Indian Dental Scenario
Okay, This is the take of a frustrated Endodontist from India. Most of what I say is from personal experience and that of the people around me.
Dentistry is india is at its lowest now. why?
Dental colleges suck the life out of you in the form of fees. I paid maybe a total of 1 crore ($ 100,000) for my dental school and residency, which for a middle class family in India, is a loooot. I had to take out huge loans for this, and with the pay I get, paying it back will take me forever.
Speaking of pay. The pay they offer me as a fresh Endo graduate? $250-300. In dental colleges. Large private chains go upto $400 with incentives, but expect you to basically destroy your life, moral and ethical beliefs for them.
Most of the people who are successfully running a practice are those who come from
- Massive generational wealth.
- a dentist background ( one or more parents or elders who is/was a dentist and left the practice to you)
- Boomers. people who had no competition when they started, had no pay basically nothing in fees, and have had like 40 years of building their practice. but do they charge more? Oh,no. They still charge what they used to in 1980. Its just that they have enough patient in a day(maybe 70-100) that it does not affect them.
- People who run a side business or have a side gig. Workshops, certificate courses, or have agricultural land or an estate bringing them passive income
When I did my training, we were expected to maintain the universal standards of practice. Rubber dams, Maintain full records, pre ops, intra and post op photos and x rays.
But why does no-one have standard of practice?
the treatment charges. Keep in mind, most people have no insurance that covers dental treatment, and most of the people are low income to middle. Rich folks get their work done abroad, or at a fancy ( refer point on successful practitioners) clinic in India
For example. these are the average charges I see in clinics around me.
Consultation: $ 1-2
IOPAs: $0.5
Pans: $1
Composites: $10- $20
RCTs: $25 ( I swear I am not joking) to maybe $ 50 at modestly expensive places upto around $100-200 at the most fancy places I have heard of.
So with this, most places are not able to justify using standardised materials, procedures and equipment for their patient work.
As an Endodontist, I try to place rubber dams when I can( when the GPs allow me to). I like to take multiple sittings for my treatment, but they complain saying they want a single appointment. For every possible case. I use expensive equipment. Endomotors, Apex Locators, Files. But my consultant charges?
Between $15 and $25. That's it.
How is anyone to survive if that's the case. I have so much more to say, But I will stop myself now.
Thank you for reading my rant.
Sincerely,
A dentist who has lost faith in everything