After Dental school

[KenFred]

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I am considering changing careers and going to dental school. My conern is with the large student loan, what are the chances of getting a dental job right after graduation? Will it pay enough to cover the loan and mortgage, etc. I know this varies form person to person I just want to know if I can live after school.

One last question, from what you learn in dental school and with 1-2 years experience in the field can you buy or start your own practice? Would you have enough knowledge to do so?

 

[UBTom]

Hi KenFred,

The answer as usual, is it depends.

If you went to an ultraexpensive private school, expect to live frugally for a couple of years after you graduate, because money WILL be tight (you might owe about a quarter of a million dollars by the time you graduate).

As far as finding an associateship right after dental school goes, it depends on the job market in the area where you want to practice. In a big metropolitan area with a lot of general dentists like New York for example, it's VERY competitive. In a rural area where dentists are scarce, it's easier to find an associateship. If you want to practice in a competitive area, you want to consider doing a PGY-1 program after dental school (AEGD or GPR) to learn to treat more advanced cases and make yourself more marketable (unless you already have an associateship lined up through a friend or relative who is a dentist).

As far as starting your own practice after just 1 or 2 years, it depends on your personal business acumen (what you know or learned about practice management in school and from the owner of the practice where you did your associateship) and market area (it's usually difficult to start a new practice in a big city where there are a lot of dentists).

HTH!

 

[ItsGavinC]

KenFred,

Listen to Tom, he knows his stuff.

I'd like to add to his point about location being key for associateships and practice.

To give you an example:

My school, in Arizona, just opened 4 weeks ago. We are the first school in Arizona and the job market is huge. Tomorrow my entire class is going to a national dental meeting that is held each year in Sedona, AZ (it actually alternates years between Sedona and other national locations such as SF, Chicago, Atlanta, etc.).

Although it is a conference, we have been informed that we are making our presence known because it is basically a recruitment meeting for us. Although we still have over 3.5 years of school left, we are already in demand.

The market here in Arizona is great and there are a plethora of owners looking for associates to enter into practice beginning at $105,000/yr. Others are offering 33% of collections and no lab fees. REALLY great deals for somebody fresh out of school.

Such deals in NY would be rather cutthroat, but there simply aren't enough dentists here to fill all of the positions. Quite a different feel from NY.

 

[KenFred]

I appreciate your responses. I have thought about moving after graduating, but my family and my wife's family all live by us now so realistically that would not be an option. I am planning on working in southern NJ or the Philly area, but not in PA the NJ side.

I know the market there will be tough, I am just trying to decide if I will be able to get a decent job since dental is sooo expensive. I am considering the option of buying a practice after 2 years of experience.

I know I am getting way ahead of myself but these are things I need to consider before I decide go to school.

Again Thanks for your help.

 

[UBTom]

Hi KenFred,

Yes indeed, pretty much all the northeastern major metropolitan areas are quite competitive. Can you own your own practice after two years? It will be tough, some new dentists have been known to pull it off.. I think more realistically it would take 5 years or more though for those of us who choose to practice in the seaboard areas of NY, CT, PA or NJ.

Are you a New Jersey resident? If you are, you want to apply to UMDNJ. The tuition for New Jersey residents at UMDNJ are around $15K/yr, which should be a smaller loan burden for you to bear after graduation, and UMDNJ gives priority to in-state applicants.

Good luck!

to Gavin: That sounds like a good job market over there. Being an avid golfer (though I had very little opportunity to hit any balls once I started dental school), Arizona is very tempting in my eyes. 😀