A question for DrRob

[Hot-n-Aml]

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Hey DrRob,

Did you go to school in the US? And was it difficult to re-enter Canada? I am going to Upitt starting in September, and I plan to practice in Canada as soon as I can. How soon did you take the Canadian exams? Were you able to practice right after grad?

As well, if you did take out a monster loan, how is repayment for you? How are you managing it?

Thanks for all your help...


Hot-n-Aml
😉

 

[DrRob]

I went to marquette and took the canadian NDEB - www.ndeb.ca
in march of my senior year. To practice in ONTARIO there is a ethics and jurisprudence test that you have to take (its open book after a 2 day course) www.rcdso.org

I worked in Wisconsin for 8 months and made good payment on my loans (OSAP, Royal bank credit line). But I moved back to ontario and started from scratch ( 0 patients ) but in an office with another dentist. Its only been 2.5 months and my schedule is getting booked. I am making smaller payments but enjoy the quality of life much better in canada.

Good luck at UPITT

 

[DrRob]

Its easy to work in the US under a TN visa but you have to be an employee. Its easy to reenter Canada - the only problem is that the ethics and jurisprudence course is offered at certain times of the year in Toronto, but you could take it in Jan., April, May if you wanted to practice in Canada right after graduation.

 

[Hot-n-Aml]

DrRob,

Thank you so much for your input! It's good to hear from someone who has been through it.

Hot-n-Aml🙂

 

[Frank Cavitation]

hey DrRob,

Did you have to take a huge paycut coming back to Canada? I have heard that with the higher income and lower tax in the US, the average hard-working dentist in Canada can never make as much as a slacking golfer across the border. I guess the visa requirements and inability to own a practice are the only major downsides to it...

 

[DrRob]

The dentists in my city are doing well - most work 4 - 4.5 days a week. I took a huge paycut only because I started from scratch, but I am enjoying it a lot more!

 

[Frank Cavitation]

thanks for the response... I also want to know what you found was bad about the lifestyle in the US. Is it mostly related to being far away from relatives and friends? I must admit, I have never lived in the states so I assume they are generally similar to us...

 

[DrRob]

I did not like being away from family and friends and the fact that I could not get a green card easily. I did not like the uncertainty of the TN work visa - continuously having to renew it each year and the fact you had to be an employee. Most Dr.'s are looking for an associate with future by in opportunity.

 

[Frank Cavitation]

thanks DrRob...

I hadn't thought of the fact that visa stuff could be annoying for the owner of the practice, who could just as easily hire a US citizen. Personally I'm screwed either way wrt being away from family... Most of the people I know are near Toronto, which is one of the worst places in Canada for dentist😛atient ratio and if I want to be away from the cutthroat competition I'll probably have to be at least 2-3 hours away 🙁

 

[Hot-n-Aml]

Frank Cavitation:

Is it that difficult to find work in Toronto???? Or even the GTA?? I do admit that there are many dental practices in this area, but all 'seem' to be doing well. There are other cities that may be more suitable to work in outside of T.O., but a good commute is most likely involved.


DrRob:

I assume that you opened your own practice after returning to Canada. Did you do this because it was too difficult to find an associate position? Or did it just make more business sense to do so?


Thanks,
Hot-n-Aml

__________________________________________________
UPitt, SDM Class of 2007

 

[Frank Cavitation]

Hot-n-aml,

Toronto likely has the worst dentist: patient ratio in Canada... grads from their school tend to stay put, which makes things worse... foreign dentists will also go near T.O because it's so multicultural. As far as I have heard, it's nearly impossible to get a full-time associateship after grad, you may be stuck with 3 days a week, or if lucky you can piece together 2 part-time jobs.

Dentists do well if they do a lot. There's a lot of patients but rent is higher than the countryside and patients know you will give them discounts (they will threaten to leave if you don't). I have heard UofT student clinic has trouble getting some patients because their discounted prices are not much different from outside. I have also heard people with insurance coverage get gouged, i.e. dentist puts in different codes, extra time units etc... cuz patient doesn't check. When the going gets rough... 🙁

 

[DrRob]

Hot n aml - I sort of opened my own practice. I am in a building with another dentist and he is paying me as an associate until we move to our new location in a couple months and until I build up more of a patient base. Then we will be cost sharing which is just sharing the expenses of running a practice and that will decrease both our expenses.

I returned to canada because I wanted to work with the dentist I am working with (plus the fact that a brand new office didn't hurt either). I found an associate job in the US but the guy was an ASS, it only lasted 2 months. I then worked in a factory (HMO style dentistry) and did not enjoy it at all - long hours 7 am - 6 pm on top of a 45 minute commute.

When I had the opportunity to work with a good dentist I couldn't pass it up. (2.5 months later and so far so good)