Of all the specialties that Pair Dental works with, we’ve been seeing strong demand for Endodontist services. Practice owners find that having an Endodontist in-house improves the workflows of the practice and enables them to grow revenue with the additional restorative production. Whether you are a dental student researching a specialty focus or an endodontist looking to grow your career, know that it is never a better time to be an Endodontist.
What we’re seeing:
Practice Owners are often asking to bring an Endodontist in-house because they realize the high chance of failure in performing the procedure themselves, compared to other procedures. When evaluating all possible procedures that can be delegated to a qualified specialist, molar root canals are usually top of mind. It may be difficult to find, access, or get a complete seal of the MB2. It’s also possible that they may not be comfortable with all the instruments and techniques.
RCTs are also some of the longest procedures, meaning precious hours away from running and growing the practice. They also carry significantly more risk than routine crowns and fillings. When dealing with a patient who is in pain, GP’s should deploy the highest quality talent to ensure the best results and a happy patient.
Compensation:
Endodontists are generally reimbursed between $700 to $1200 per RCT. Many of our traveling specialists request that practices adhere to a minimum $1000 per molar endo and try to line up 6 to 8 patients per treatment day. This means that the average Endodontist can produce upwards of $6,000 to $8,000 per treatment day. Depending on their exact compensation figure for that match, usually around 45%, we’re talking about a healthy compensation amount for the endodontist.
Relatively speaking, you can say that Periodontists and Oral Surgeons make more money. However, that often greatly depends on the individual operator skill and motivation. When compared to the number of years spent in residency and the abilities of your average Endodontic specialist, they vast majority of them are predictably earning more with less debt.
Demand:
Most practices considering bringing specialty in-house are striving to become multi-specialty practices to serve their patients in several dental specialty areas: surgery, prosthetics, ortho/pedo, and endo.
The supply of Endodontists in the US population sits at the lowest compared to other specialties at just 1.7 per 100,000 population. There are certainly many Endodontists in the market who report they aren’t busy enough, yet Pair Dental has found that in most markets Endodontists can thrive by embracing the traveling model. The share of referrals being passed from the GP to the specialist has also been shifting more heavily in favor of the specialist completing the procedure. So when an opportunity presents for a GP to bring a traveling Endodontist in-house, they usually jump at the chance.
Endodontists are truly a high-impact addition to the general practice. When we consider all variables that contribute to their career experience: market conditions, compensation, education, demand, and value; it’s never been a better time to be an Endodontist.
