Employment For New Dental Graduates

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DrTooth0805

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I recently passed all my board exams to finally get my long awaited dental license to practice in California. However, I am having problems finding jobs. I have applied everywhere from private practices to dental companies to prison dentistry. I have waited but still there has been no responses yet. Most dental practices want to hire experienced dentists. Are any of you guys who have recently gotten your licenses have problems getting jobs? What would you do in this situation? Is it just here in california that is hard to find employment? It is just frustrating that I worked hard to pass the board exams and this license is not put to use. Any advice?

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The CA job market for dentists has become saturated b/c California makes it easier for dentists from other states to get CA license (by accepting the WREB and reciprocity). Dental specialists also face similar problems. Just 4-5 years ago, it took the company that I work for 2-3 months to find an orthodontist….now, there is a surplus of orthodontists.

It is not just in CA. According to my friend who is practicing in Nevada, the average salary for dentist in NV used to be 800-900/day…now it is 500/day.
 
I have friends that are hygienists in CA. They tell me how slow their dental offices have gotten with the bad economy. Christmas bonuses were even cut this time around due to the decrease in business. Perhaps, this is affecting the number of positions out there. Business is slow so there isn't a need to hire an associate. One of my friends just moved back to CA and hasn't been able to find a part-time position in hygiene for 2 months now. Good luck!
 
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Check out the thread below. Apparently its relatively easy to do a start-up or purchase a practice and quickly produce enough to double the average GP dentist salary. Based on what these two dentists say, they are recession proof. Maybe you should PM them and see if they need an associate. Some even plan to open another practice soon.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=586319
 
You need to move out of Cali or move much deeper inland if you wanna stay. Even if you find a job in Cali, it'll probably be for just 2 days a week for $400 a day.
 
Im here in CA and its pretty tough right now. It seems like a lot of the new grads that have stuck arround are having a tuff time getting work. Some are able to find part time work by driving a long ways out of the metro areas. Im hearing the same if not worse for AZ and NV. A friend of mine in AZ said that in the last few months it seems like about a dentist a week is closing up shop in his area (Phoenix). :(
 
Im here in CA and its pretty tough right now. It seems like a lot of the new grads that have stuck arround are having a tuff time getting work. Some are able to find part time work by driving a long ways out of the metro areas. Im hearing the same if not worse for AZ and NV. A friend of mine in AZ said that in the last few months it seems like about a dentist a week is closing up shop in his area (Phoenix). :(

That doesn't sound very promising! I think certain areas are just way over saturated (like Scottsdale/Mesa). If you drive out far enough you can find areas with few if any dentists.
 
Would openning one's own practice be a solution to this, assuming one has about 200k cash to begin with?
P.S I don't have any amount close to that, but I'm just asking the question. Is there any way to get around this tough situation by good tactics and management of a new practice, or no matter what you do in Cali, you are going to go bankrupt in these tough situations because of the economic meltdown?
 
Would openning one's own practice be a solution to this, assuming one has about 200k cash to begin with?
P.S I don't have any amount close to that, but I'm just asking the question. Is there any way to get around this tough situation by good tactics and management of a new practice, or no matter what you do in Cali, you are going to go bankrupt in these tough situations because of the economic meltdown?

It depends on so many factors its tuff to say, but if you cant find work where you want to live then either aquiring or starting up a practice may be a good way to go (or not). Their are just too many factors that go into making this decision that make it impossible to make a blanket statemant like, "you should definetely start your own practice", or "you'll go bankrupt if you start a practice". Why be tied down to one place. You will probably be better off by simply going where your services will be needed and valued. These places are usually in more rural locations away from the coasts and where wheather isnt sunny and warm all year round.
 
What is it with all of you people wanting to work in Cali? Dont you read the papers? Cali is like the worst state as far as unemployment, foreclosure, and everything else negative. Its also probably one of the most saturated states for dentists (with the exception of Utah, LDS take care of their teeth). Have some business sense in this economy. Move away from cali, you can always move back in 5 years.
 
What is it with all of you people wanting to work in Cali? Dont you read the papers? Cali is like the worst state as far as unemployment, foreclosure, and everything else negative. Its also probably one of the most saturated states for dentists (with the exception of Utah, LDS take care of their teeth). Have some business sense in this economy. Move away from cali, you can always move back in 5 years.
Word. :thumbup:
 
What is it with all of you people wanting to work in Cali? Dont you read the papers? Cali is like the worst state as far as unemployment, foreclosure, and everything else negative. Its also probably one of the most saturated states for dentists (with the exception of Utah, LDS take care of their teeth). Have some business sense in this economy. Move away from cali, you can always move back in 5 years.


They wanna pass a 'temporary':laugh: 1.5% statewide sales tax increase. Does that mean Alameda County will soon have a 10.75% sale tax?!:eek: The price of sunshine is definitely too high.

If you do plan on opening your practice in Cali, wait til next year for the commercial real estate bubble to burst so you can negotiate much better terms in your favor. All landlords there are still greedy and in denial.
 
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