<p>I am looking into the field of dental medicine and in becoming a dentist, but I was curious if after dental school you must specialize quickly after graduation, or if you can wait multiple years before deciding to specialize? Please any former dentists or practicing dentists help would be greatly appreciated!</p>
<p>You can specialize immediately and there is no rule that you can’t go back later. It isn’t as common, as far as I see.</p>
<p>Same with post-residency and fellowships. In all cases, you’re going to have to take a huge paycut to do so. Some (most?) dental residencies don’t pay anything. I think some might even make you pay. Fellowships will pay you a couple thousand dollars more than a resident’s salary at most. Some of those won’t pay at all. It’s far easier to move from making $50k (resident) to $55k (fellow) to $250k (subspecialist attending) than it is to go from $50k (resident) to $150k (general IM physician) to $55k (fellow) to $225k (subspecialist attending).</p>
<p>Thank you for your help, that helps a lot! Also do you know what Residency and Fellowships are like? Amount of hours?What actually goes on?</p>
<p>For dentistry? Not a clue. I know a little bit more about medicine though, which is what I was referring to.</p>
<p>[Dental</a> Residents and Practicing Dentists - Student Doctor Network Forums](<a href=“Dental Residents and Practicing Dentists | Student Doctor Network”>Dental Residents and Practicing Dentists | Student Doctor Network)</p>