It is actually difficult either way right now. Associate jobs are hard to find. Associate jobs that pay well are harder find. And with the increasing debt of new dental graduates, you need a job that guarantees you an income, at least for a little bit, while you get your feet wet in real-world dentistry. Starting a practice as a new grad is going to be difficult right now IMO. A lot of banks are going to be weary of loaning a new grad so much money with the likely large amount of debt they are already in. If I had to make a choice today, I think a better bet would be to buy an existing practice rather than start one, but I would actually find an associateship with some sort of guaranteed income for 4-6 months while you are building up a patient base, getting credentialed on insurance plans, getting your speed up, etc. You also need a job that is going to pay well for the days the practice isn't busy, which seems to be the trend right now with the economy.
