Anyone who has a specialty training in the medical field gets good remuneration, and the salary of a periodontist reflects this trend. Read this article to know more about it.
The Periodontics program is a three-year specialty training that you can apply for, after completing a four-year dental degree. Periodontists are provided extensive training in preventing, diagnosing, and treating gum diseases. These professionals have an expertise in dealing with the soft tissues surrounding the teeth, and the bone beneath the teeth. Your dentist may recommend you to a professional to correct occlusions, and to polish and clean your teeth. Generally, people completing a postgraduate course in this specialty field have good careers, and the salary is also predicted to grow faster than average in the near future. The procedures involved are mostly not covered by insurance companies, and only affluent clients find them affordable; hence, the money that these professionals make is enviable. The chunk of clients that come to them are through referrals from other dentists, who are not able to provide specialized care for certain gum and structural problems of the teeth, and for gingivitis cure.
Education and Job Description
Periodontology is the specialty of dentistry that deals with diseases, related to supporting or surrounding tissues and structures of the teeth, and the maintenance of their health and function. A three-year Master’s degree or certification program, after completing the dentistry degree, needs to be completed to achieve a license. After completing the three-year program, one becomes eligible to appear for the American Board of Periodontology (ABP) examination, which needs to be cleared to become a member of the board, and eventually, to practice. Periodontists need to diagnose and treat diseases that infect the gum, destroying the bone and the tissues supporting the teeth. These professionals tackle diseases like gingivitis and periodontitis, which cause discomfort and pain to the patients, and may also lead to loss of teeth. They also need to examine the gums for any signs of decay, infection, or lesions, and give advice on dental care to the patients. Some of the procedures that they perform include tissue grafts and dental implants for periodontal disease cure. In people with gum diseases, the bone and the tissues that hold the teeth are destroyed, forming pockets near them. These professionals will clear these pockets of any bacteria, and pull the tissue back in place. They are also required to handle medical equipment such as X-ray machine, dental drills, suction pumps, and respiration-support equipment.
Salary
Periodontology is a specialized branch of dentistry, and most of the professionals have their own practices, or work with other dentists. Some of them work with health care services, dental clinics, and in the teaching field. Their average annual salary is around USD 103,000 to USD 230,000, which is comparable to the other fields of expertise in dentistry. Some agencies predict that the job market in this field is projected to rise by about 16 percent till 2018, which is more than most of the other medical jobs. Periodontists working in the academics field reportedly make anywhere between USD 102,000 and USD 192,000 annually. Dental prosthetic services also offer jobs to such professionals, and offer salaries that average around USD 113,000 to USD 213,000 per annum. The dental prosthetic services cater to an affluent clientele, and this is the main reason why they pay such high salaries to them. Some big dental clinics also offer employment to them, and they averagely earn around USD 106,000 to USD 201,000 per annum. These clinics also hire dentists, orthodontists, and maxillofacial surgeons, and provide total dental care under one roof to their clients. Few hospitals also need the services of a periodontist, and the average salary that they offer is about USD 104,000 to USD 198,000 per annum. Some of the cities that offer good remuneration to such professionals include New York and Los Angeles.
The salary is something that attracts many dental students to this specialized sector, and if you are thinking about it, now is a good time, as the projected growth in this field is above average for the next ten years.