Sarah Handzel, BSN, RN

Insider Monkey has released an overview of where dentists are paid the most in America. Some of the states might surprise you. Image source: 

There’s been a plethora of good dental economic news circulating lately, with the latest report — a study conducted by 

— determining which states pay dentist the most.

, dentistry the best job in 2017. The report based this ranking on several factors, including salary, job market, future growth, job-associated stress, and work-life balance.

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The employment market for dentists is expected to grow by 18 percent through 2024

, with up to 23,300 new jobs expected to be created during that time. It’s no wonder that the field of dentistry is booming: The median annual salary is reported at $152,700 with a 0.1 percent unemployment rate. One of the factors driving growth is the increased consumer demand for cosmetic dentistry services. Dentists also ranked their work-life balance as an eight out of 10, one of the highest rankings out of any health specialty.

So what states are the best for dentists, in terms of salary? 

 details the states that provide the highest annual salaries to dentists, keeping in mind that the cost of living in some of these states might be higher than in other areas of the country.

Click the next page to see the rankings, starting with number 1.

· Dentists in this state are paid about $55,000 more than the national average.

· Even though dentists in this state earn much more than the national average, the cost of living is also higher than in other states.

· Fewer than 200 dentists live in Alaska — it is the least densely populated state in the country – but they are some of the top earners in the country.

· Dentists in North Dakota earn substantially more than those in South Dakota, where dentists earn less than the national average.

· There are 3,160 dentists practicing in the state, 

each earning an average hourly wage of $101.62.

· Salaries for dentists in the state have grown from an average of $195,000 to over $203,000, an increase of more than $8,000.

· Nevada has a smaller number of dentists — only 850 in the state. Even though this is the case, dental salaries here mirror those in South Carolina.

· South Carolina has a low cost of living, so dentists’ salaries here will stretch further than in other states.

· Dentists in Oregon enjoy salaries above the national average, 

with compensation ranging from $185,290 to $227,160.

· The 1,760 dentists in this state earn an average of $92.94 per hour, far above the national average.

· 3,280 dentists practice in the state currently and enjoy a relatively low cost-of-living compared to the rest of the country. 

Articles

The dental industry has been awash in good economic news lately. First, U.S. News & World Report named dentistry the best job in America for 2017. Prior to that, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projected the dental job market to grow by 18 percent through 2024. Now, Insider Monkey has released its annual overview of the states where dentists are paid the most. Find out if your state landed among the top 11.

The 11 Highest-Paying States for Dentists

Stereocaulon paschale is a lichen species that thrives in arctic and sub-arctic climates. Researchers have identified compounds within this lichen that may help treat cavities and gingivitis in the future. Image Source: 

A specific lichen usually found in subarctic or arctic regions of the world has recently been found to contain several unique molecules, along with antibacterial compounds, that could help in the treatment of dental problems like dental caries and periodontal disease.

, can be found on mountain peaks in Canada in addition to the arctic parts of the planet. The researchers who collected the lichen performed a phytochemical analysis that yielded 11 compounds. Two of these compounds, classified as ascomatic acid dibenzofuran derivatives, included molecules that had never been identified or isolated anywhere else on the planet.

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The nine other compounds that were isolated have already been identified in other living organisms elsewhere in the world. Further testing of the compounds showed that six of them have potential antibacterial activity against certain pathogens, like 

. These two bacteria are already known to cause oral health problems, including dental caries and periodontal disease.

One of the researchers, Normand Voyer, says, “Lichens in the North are exposed to unique environmental stresses. We thought that these species might produce special molecules to cope with these very rugged conditions."

"It's still too early to know whether the two molecules we've discovered have specific properties that could have medical or industrial applications," explains Voyer. "However, the objective of our study was not to provoke a rush to the molecular treasures northern Quebec species may contain. Rather we wanted to demonstrate that there is a hidden wealth of naturally occurring compounds in northern environments that need to be studied and protected.”

Voyer continues, “Numerous phytochemical studies have been carried out in tropical forests, but the North remains largely unexplored. There are surely many other northern species that, like 

, contain unique molecules. We may find the next cancer treatments in these regions. If we do find natural compounds that have useful applications, it will be important to develop methods for synthesizing them in the lab so as not to jeopardize the survival of the species that produce them."

Discover more Dentist’s Money Digest news coverage here

Researchers have identified a lichen that thrives in subarctic or arctic regions that contains several molecules that fight bacteria. It's possible that these molecules could be used to treat dental issues, such as caries and periodontal disease. Two of the compounds the researchers discovered have never been identified on the planet before. One of the researchers said, Lichens in the North are exposed to unique environmental stresses. We thought that these species might produce special molecules to cope with these very rugged conditions."

Lichen Molecules Could Shape Future Dental Treatments

Mouth-Mate allows patients to seal off their oral wound with one hand while brushing with the other. Image credit: Photos courtesy of 

For many patients, the thought of brushing their teeth after having a dental procedure performed is a scary one. For many dentists, it’s been a struggle to convince patients of the importance of good oral hygiene, especially after surgical procedures. To help solve this issue, a new product has been launched to help make patients less afraid of and more compliant with post-surgical oral hygiene routines recommended by dental professionals.

 is the first dental healing aid introduced to the market, and it’s designed to help improve patients’ oral health at home following any number of invasive dental procedures. The product is designed to protect oral wounds resulting from oral surgeries, and periodontal and cosmetic dental procedures, including implants, bone grafts, soft tissue grafting, tooth extractions, laser procedures, and orthodontics.

Mouth-Mate uses different tip shapes to cover different types of oral wounds.

The product features four soft, interchangeable tips which are designed to cover any type of mouth wound of varying sizes and shapes in different locations within the oral cavity. Each of the tips is made in a different shape, with each shape recommended for use for different dental procedures. Each product tip is also bendable so that patients can use the product in hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.

Patients can use Mouth-Mate to cover oral wounds, then use their regular toothbrush to complete their regular oral hygiene routine. Since Mouth-Mate covers the wound while the patient is brushing, the patient shouldn’t experience any pain or discomfort, even in the area around the wound.

, hopes that this product will increase oral hygiene compliance among patients, thereby reducing levels of harmful mouth bacteria and encouraging healing of the wound. 

According to an in-office trail conducted by Armor Dental

, most patients feel nervous about brushing near an oral wound in the first few days following dental surgery. The patients also reported an increase in comfort and healing on the third-day following their procedures.

The company stresses that dentists can’t follow their patients home after dental procedures to make sure they are being compliant with treatment recommendations. Non-compliance is a causative factor in the failure of dental procedures, along with good oral hygiene practices. This product was designed to help facilitate compliance and improve the health of each patient’s mouth, even after an invasive dental procedure. 

Mouth-Mate is the first dental healing aid introduced to the market, and it's designed to help improve patients' oral health at home following any number of invasive dental procedures. The product is designed to protect oral wounds resulting from oral surgeries, and periodontal and cosmetic dental procedures, including implants, bone grafts, soft tissue grafting, tooth extractions, laser procedures, and orthodontics.

New Product Helps Patients Protect Oral Wounds While Brushing

Hiring the right employees can make the difference to your patients, to you, and to your budget. However, there’s a good chance you’re sick of your current hiring process taking months from start to finish. You need good people now, even though your hiring method typically takes up a lot of time and resources.

Streamlining your process can help attract talented individuals to your practice. Reexamining the way you engage and ultimately hire candidates can also help you reduce the costs and stress associated with hiring.

Your dental office might be big enough that you have two separate processes for hiring: one for internal candidates, one for external. However, having two hiring processes can double the amount of time it takes to find a qualified candidate. Try consolidating your process by having the entire hiring cycle managed by a single point of contact.

Your point of contact should be responsible for reviewing applications, looking at internal talent, and managing external candidate search procedures. With a single person, or team, performing these duties, the total amount of time it takes to hire someone could be cut drastically. Having specific people dedicated to this task also lowers the risk of miscommunication and can help to improve morale among internal job candidates.

Be sure you’ve got the right job description.

It’s important to accurately describe the job you’re hiring for when posting information about the position. If your description is vague or poorly worded, you might get candidates that are unqualified, or who think they’re applying for something different.

Cut down on wasted time by making sure your job description describes the responsibilities and duties of the position as accurately as possible. You can also be specific about what you’re looking for in a candidate, which can help to make it easier to recognize whether someone would be a good fit in your practice.

If you happen to come across information about another dental professional who is seeking new employment, try reaching out to them directly instead of waiting on them to come to you. Sending a personal message to your target candidate can help you cut out the entire lead-in process by detailing the qualities you’re looking for in an applicant and how you believe a professional relationship might be beneficial to both parties.

Maybe you’re in charge of hiring yourself, or you might be part of a group of people in the practice who must come together on all hiring decisions. Either way, you should directly involve the people who make hiring decisions early in the hiring process.

Getting office managers or other dentists to sign off on job descriptions as soon as possible means you can post them quickly. If you let your team know ahead of time that you’ll need them included on candidate interviews, they can make room in their schedules early to accommodate any interviews that are scheduled.

Frequent or extended delays in the hiring process can cause candidates to lose interest quickly. In an ideal situation, the first interview with a candidate should be scheduled within a week of first contact. Be sure to let each applicant know who they’ll be interviewing with, and how much time they should allow for the interview process.

To cut down on the amount of time you spend interviewing, try to schedule interviews with your most promising candidates before scheduling time with other, less-desirable professionals. If you’re holding a group interview, you can assign topics or practice areas for each interviewer to discuss with the candidates. Creating this kind of agenda can help your team ask relevant questions to capture a more complete picture of the person applying for the job. If you don’t have these guidelines in place, you might find your team asking different versions of the same question over and over again.

To avoid interview burnout, try to schedule one or two interviews a day, spending only an hour or two on the interview process each day. Some dentists clear their books for days at a time to interview candidates, but this causes stress and confusion when trying to rearrange patient appointments and other office duties.

If you’re sure you’ve found the right person for the job, don’t wait to make them an offer. Dragging your feet while preparing a job offer might mean that your competitors get to the candidate first.

The faster you extend an offer of employment, the faster you can get your new hire into your practice and training for their new job. The best job candidates know they’re in high demand, and they won’t wait around forever. When you meet the right person for the job, don’t hesitate to send a job offer their way.

Finding the right employees for your dental practice can be a long, arduous process. But it doesn't have to be that way. You can shorten your timeline and find better candidates if you stick to these six steps.

6 Tips to Shorten Your Hiring Process

For most prospective patients, your website is the first glimpse into your practice. Beyond introducing you, your staff, and your facility, your website also functions as a marketing tool, encouraging people to learn more and ultimately make an appointment.

You’ve heard the saying, “first impressions are everything,” and it’s important to keep this in mind when you think about designing your website. If you’re not going to hire a web designer to build your site, you can create a website for your practice using one of the many tools available online. Fortunately, it isn’t too hard to build a simple, effective website if you’re doing it yourself, but there are several things you must include to be sure your site is as impressive as possible.

This might seem like a no-brainer, but think about it. How many times have you stumbled across a website and, try as you might, you have no clue what the company actually does? Unfortunately, this is still somewhat common, even today.

Your website home page should feature your name and practice name front and center. Don’t leave anyone guessing that you’re a dentist. You want them to know it the second they see your home page. If you offer specialty dental services, be sure to include this information. You want your home page to contain a brief, focused message including details about you, your professional capabilities, and the easiest ways to contact you. There’s room to share more information on the other pages of your site.

After you’ve created your home page, it’s time to expand and offer more detail on the other pages of your website. You want to make it easy for people to find the information they’re looking for. Try to follow the “three click rule” — a person should be able to find the information they need within three clicks.

Keep your navigation menu consistent across all pages of your website. You might find it helpful to create a toolbar that appears across the top of each page, listing all the pages that a visitor can jump to in a single click. You can also link to specific pages of your website by creating hyperlinks to other pages within the body of your website text. However you choose to allow visitors to move around your site is up to you, but it should be as easy as possible.

There are a lot of options when it comes to building your site from scratch, but try to keep it as structured and uncomplicated as possible. You want your site to be aesthetically pleasing while showcasing your practice. Think back to some poorly constructed websites you’ve seen. Did they have text boxes that didn’t line up properly? Were there pictures or gifs all over the place? Did the colors they used grab your attention, but only because they gave you a headache? These are all important considerations when you’re nailing down the details of your site.

Regarding text, fonts like Arial and Veranda are generally easier to read online. Try to keep the size of your text around 14 or 16px, and don’t use more than three different typefaces on a page. This helps to keep your site design simple and streamlined.

When choosing colors, many healthcare professionals stick with a more neutral, open color scheme instead of bright, bold colors. You want to keep your prospective patient’s emotions in mind when choosing a color scheme — if you’re trying to portray a relaxing, soothing office environment, don’t choose “loud” colors like red or orange. Also, don’t overdo it by picking 10 different colors. The colors you choose should blend well together, and there’s no harm in using plenty of white space as filler to give your site a cleaner, more modern look.

Create content with your busy audience in mind.

You have to say something on your website, but keep in mind people expect to be able to scan a page quickly to get the information they need. Your prospects probably aren’t going to spend 20 minutes reading walls of text on your site. Instead, you should make it easy to scan your pages by using paragraph breaks, subheadings, bullet points, or images to break up large text blocks. Breaking up content makes it easier for an online audience to read, which can lead people to take action by calling you.

Keep your message short, simple, and relevant. If you’re not confident in your writing skills, hire a professional copywriter who can create content that will grab your reader’s attention. No one wants to read a huge wall of text where the author rambles, uses bad grammar, or doesn’t say anything the reader is interested in. If you want people to keep reading, you have to keep the message engaging. Words matter, and so does the order you put them in.

Think of your dental practice's website as every potential patient's first impression of who you are and what you do. With that in mind, you want your website to provide concise, clear information in a way that is visually appealing. Here are some important considerations for achieving that goal.

4 Tips for Building an Effective Website from Scratch

Looks delicious, right? Your dental patients might be tempted to devour a dish that looks this tasty, but a new study shows that chewing may help produce a specialized immune system cell in the body. With that in mind, it might be worth reminding them to chew thoroughly.

You’ve probably had a conversation with your kids about the importance of slowing down and actually chewing your food, but did you realize you might need to have this talk with your patients as well? 

 that taking the time to really chew food can help to stimulate the release of a specialized immune system cell, called a T helper 17 (Th17). Th17 cells are a part of our adaptive immune system. They recognize specific antigens, foreign substances that are potentially harmful, and help to activate an immune response. Th17 cells are also capable of recognizing “friendly” bacteria that can be beneficial to our overall health.

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In the study, researchers noted the mechanical force achieved through the process of mastication lead to physiological abrasion and damage to oral tissues. They hypothesized that this physiological damage was actually the catalyst for Th17 production, and set out to test their theory on mice. Initially, test mice were given soft-textured foods which required less chewing. The mice were fed this diet until they reached 24 weeks of age — at that time, the number of Th17 cells in each rodent’s mouth was measured.

The team found there had been a significant reduction in the amount of Th17 cells present. The research team speculated this was a result of a reduction in mastication-induced physiological damage to the oral tissues. To test this theory, the team rubbed each rodent’s oral cavity with a cotton-tipped applicator to increase the amount of physiological damage. A resulting increase in Th17 cell production was noted.

However, the team also noted harmful effects of increased physiological damage leading to increased Th17 production. By comparing test results from mice to were fed a hard-textured food diet and the results from the soft-textured food fed mice, they showed that long-term exposure to damage caused by mastication might exacerbate the effects of periodontitis. In fact, the mice that were fed a hard-textured food diet showed increased periodontal bone loss.

The researchers hope the findings could lead to new ways to fight a variety of illnesses. Lead investigator Dr. Joanne Konkel said, “The immune system performs a remarkable balancing act at barrier sites such as the skin, mouth and gut by fighting off harmful pathogens while tolerating the presence of normal friendly bacteria. Our research shows that, unlike at other barriers, the mouth has a different way of stimulating Th17 cells: not by bacteria but by mastication. Therefore, mastication can induce a protective immune response in our gums." 

A new study published in the journal Immunity showed that taking the time to really chew food can help to stimulate the release of a specialized immune system cell, called a T helper 17 (Th17).

Dental therapists, considered mid-level providers, are already allowed to practice dentistry in several states, including Minnesota, Maine and Vermont. They operate under the supervision of a licensed dentist and can perform a variety of minor dental procedures, such as placing crowns, providing fillings, and performing tooth extractions.

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However, many dentists and lawmakers are not receptive to this type of dental practitioner. In Arizona, the battle is heating up over changes to the scope of practice for dental therapists. 

, the state legislature has stalled in its attempts to expand the scope of practice for these dental professionals.

Many dentists in the state have raised strong objections to allowing dental therapists room to practice independently, even though the state is in desperate need of more dental providers to help address the growing need for care. This is especially evident among low-income, rural and tribal communities.

In December 2016, Dental Care for AZ, a pro-dental-therapy group, submitted an application to the state legislature’s Committee of Reference, seeking approval for an expanded scope of practice for dental therapists in the state. The application was rejected in a hearing that included dentists and lawmakers, many of whom questioned the dental therapists’ training in addition to the need for new providers.

, a committee member and dentist, said that allowing dental therapists to practice without the supervision of a licensed dentist should be cause for concern.

“That is the problem ... they (therapists) don't know what they don't know.” She said that, if dental therapists were allowed to perform more complicated procedures like tooth extractions, it might lead to major complications like perforated sinus cavities or broken root tips. She said, if “you did this to a child, you now have created a dental cripple for life. The protection of children is my concern.”

Even though this measure was rejected, proponents of an expanded dental therapist role plan to continue to push for a place in Arizona’s dental care network. An independent report from 

 indicated a clear need for more access to dental care, since approximately one-third of the state’s population lives in a dental provider shortage area. According to the report, these people do not have regular access to dental care, and frequently use hospital emergency departments as their only option for dental care.

In response to the independent report, the Arizona Dental Association has said that the problem is not that there are too few dentists, but rather that dentists are not distributed evenly across the state. Instead of expanding the role of dental therapists, the Association instead favors options like teledentistry as a way to bring access to care to more rural communities.

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Arizona is the latest state to look to expand the role of dental therapists. According to a report from azcentral.com, the state legislature has stalled in its attempts to expand the scope of practice for these dental professionals. 

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The dental consumables market, defined as the purchase and sale of products used by patients in the treatment of dental disorders, is expected to experience a significant increase in growth. Products like these are becoming more frequently used around the world in the process of tooth restoration, and in the treatment of problems associated with the gingiva and other dental impairments.

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The dental consumables market is forecast to grow through 2022

, and several factors are influencing this growth. The global population is aging, and the need for dental care for this segment of society is driving growth across several regions, including Europe and North America. Also, there has been a rising demand for cosmetic dentistry services, especially as the worldwide population has enjoyed rising disposable incomes, primarily in developing countries.

As disposable incomes have grown, so too has the dental tourism industry. More patients than ever are willing to travel in order to have access to dentists who have specialized knowledge and are capable of performing the most up-to-date dental procedures. Patients are also traveling for access to state-of-the-art dental equipment. Since there are now so many options in dental providers, many patients travel in order to find the best deals — they seek out dental care at a reduced price compared to the services they can access closer to home.

The expansion of the dental tourism industry is based, in part, on more stringent regulations, the advancement of new dental technologies, dental surgery options that are more cost-effective, and economic improvements in developing countries. As this industry grows, so too does the dental consumables market.

In addition to dental tourism, the push for increased education about dental and oral health has become a contributing factor to the growth of the dental consumables market. Many dental reforms have taken place in countries like Germany, the United States, and Australia, with attempts to increase public awareness about oral and dental health becoming standard practice. As the consumer population has become increasingly aware of oral health and hygiene issues, they are increasingly seeking out dental services and care.

Aging populations throughout the world and rising disposable incomes throughout the world are driving demand for dental products and services, especially in the cosmetic sector. This is also leading to an increase in dental tourism.

 has examined the trends and impact of funding provided to dental schools and institutions over a 10-year period. The study examined publicly reported data from various dental institutions from 2005 to 2014.

The goal of this study was to examine total NIH and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) funding provided to U.S. dental schools and dental research institutions. Ultimately, the research team sought to identify any downward trends in monetary support from either organization, since previous research examining data from 2005 to 2009 recognized a reduction in funding from the NIDCR totaling 6 percent. This result was troubling, since continued investment in dental, oral, and craniofacial research is vitally important for the improvement of the dental profession and the oral health status of the public.

Funding categories were classified as training and career development and extramural awards, which was made up of the sum of “total research grants” and “total research training” budget numbers. However, no research and development contracts were included in the study data set.

Over the 10-year time span of the current study, 56 total dental institutions received NIH awards while 55 received NIDCR award funding. Over the course of the study, the NIDCR invested a total of $1,449 million in dental institution award funding, which makes up 69.9 percent of the NIH total of $2,117 million. It was determined that the NIDCR was, by far, the largest supporter of dental institutions at the NIH.

However, during the study period, it was determined that there was a net decrease in award dollars going to dental institutions from both the NIDCR and the NIH. Awards from the NIDCR decreased by 12.8 percent, while total funding from the NIH decreased by 9.5 percent. Even though researchers noted this decrease in funding, they also determined that there have been fluctuations in support, with a trough occurring in 2014. They concluded the net 10-year decrease in funding actually reflected the trough in the year-to-year fluctuations, rather than a long-term downward trend toward decreased amounts of dental funding.

The research team further emphasized that, regardless of the decreased in total award funding provided by the NIDCR and NIH, it would be of tremendous value to the dental profession to develop strategies to enhance research capabilities at dental schools across the country. 

Ultimately, the research team sought to identify any downward trends in monetary support from the NIH and NIDCR, since previous research examining data from 2005 to 2009 recognized a reduction in funding from the NIDCR totaling 6 percent.

Dentists in Minnesota are taking steps to address healthcare disparities among at-risk children by offering free dental services on Feb. 3 and 4. The event is part of the 

 program. Dental professionals around the state participate in the program each year to provide care to children in need.

Give Kids a Smile is sponsored in part by the 

 (MDA). The Association has more than 2,000 dental professionals registered to volunteer at more than 125 dental clinics across the state. As part of this year’s outreach effort, dentists will be providing free exams, fillings, and sealants to children 18 years of age or younger.

The Give Kids a Smile program has worked over the past 15 years to provide children with dental services they desperately need. To date, dentists in Minnesota have provided free care to more than 65,000 children. The services these dentists have donated are valued at more than $17 million.

Dentists in the state who are interested in donating time and professional services can register with the MDA and receive a 

. The kit compiles 15 years of program knowledge into a free resource dentists can reference at any time. Dentists can also chat with colleagues who have already participated in the program for advice and recommendations on how to coordinate care.

There are several ways for interested dentists to take part in the program:

· Dentists can volunteer their clinics to host the free event, with the number of children served and types of services provided depending on the size of the space and staff availability.

· Dentists may also volunteer individually or as a team to provide treatment at any of the registered event locations outside of their own practices. If needed, the MDA is available to help match dental professionals with clinics.

· Finally, dentists can register to participate as a Smile Factory provider. As this type of clinician, dentists and dental specialists complete treatment for some of the most extensive cases identified at other Give Kids a Smile clinics. Participation in this program involves the use of dentist-to-dentist referrals, with providers completing care at a time and place that is mutually convenient to them and the child.

More than half of Minnesota children enrolled in Medicaid have not received any dental services within the past year. The situation is made worse because the state has the lowest national ranking for reimbursement of government dental program fees. Dr. Kevin Dens, president of the MDA said, “Minnesota dentists know every child deserves a winning smile. There is so much unmet need for dental treatment in Minnesota."  

Dental professionals around the state participate in the program each year to provide care to children in need.