Author: ProfGid
An orthodontist is a doctor who specializes in dental anomalies. That is, he studies, performs prevention, diagnosis and treatment of such anomalies. These include abnormal development of the jaws, dentition, individual teeth, and soft tissues in the oral cavity. It is the orthodontist who installs braces and “builds up” lost fragments of teeth. This is a profession in demand, since a large number of people have dental anomalies of one degree or another. She belongs to the “person-to-person” category. By the way, in 2022, the ProfGid career guidance center developed an accurate career guidance test. He himself will tell you which professions are suitable for you, and give an opinion about your personality type and intelligence.
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Brief description: who is an orthodontist?
Today, a beautiful smile, straight teeth and correct bite are an important component of a person’s image and appearance. And even if we remove the purely aesthetic factor from consideration, many others remain: for example, due to the incorrect structure of the jaw, a person’s diction may be impaired, it can contribute to the development of diseases of the teeth and gums, and even cause curvature in the cervical and subsequent parts of the spine. Orthodontics is a subsection of dentistry that deals with precisely such problems.
What determines the level of wages?
The main factors on which a dentist's salary depends are presented in the table.
| Factor | Description |
| Place of work | In a private clinic, good dentists are paid much more than in a public clinic. |
| Kind of activity | The salary of an “ordinary” therapist is lower than the salary of a specialist who installs expensive braces. |
| experience | The more experience, the higher the salary. |
| Specialist's place of residence | The salary of a dentist in Russia depends on the region. |
Features of the profession
Improper development of jaws, teeth and soft tissues can occur due to hereditary factors or due to acquired problems. Most often this happens during infancy and early childhood: due to artificial feeding, deficiency of minerals and vitamins, prolonged attachment to a pacifier, and so on. In adulthood, problems with the structure of teeth and jaws usually arise due to serious injuries. The main responsibilities of an orthodontist when working with any patient are as follows:
- Examination of the patient's oral cavity for the presence of dental anomalies.
- Performing diagnostic procedures (for example, taking panoramic photographs using x-ray equipment).
- Restoration of lost areas of enamel and broken parts of teeth.
- Making impressions for the production of braces, dental implants and dentures.
- Installation and activation of braces to correct misaligned teeth and bite.
- Installation of space retainers, removable plates and space maintainers (such devices are most often used to treat malocclusion in children).
- Carrying out control diagnostic measures to assess the result of orthodontic treatment.
It is important to understand that quite often an orthodontist’s work with one patient lasts more than one month. A specialist examines the condition of his oral cavity, selects treatment, and its implementation may take even more than a year. For example, correcting malocclusion and misalignment of teeth in adults usually requires 1.5-2 years, during which the patient must regularly visit the orthodontist to adjust the position of the braces.
Principles of remuneration in public and private clinics
The difference between private and public dentistry in remuneration can be quite significant. For example, in the capital, a dental therapist in a public clinic receives 50-60 thousand rubles , but in a private clinic, all other things being equal, he will receive 80-120 thousand rubles. In public medical institutions, a dentist’s salary consists of the official salary and various allowances. Among other things, such specialists receive additional payments for qualification categories, for a scientific degree (if any), etc.
In private clinics, salaries are calculated differently. At the same time, such institutions often compete with each other for good specialists, so everyone pays high salaries, and additionally attracts staff with good working conditions - a social package, modern equipment and optics, the presence of assistants, etc.
As a rule, if a dentist does not open his own office, but goes to work as an employee, then a plan for services is set for him, or more precisely, for their total amount. Depending on this, he receives the initially established percentage. At the same time, good clinics set a very realistic plan, taking into account the experience of previous months, and it is not difficult to implement it.
Salary for percentage
Pricing is usually determined by the clinic’s management. But in general, the price of relatively simple manipulations is determined by the cost of the materials used, to which a certain markup is added. However, in some areas of dentistry, the so-called technical cost of work is used - this is, for example, relevant for crowns and veneers, which are made not by the dentist himself, but by a dental technician. In this case, the percentage for calculating the salary of the dentist-therapist will be calculated a little differently. The markup itself can be almost any amount. In private clinics, it includes both payment of taxes and salaries of all staff, so it can be 200% or more.
Gray additional methods earnings
It also happens, of course, that not very conscientious doctors impose additional services where they could have done without it (mostly this concerns some aesthetic problems or professional oral hygiene services, but in general in reputable clinics this rarely happens).
Bonuses and awards
Most private clinics do not offer additional bonuses or bonuses. But some institutions practice training employees in courses and seminars at their own expense, and there are also those that include meals for employees in their benefits package.
Penalties
But there is a system of fines. Basically, they fine small sums for various violations of labor discipline - for example, for being late or for untimely filling out medical documentation. If the doctor makes any mistakes in treatment, then more stringent measures can be taken.
When working in a private clinic, you need to keep in mind that although the registration will be official everywhere, the management still wants to save on taxes. Therefore, many register as part-time doctors in order to minimize their contributions to the tax and pension fund.
Other professions: How much do nurses earn in Russia?
Important personal qualities
Since orthodontist vacancies still belong to the medical field (albeit to its dental branch), specialists in this field are required to have a desire and willingness to help people. You also need excellent vision, well-developed fine motor skills, perseverance, patience, and the ability to maintain a high level of concentration for a long time when performing monotonous work. And, of course, some communication skills won’t hurt, especially when serving underage clients.
How much do dentists of different specialties earn?
Pay levels for dentists in different specialties can vary significantly, even within the public or private sector alone.
How much does a dental therapist earn?
The average salary of a representative of this specialty is 50 thousand rubles per month. At the same time, the demand for dental therapists remains consistently high in both the public and private sectors, but the most vacancies are open in Moscow. St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Saratov, Krasnoyarsk, and Volgograd are not far behind in this indicator.
It is interesting that the work of dental therapists is best paid not in Moscow. The leader, according to official statistics, is the Ulyanovsk region and the Republic of Karelia, where a dentist-therapist receives up to 100 thousand rubles per month (on average).
Dental therapists working in the northern regions traditionally have a high level of income. For example, in the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug, the average salary for representatives of this specialty is almost 77 thousand rubles per month. In Moscow and St. Petersburg, the average salary of dental therapists is 60-63 thousand rubles per month. But this figure also takes into account the income of specialists in private clinics, so in practice the wage gap can be quite large.
Salary examples
How much does an orthopedic dentist earn?
The average salary of representatives of this specialty is almost 89 thousand rubles per month. At the same time, the distribution of vacancies here will be approximately the same as for dental therapists, that is, the greatest demand for specialists is recorded in the capital.
At the same time, the highest level of income, according to official statistics, is among those representatives of this profession who live in the Tyumen region - about 178 thousand rubles per month.
Examples of positions
The average salary in Moscow is 110 thousand rubles. Interestingly, in Krasnodar it is higher – 138 thousand rubles. In St. Petersburg, Omsk, Yekaterinburg, the salary level is 100 thousand rubles, but it is clear that in many small cities the income of such specialists will be significantly lower.
How much does an orthodontist earn?
The average monthly income for a representative of this specialty is 72 thousand rubles. Orthodontists are most in demand in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in several cities with a population of over a million. Apparently, because in small towns issues of aesthetics are treated much more simply.
But according to official statistics, the highest salary level is for orthodontists working in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Here they receive about 100 thousand rubles a month, while in Moscow the average salary is only about 70 thousand rubles. In most cities, the average monthly income of such specialists is 50-60 thousand rubles.
Other professions: How much do gynecologists earn in Russia
Salary with examples
How much does a periodontist earn?
The average salary of a periodontist is 60 thousand rubles per month. The largest number of vacancies for representatives of this profession are open in Moscow and the capital region. Actually, in Moscow such a specialist receives 70 thousand rubles (and in private clinics even more). In St. Petersburg, the average salary is 50 thousand rubles. In Irkutsk, Chelyabinsk, Tomsk, such a specialist earns on average 40 thousand rubles per month.
How much does a dental surgeon earn?
The monthly salary of such a specialist is 60 thousand rubles. It is interesting that many vacancies in this specialty are open not only in Moscow, but also in Krasnoyarsk, St. Petersburg, and Nizhny Novgorod. The average income of such a specialist in Moscow is 74 thousand rubles, but in the North, dental surgeons receive more - for example, in Khabarovsk, according to official statistics, the salary level is about 100 thousand rubles, in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug - 80 thousand rubles. In most other regions, the average income of a dental surgeon does not exceed 50 thousand rubles.
Examples of vacancies
How much does an oral and maxillofacial surgeon earn?
The average salary of such a specialist does not exceed 40 thousand rubles in the country. At the same time, in the capital, representatives of this specialty, according to official data, earn about 45-50 thousand rubles, and this takes into account private clinics, where they are often registered part-time. In Novosibirsk the average salary is 35 thousand rubles, in Chelyabinsk – 25-30 thousand rubles.
How much does a pediatric dentist earn?
The monthly income of a specialist in this area is 50 thousand rubles. The most vacancies in this specialty are open in Moscow and St. Petersburg. However, the highest salaries are offered to pediatric dentists in the northern regions. For example, in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug they receive more than 112 thousand rubles per month, in Khabarovsk - 107-108 thousand rubles per month. In Moscow, the income level is 70 thousand rubles per month, but, for example, in Kursk, Penza, Yaroslavl, it is already 60 thousand.
Examples of vacancies
Which dentists are in demand in Moscow?
Average prices in the world for dental labor
We have highlighted some of the factors that influence the remuneration of dentists; now, for the full picture, we will find out how profitable the dentist profession is in the world.
How much does a dentist earn in the USA? Here, the dental profession is considered prestigious and respected, followed by Germany (approx. $8,000), with the lowest salary in Ukraine ($350 per month).
So, the most profitable country for the dental profession is, of course, the USA. What about specialists who cannot afford to work there, but want to have a high income? Are there options for additional income for dental specialists? Certainly.
What additional payments are possible?
First of all, we have to talk about premiums, the basis of which is the services paid by visitors. A certain percentage is taken from this amount, which is paid to the dentist. That is, the more patients a doctor manages to serve, the more he will receive an increase in salary.
In addition, there are special allowances from the state. They can be obtained if the specialist agrees to provide any additional services for patients. This may include surgical intervention or examinations that are not covered by officially accepted insurance.
This is interesting! Dentists working in government agencies often provide private services on an illegal basis. They are not reflected in hospital documentation and are usually discussed privately with the patient.
Additional services that are not included in the clinic’s documentation are usually advisory in nature and if the patient voluntarily agrees to them, the dentist can perform them. Typically, specialists take such measures if their official salary is meager.
Salary level in Moscow
Compared to all other regions, Moscow dentists have the most attractive salaries. Specialists who have just graduated from university can get a job in the capital's municipal institutions at a rate of 25 thousand rubles. per month. The salary of a beginning therapist at a dental clinic can be approximately 35 thousand rubles.
As practical experience grows, you can count on an increase in salary. This is due to the increase in specialist qualifications. If there are regular orders in private dentistry, medical workers receive several times more than in municipal institutions. A private orthodontist, for example, can receive no less than 120 thousand rubles. per month. The same specialist can count on a salary not exceeding 62 thousand rubles when joining a budget organization.
Income, depending on specialty
Salary levels also vary significantly depending on the specialty of the dentist. Here are the average salaries, depending on one or another qualification of a specialist:
- orthodontist: from 70 to 75 thousand rubles;
- orthopedist: from 50 to 60 thousand rubles;
- prosthetist: 50 thousand rubles. average.;
- surgeon: 50 thousand rubles;
- implantologist: 75-77 thousand rubles.
On a note! Military dentists constitute a separate category. Representatives of this specialty earn on average from 50 to 60 thousand rubles. per month.
The process of studying to become a dentist
If you want to study to become a dentist, you have several options for obtaining education in the field.
You can get a dental technician education in college in four years of study by enrolling in the first year of medical college after the 9th grade of school. With a diploma of secondary specialized education, you already have the opportunity to work in your specialty and continue your studies at a university.
After the 11th grade, it is possible to study at a university, which lasts 5 years. Doctors are trained only in person; absenteeism is punishable by expulsion, which is logical, because the health and life of people depends on the quality of knowledge of any doctor.
After university, to complete your higher education, you can undergo a residency or internship to gain practice in your specialization and new in-depth knowledge. Here the training will last another two years.
Since medicine does not stand still in its development, after internship, each specialist must undergo advanced training courses in order to raise his status and become a truly good specialist in his field, knowledgeable of current materials, treatment methods, and so on. For this purpose, there are many trainings, seminars and exhibitions that are available nowadays and online.
