A dental prosthetist is one of the lowest‑paid professions in dentistry; prosthetists often earn less than their assistants, dental technicians, or nurses. Such an absurd conclusion could be drawn when evaluating the State Revenue Service (VID) data on average hourly rates in dentistry. Experts say that the shadow economy is to blame in this segment, which has been very high for 30 years already.
A little more than a month ago, the portal Puaro.lv published a list of the 300 highest‑paid medical professionals, among whom, alongside the best‑paid individuals, were dentists, orthodontists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons and, of course, dental prosthetists. Some who work in the public sector earn, for example, as much as 19 thousand euros per month, and such remuneration is paid specifically in state medical institutions. Of the seven best‑paid dental prosthetists, only one works in both a public and a private clinic.
The State Revenue Service notes that “When analyzing the remuneration of health sector professions in 2022, we found that the average hourly rate of dental prosthetists in the private sector is lower than in the public sector. Such a discrepancy may indicate an increased shadow‑economy risk in this service segment. We are currently continuing to monitor the data and analyze the risks of tax evasion, in order to carry out targeted inspections if necessary. At the same time, we would like to emphasize that in no business sector can the situation be changed by repressive methods alone. Sustainable solutions are only possible with the involvement of entrepreneurs and society, based on an understanding of the importance of fair tax payment.”
A representative of the sector, who did not wish to be cited by name, explained to Inc. that this is a huge business which unfortunately bypasses the state budget and also fosters unfair competition in the sector. Clinics that want to pay taxes have difficulty attracting specialists because the specialists themselves prefer to receive more money “in hand” rather than pay it in taxes.
This is also confirmed by VID data. According to them, the average hourly rate of dental prosthetists is similar to that of dental assistants, dental technicians, or dental nurses, but is sometimes recorded as even lower. For example, in September 2021 the average tariff rate for dental prosthetists was 6.15 euros, while dental technicians earned 7.42 euros per hour and dental nurses – 8.62 euros per hour. According to VID data from the declarations submitted by companies, dental prosthetists have also earned the least this year.
Originally published at https://inc-baltics.com/vid-dati-rada-ka-zobu-protezisti-pelna-mazak-neka-medmasas/
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