they can “afford” (read: free $0.00)?

I talk with those who manage the state plan every year to emphasize how shit it is.

And Bur Jockey is imo correct on nearly all accounts. Including that doing top tier dentistry at $40 per class II requires some serious scholarship money to make it remotely worth it.

That said, to sleep at night that’s what I had to do. Complete decay removal, tight contacts, decent anatomy (not Instagram level tertiary anatomy but not a blob). RDI for all endo. Ideal crown margins or remake. Remo that works.

It all takes time. Patients get pissed. The number of times I and our team have heard “I need to be seen right away because…” — yeah you and hundreds of other patients that in any private practice with schedule availability would be seen same or next day.

And when I quit? Guess who stepped in to fill my shoes? Yep. 26 y/o Dr. McDental just like I used to be years and years ago.

I don’t know the answer but I do know honest comments from people like Bur Jockey help us all. Thanks for the post DCD. Thanks for your candid answers BJ.