PDA Volunteer Spotlight – Dr . Darleen Oleski
of that progress she is making in her education , it unfortunately and expectedly comes with some definitive costs . The debt that students come out of dental school with is now overwhelming . If you are not one of the very lucky ones to receive a scholarship , or have a financially blessed family , you will have a large amount of debt . As reported by ADEA , 39 % of indebted dental school graduates in the Class of 2019 reported student loan debt of more than $ 300,000 .
Unfortunately , the salaries of dentists have not kept pace with the cost of the education . Economic downturns , stagnant insurance reimbursements , costs of technology , equipment and supplies have outpaced revenues , and now covid has presented us with a myriad of difficulties .
What choices do current dental students have for practicing when they leave school with debts that will cost them $ 3,000 a month ? Of course , this is prior to having a practice , or a car , or a home .
In the 1990s most students still could afford to join a practice or start one themselves as I did . Currently , with the exception of the student who is exiting dental school with no or limited debt , this is not the option for most . Many are seeking opportunities that allow them to have a consistent salary in order to pay their debt service . DSOs and corporate dentistry have become a typical solution to their financial problem . The American Dental Association ’ s research has shown a dramatic decline in practice ownership overall and particularly with young dentists . 1 Dykema reports that 60 % of dentists under 35 are now practicing in a dental support organization . 2 Others have pursued careers in loan repayment programs , or are working as associate dentists .
It is interesting , because when surveyed , most dental students still desire to own their own private practice . In the Scranton area , many young docs have joined larger group practices . Cost sharing of overhead seems to be a reasonable solution to that problem . Also , the workforce looks different today . EFDAs , and PHDHPs have become commonplace . Will we also see the rise in dental therapy ? How will this affect the marketability of young dentists in the workplace ? Our profession has certainly changed in the last 100 years , and more changes will come . This generation of dentists will no doubt have a more creative path to their practice of dentistry than my generation and those before me . I think it is important that dentists of all ages and backgrounds , as the leaders of the dental team , help to design our profession ’ s future . I encourage all younger dentists to get involved with the local dental societies , and that ’ s why I am so passionate at the meetings I attend . I would also hope that these young professionals can enjoy as good of a work life balance as I have .
As for Rachel , as of this minute , and things can certainly change , she plans to come back to Scranton to practice with me . I will say it for a third and final time . I ’ m lucky . What could be better than to have your child practice with you ? I can ’ t think of anything . So , for all the challenges of the educational process , to the debt service , and now covid related challenges , dentistry afforded me the ability to raise a next generation dentist , and that ’ s a gift I never expected but received and for that I am grateful .
About The Author Darleen Oleski , DMD , graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine in 1993 . She then completed a two-year AEGD at Penn and worked in the faculty practice at Penn for another year before returning home to Scranton . She has had a solo dental practice in Scranton since 1997 . Dr Oleski has been an active PDA member since 1993 . She serves as chair of the Government Relations Committee and on numerous task forces for PDA . Dr Oleski is a board member for PADPAC and the Third District Representative for ADPAC . She is president-elect for the Third District Dental Society and serves on the Scranton District Dental Society Board . Dr Oleski lives in Archbald with her partner Robert Maguire and their four pups .
Ice skating on the Olympic oval in Lake Placid , New York .
1 . Dentists ’ practice ownership decreasing . American Dental Association website . https :// www . ada . org / en / publications / ada-news / 2018-archive / april / dentists-practice-ownership-decreasing . Published April 9 , 2018 .
2 . Dykema presentation at the Annual Definitive Conference for Dental Service Organizations .
24 NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2021 | PENNSYLVANIA DENTAL JOURNAL