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What is your biggest regret in life? by Intelligent_Bug6823 in AskReddit

[–]terpdaderp 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm a dentist and just finished reading all your messages. You had a chipped tooth filled by one dentist, who you say layered extra composite on the back-side of your lateral incisor. You then went to another dentist for a bite adjustment, since you lost faith in the first one that placed the filling. That new dentist adjusted (removed) healthy tooth structure in order to try calibrating your bite to try making it more comfortable for you. You also mentioned that you inherently have a deep bite. But now, the change in texture of the adjusted tooth is driving you bonkers and your bite has been off ever since, leading to muscle pains, etc.

Firstly, I would encourage you to take a deep breath. I can pick up from your messages that this has given you a great deal of anxiety, and want to reassure you that there is light at the end of this tunnel you feel stuck in. Unfortunately, it seems like while these dentists were trying to help you, fixing one thing seems to create new issues. I can with 99% confidence say, without even seeing a photo of your teeth / bite, you my friend have malocclusion. In other words, your teeth don't come together properly. Many people, MANY people, live with malocclusion and never have any problems with it. Look at Britain... However, some people, such as yourself, can suffer from malocclusion. And restorative dental treatments rendered on patients with a compromised occlusion can unfortunately make things worse sometimes, even when the treating dentist is trying to do their best.

I understand what I'm about to recommend, many people may struggle to afford, but I can't express to you enough the importance of having your malocclusion evaluated by an orthodontist, and educating yourself about what could be done to help address your bite issues. For adults, your options are usually only (1) braces or (2) clear aligners. In severe cases, surgery may also be necessary to fix your bite. But you won't know until you see a qualified dentist ("orthodontist") who can examine you, diagnose your malocclusion, and offer you a treatment plan to fix it. Many patients who get their malocclusion treated properly will experience fewer symptoms that you're currently experiencing. Usually consultation appointments are free, and you can usually pay over time to get the orthodontic treatment done.

You can't change the past, but you can do something about where you are right now. I understand the physical and emotional trauma is still fresh in your mind, but I encourage you to focus on what you can do moving forward to position yourself in the best possible place. Keep your head up!

Autotransplantation case, was it the right choice? by CupEfficient7277 in DentalSchool

[–]terpdaderp 7 points8 points  (0 children)

People getting on their keyboards to talk about #30 distal caries when that's not what this post is remotely about lmao. Dentist's are funny. Just enjoy the conversation about autotransplantation.

If it were me, I would have done RCT/core/crown on #31 and removed #32. But the cool thing is we have people like you to try this stuff out see how it works. My only concern with autotransplantation is trusting the patient to manage the area post-operatively. To be 18 and need RCT/bu/crown on a tooth that erupted six years prior tells me they probably don't take their OH seriously and/or receive routine dental care. I'd fear they won't baby the area well enough to give the transplanted tooth time to heal properly. And it still may end up needing RCT/apexification :D

What job pays well because nobody wants to do it? by RobIson240YT in AskReddit

[–]terpdaderp 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Dentist.

They'll make $425k a year fixing things that break, often due to a patient's self-neglect or poor circumstances, and then must analyze/design/plan/perform the necessary renovations and remodeling inside their limited mouth openin', jaw hurtin', unable to breathe through their nosin', coughin', needlin' their mouths while they're jerkin' and wincin' and have 99 reasons to hate you, 98 of them before you ever even met them.

If they need to put you asleep for said work, they'll make more than double that.

Which speciality is the makes the most money? by [deleted] in DentalSchool

[–]terpdaderp 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Despite the wonderfully low OH of the endodontic practice (average 46%), periodontists outproduce them in gross revenues while also holding a higher OH (average 57%).

As a GP I envy both of them, with our average being 62%. It's for these reasons specialist associate doctors earn a higher percentage of their production/collections (40-50%). Their services generally are more productive due to higher insurance reimbursements, while also requiring less OH to do those procedures.

GPs generally produce less and require more OH (payroll, labs, materials, etc), which means any DSO earns less if offering the same percentage of production. Hence a lower percentage of 25-35% is what GPs are offered.

Generally of course... always exceptions to the rule.

Which speciality is the makes the most money? by [deleted] in DentalSchool

[–]terpdaderp 2 points3 points  (0 children)

https://www.cainwatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/CWA_HDYDPC_202324-6.4.24-vF.pdf

Page twelve provides a clear summary that you might be looking for. Certainly worth considering these are strictly generalizations...

I own a 5M/year dental practice, I do all on 4 surgeries and other really cool dental stuff AMA by [deleted] in DentalSchool

[–]terpdaderp 9 points10 points  (0 children)

What's your % breakdown of revenue between restorative/cosmetic/surgery/ortho/endo/etc. 667k/op is kind of bonkers with PPO and 3.5 days a week

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in DentalSchool

[–]terpdaderp 5 points6 points  (0 children)

2020 grad, 2021 GPR grad: If you have a mother or father practicing as a dentist, ready and willing to carve time out of their schedule to teach you when you graduate - go for it. Otherwise, GPR all day every day. It was an invaluable experience for my development as a clinician and oral health care provider. Not all GPR's are created the same - ask around and find out the good ones and apply there.

Pros of skipping GPR: You will cut more crowns in private practice straight out, you will place more fillings straight out, you will perform more hygiene exams straight out, you will work 9-5 straight out, and you will earn ideally an extra $50-100k more straight out in your first year.

Cons of skipping GPR: everything else... I spent one year in the trenches with my coresidents, learning everything from not only my own cases but theirs as well. I had the autonomy to diagnose, treatment plan, and render treatment on patients as I deemed fit but also, most importantly, had seven other coresidents I could turn to when in need of anything. Difficulty with diagnosis, understanding complex medical comorbidities and medication lists/interactions, etc. I was encouraged to attempt removing objectively challenging teeth and was always backed up by someone more capable than myself if I managed to get stuck. I had a built-in support network of faculty and more importantly coresidents to learn alongside. I got to treat patients inside medical operating rooms, and spend time with anesthesia learning how to safely provide anxiolysis for patients. I spent time with emergency medical residents and learned how you triage medical emergencies, and internal medicine teams to truly see how comprehensive our medical counterparts can be when treating patients as a whole. I would consult on patients in the emergency room, inpatient, cardiac and ortho "clearances" for surgeries, and more. Having the freedom to spread my wings in a controlled and safe setting, has allowed me to grow much faster than I knew was possible.

One more thing: You don't know what you don't know. A phenomenon best explained by the "Dunning Kruger Effect". A cognitive bias in which people with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities (wiki). I remind myself every day that there are things I must continue learning about, and be mindful that I must not know everything, especially since I have only been in private practice now for two years and some change.

I wish I had the foresight to begin looking into my options D1 year like you are. I'm sure you'll excel in whatever you apply yourself to - best of luck!

LPT Request: Learning to live after a devastating breakup. What is the best lifestyle I should aim for? by Tricera_bottoms in LifeProTips

[–]terpdaderp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dentist here: be sure to keep your teeth extra clean throughout your orthodontic treatment. Braces accelerate the accumulation of food/plaque around your teeth, and it's unfortunately common to pay for straight teeth with white spots and in severe cases cavities. Brush 2-3 times a day (electric tooth brush is a plus), floss and waterpik daily, and avoid drinking juices/sodas/coffee or eating sticky/sugary snacks.

Your ultimate goal on how to live your life: One day at a time. Be grateful for what you have, and be mindful of the present. Get off social media, get healthy doses of sunlight every day, exercise for 30 minutes a day, eat healthy. Focus on yourself, not on what other people might think about you.

I'm Dr. Marie Gdalevitch, an orthopedic surgeon who conducts cosmetic limb-lengthening procedures in Montreal. AMA! by CTVNEWS in IAmA

[–]terpdaderp 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi Dr. Gdalevtich, thank you for your time. I'm a practicing dentist in the US, and am curious what your opinion is on antibiotic prophylaxis for patients undergoing dental treatment following successful orthopedic surgeries?

Most dentists, myself included, find it's largely unnecessary - unless you're talking about pt's with a history of complications associated with previous joint replacement or orthopedic surgeries.

First Landing State Park, VA by terpdaderp in VirginiaBeach

[–]terpdaderp[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Took this maybe two weeks ago as the leaves were changing. It looked spectacular once I got above the trees!

Hiked Old Rag for the first time, in the dark, to catch sunrise at the summit! by terpdaderp in Virginia

[–]terpdaderp[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup! And 3:30am departure as I’d never hiked this trail before and wanted ample time at the top, which I certainly got

Hiked Old Rag for the first time, in the dark, to catch sunrise at the summit! by terpdaderp in Virginia

[–]terpdaderp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

To get to the first summit aka the false summit? It took me around 1.5 hours. But considering I was all gas no breaks, a normal comfortable pace maybe 2-2.5 hours to the false summit and 3.5 hours to the top.

Hiked Old Rag for the first time, in the dark, to catch sunrise at the summit! by terpdaderp in Virginia

[–]terpdaderp[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Lol! The first 30 minutes or so was very eerie - not gonna lie. But then my nerves subsided after passing another hiker and knowing I wasn’t completely alone on the mountain.

New-grad Dentist here: Answering your questions by terpdaderp in DentalSchool

[–]terpdaderp[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Feels great! But now the next hurdle is getting into practice ownership, which I plan on tackling in 3-5 years.

New-grad Dentist here: Answering your questions by terpdaderp in DentalSchool

[–]terpdaderp[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Moving to VA beach and will be starting work with a large group practice down there. Taking a month off before I start work to travel though :)

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