How soon after graduating dental school can I work?

[deleted518758]

Hi everyone,

So I am in my last year of dental school and I graduate in May 2019. I definitely want to start working ASAP once I graduate and I don't really want/need a vacation before I start working to pay off my debt and loans. I asked a few friends that recently graduated and they said it takes months to get malpractice and their dental license set up... However, I have other friends who said that they can literally just start working the day after if they start the process months in advance. Can anyone give me more insight on this and realistically how fast I can start working after I finish school? Thank you!

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[cooliyak]

Hi everyone,

So I am in my last year of dental school and I graduate in May 2019. I definitely want to start working ASAP once I graduate and I don't really want/need a vacation before I start working to pay off my debt and loans. I asked a few friends that recently graduated and they said it takes months to get malpractice and their dental license set up... However, I have other friends who said that they can literally just start working the day after if they start the process months in advance. Can anyone give me more insight on this and realistically how fast I can start working after I finish school? Thank you!

This completely depends on the state and where you are working. Some of my classmates got their license within a week or two whereas I had to wait for about 4 weeks. We all more or less submitted everything at the same time, but due to logistics (and more importantly, their last name being toward the beginning of the alphabet), they got it way before me. If that’s all you need to have before you can start working, then that is the only limiting factor. If you need to be credentialed with insurances, that will limit you as that takes a while as well, especially if you need your DEA for credentialing or before your employer let’s you start. If that’s the case, then that is what will limit you the most since you can’t even apply for it until you get your dental license and it takes an additional 4-6 weeks (they told me it would take longer but it didn’t). It won’t always take months, but it also most likely can’t be the day after graduation. A lot of it isn’t even in your control. Hope this helps.

 

[predent2151]

This completely depends on the state and where you are working. Some of my classmates got their license within a week or two whereas I had to wait for about 4 weeks. We all more or less submitted everything at the same time, but due to logistics (and more importantly, their last name being toward the beginning of the alphabet), they got it way before me. If that’s all you need to have before you can start working, then that is the only limiting factor. If you need to be credentialed with insurances, that will limit you as that takes a while as well, especially if you need your DEA for credentialing or before your employee let’s you start. If that’s the case, then that is what will limit you the most since you can’t even apply for it until you get your dental license and it takes an additional 4-6 weeks (they told me it would take longer but it didn’t). It won’t always take months, but it also most likely can’t be the day after graduation. A lot of it isn’t even in your control. Hope this helps.

If you're joining as an associate can't you practice under the owner's credentialing until you get credentialed yourself?

 

[cooliyak]

If you're joining as an associate can't you practice under the owner's credentialing until you get credentialed yourself?

That also is dependent on the situation. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I had classmates in both situations. I, personally, was not able to, but I work for an FQHC so a slightly different situation. I thought I could jump in under the organization’s credentials or maybe my chief dental officer’s, but they made me wait to see insurance patients until credentialing was confirmed. Until then, Medicaid and cash patients only.

 

[Gen. Beauregard]

Aww yeah, D4! Congrats! Some things that I learned from my experience and some friends. Yours may be different.
1) You can apply for life insurance (if you're married/kids) and disability insurance now. It's a safe play since I'm sure you have some student loans worked up by now.
2) Nail down the top 3 states you want to live in and figure out their board requirements. Some want perio, some don't, and some don't list it anywhere on their website. The secretary for the state's board of dentistry is your friend. I have classmates with horror stories because of this.
3) Get your school to send transcripts, etc to your state's board of examiners. Mine took about 1.5 weeks to get back to me with a Lic. number. If you're super duper rushed get a sealed official transcript and overnight it to your state board.
4) See if your future practice takes care of your malpractice insurance, or if it's on you. I applied for my own on a Thursday and had a policy that Monday, so it didn't seem like a huge deal for a new grad. Your state ADA might even help you out with paying for your first year.
5) In my state I had to apply for access to the state prescriber's database (drug seeker list) which needed to be verified by my employer. Once verified they gave me a number which I used to begin applying for my state's controlled dangerous substance license. Once approved I can then apply for a DEA number. Each step is 4-6 weeks according to the websites. But that's just for narcotics. I could prescribe antibiotics, etc right out of the gates.

I wanted time to move, unpack, go fishing, and drink Corona on the boat, so I stretched it out a bit. Realistically I could have been working within 2 weeks from graduation day. Hope that helps!

 

[deleted518758]

Thank you for all your tips everyone. I truly appreciate it!

 

[aggie-master]

I got my license and had my malpractice set up a week after graduation. DEA took several weeks longer but my first job let me work without one. Credentialing with insurance takes even longer because it was done after the DEA certificate IIRC.

I had friends that took a lot longer to get their license. My wife worked for the school and was able to get me a letter that the board accepted as proof of graduation so I applied for my license nearly three weeks before I actually got my diploma.

 

[herpdederp2015]

Getting your license in PA takes longer, for me took about 5 weeks. It doesn't help that I finally finished my requirements in late June. I submitted my license application the same day I got my diploma. What followed was countless amounts of paperwork and applications. I've had a job since before I finished requirements, but I'm starting next week so overall about 2 months from getting diploma to working.
A little more info-I'm going into an FQHC. So besides the dental license, I had to get credentialed which was an entire packet that had to be filled out, complete with referrals, background checks, etc. Some of it was dependent on my license (needed my number to put on the application). I also had to apply for NPI number, DEA which I couldn't do until I had my license, Oh and it cost $731 to apply for your DEA and like $200 for your PA license. Things I didn't know! So if you opt to not work immediately after make sure you have the finances to last you through summer.