Does dentistry support a travel-friendly lifestyle?

artvandelay786 · Jun 23, 2012

I'm applying to dental school and it is practically the only thing that I have wanted to do since I have entered college.

One dream I have and that I hope to accomplish in future years is to travel the world. I wonder: is this feasible as a dentist? Just taking off a month or several to just travel sporadically every year or every few years?

Does anyone have any experience with this?

dentalprodigy · Jun 23, 2012

it's possible in private practice.my dentist/boss takes ~ month off every year for his vacation to do stuff like this.

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Ostracized · Jun 24, 2012

Difficult if you own a practice - you'll still have to pay salaries, rent, etc when you aren't there. Might be best to do in-between associate contracts.

Kahr · Jun 25, 2012

dentalprodigy said:
it's possible in private practice.my dentist/boss takes ~ month off every year for his vacation to do stuff like this.

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My dentist I had growing up and even shadowed as an adult does the same thing, just recently he spent 3 weeks cycling in France.

FlyingSky · Jun 25, 2012

are women paid when they have to stop because of maternity?

Ostracized · Jun 25, 2012

FlyingSky said:
are women paid when they have to stop because of maternity?

Generally no.

Most dentists in North America are not salaried employees, but either owner-operators or private contractors (associates). In either of those cases, you make money on a fee-for-service basis. When you are not working, you are not making money. There are no benefits, no sick days, no vacation time, and no paid maternity leave.

Daurang · Jun 26, 2012

I take a trip every month but only short 5-7 days. More than that you start losing and neglecting patients. The past 10 years I've been to Cancun 25x, NYC 20x, Montreal 20x, Florida 10x, Cali 10x, Atlanta 5x, USVI 4x, Bahamas 4x, Aruba 3x, Jamaica 3x, Hawaii, Cayman, Vancouver, etc. In the next two months I'm heading to Turks and Caicos, San Fran, Cancun, and Aruba. No, I do not have associates and don't want any. No it's not expensive if you travel off-season. I simply don't book patient for a week per month and just go.

doubledizzle13 · Jun 26, 2012

you are a travel-o-holic! Do you still get fulfillment from going to these places, you would think that much travel would get old? Do you make a lot less than the average dentist by taking all this time off, I've never heard of a dentist that travels that much!

MaceG1 · Jun 26, 2012

Daurang said:
The past 10 years I've been to Cancun 25x, NYC 20x, Montreal 20x, Florida 10x, Cali 10x, Atlanta 5x, USVI 4x, Bahamas 4x, Aruba 3x, Jamaica 3x, Hawaii, Cayman, Vancouver, etc. In the next two months I'm heading to Turks and Caicos, San Fran, Cancun, and Aruba.

😱 Are you a specialist??

Daurang · Jun 26, 2012

An ice cold Corona on the beach, staring at gorgeous beach bodies and mesmerizing aquamarine water beats working any day. 🙂 Half the time the business credit card programs are providing free hotels or airfares.

I'm just a gp wanting to retire after 12 years in my private solo practice but haven't figure out what to do with the rest of my life so I take it easy. I spent all my youth in school and then almost half my working life just to pay taxes off the sweat of my labor...so I say screw it off I go whenever I feel like it. Yes I lose patients to nearby office but they always come back knowing I was probably in Cancun again.

Cold Front · Jun 26, 2012

Daurang said:
An ice cold Corona on the beach, staring at gorgeous beach bodies and mesmerizing aquamarine water beats working any day. 🙂 Half the time the business credit card programs are providing free hotels or airfares.

I'm just a gp wanting to retire after 12 years in my private solo practice but haven't figure out what to do with the rest of my life so I take it easy. I spent all my youth in school and then almost half my working life just to pay taxes off the sweat of my labor...so I say screw it off I go whenever I feel like it. Yes I lose patients to nearby office but they always come back knowing I was probably in Cancun again.

Funny... I just got couple of AMEX cards with those free hotels/airfare deals. This is where I save little more on the business expenses too.

Just 12 years after solo for retirement? Who is your retirement adviser? I want to fire mine. 🙂

gryffindor · Jun 27, 2012

Cold Front said:
Funny... I just got couple of AMEX cards with those free hotels/airfare deals. This is where I save little more on the business expenses too.

Just 12 years after solo for retirement? Who is your retirement adviser? I want to fire mine. 🙂

I've been in private practice for 3 years and am ready to retire. But then I check my retirement accounts and realize I have to keep working. So instead I plan my next vacation. I don't take domestic vacations because I always travel within the US and Canada for CE or to visit friends. I usually do these trips over a weekend so I don't have to take off more than 2 days. I look for CE courses that involve traveling to a different part of the country. Some people don't like to travel for CE but for me, planning the trip is half the fun. Since CE course expenses are tax deductible, I pay for those. With our credit card points, we're working our way around the globe to keep out of pocket expenses down for those trips. We're going to Italy and San Francisco later this summer with flights and hotels paid for entirely on miles and points and are trying to plan a trip to Asia this winter. I take off at least 4 weeks a year but I don't like to be gone for longer than 1.5 weeks anywhere.

papilindo · Jul 2, 2012

Daurang said:
I take a trip every month but only short 5-7 days. More than that you start losing and neglecting patients. The past 10 years I've been to Cancun 25x, NYC 20x, Montreal 20x, Florida 10x, Cali 10x, Atlanta 5x, USVI 4x, Bahamas 4x, Aruba 3x, Jamaica 3x, Hawaii, Cayman, Vancouver, etc. In the next two months I'm heading to Turks and Caicos, San Fran, Cancun, and Aruba. No, I do not have associates and don't want any. No it's not expensive if you travel off-season. I simply don't book patient for a week per month and just go.

one of the reasons i want to pursue dentistry

charlestweed · Jul 2, 2012

It is easier for older dentists like Daurang and me to take a week or two off for traveling but it won't be easy for new grad dentists for several reasons:

1. Unlike many recent grads, Daurang and I didn't borrowed a lot for our education. When you owe $300-400k in student loan debt and you only make $120k a year, you pretty much live from paycheck to paycheck. When you take a month off, there is no guarantee that your boss will wait for you to come back because he/she has a business to run.

2. After a few years of working as an associate, you will set up your own practice. This means that your income will drop further because you have to quit your associate job and it will take you a year or two to start seeing the profit from your new office. When your office starts making profit, you wouldn't want to take a month off for vacation…and lose your patients to another dentist down the street.

3. Most new grad dentists are in their late 20s and early 30s. Many will plan to get married and have kids right after dental school graduation. Most dentists at this age range have children who are still very young. It will be hard to travel for a long period of time with young kids. You can't travel when your kids are still in school.

ortho lurker · Jul 2, 2012

charlestweed said:
It is easier for older dentists like Daurang and me to take a week or two off for traveling but it wont be easy for new grad dentists for several reasons:

1. Unlike many recent grads, Daurang and I didnt borrowed a lot for our education. When you owe $300-400k in student loan debt and you only make $120k a year, you pretty much live from paycheck to paycheck. When you take a month off, there is no guarantee that your boss will wait for you to come back because he/she has a business to run.

2. After a few years of working as an associate, you will set up your own practice. This means that your income will drop further because you have to quit your associate job and it will take you a year or two to start seeing the profit from your new office. When your office starts making profit, you wouldnt want to take a month off for vacationand lose your patients to another dentist down the street.

3. Most new grad dentists are in their late 20s and early 30s. Many will plan to get married and have kids right after dental school graduation. Most dentists at this age range have children who are still very young. It will be hard to travel for a long period of time with young kids. You cant travel when your kids are still in school.

👍 Not to mention saving up for that down payment on the house and making monthly mortgage and business loan payments. 🙂

yappy · Jul 2, 2012

Military = 1 month of paid leave per year. Plus the chance to go to some very interesting regions of the world.

Does dentistry support a travel-friendly lifestyle?

artvandelay786

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dentalprodigy

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Kahr

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FlyingSky

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Daurang

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