The study “Employability Diagnosis 2017” carried out by the consulting company QSP at the request of the Dental Association, shows a generational divide in the practice of dentistry.
Dentists who graduated less than 10 years ago face increasing difficulties joining the labor market. The first generational gap happens after completion of studies. Entry in the labor market after graduation, took less than six months for 78% of dentists. But those who graduated more than 10 years ago have managed, on average, to enter it much faster, with 59% practicing the activity within less than a month.
63% of dentists practicing in Portugal work in one or two clinics, however, more than half of the dentists who graduated more than three years ago – under 10 – work in more than four clinics, and of those who are over 51 years old, 60% practice in only one clinic. Another difference is that of those who graduated more than 10 years ago, more are self-employed (69%), and of those who have been working for less than 10 years more are employed (77%).
Dentists’ pay varies depending on the number and cost of the procedures. 66% earn a variable salary and only 24% of those practicing in clinics earn a fixed salary. Budding careers are marked by low paid both for those who work long hours and for those who work less hours. Regarding those surgeries where they work more hours, 52% of dentists are employed and 44% are self-employed.
