Life of a Dentist

[Member21081994]

Hey guys could you describe the lifestyle of a Dentist for me please. What is the average salary? How about there working hours, is it reasonable? What about taxes and insurances that they have to pay? What can they afford to do? Etc...

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[artvandelay786]

Google "Dentist BLS"

 

[Parklife]

Google "Dentist BLS"

 

[longhornpride]

bottles and models.

 

[artvandelay786]

bottles and models.

I like you.


Hook Em'

 

[summit30]

"bottles and models" .... lol

Many people say that lifestyle is one of the most important factors in their choice of dentistry. Due to the freedom that many dentists have to set their own hours, I've heard that is easier to spend time with family/friends. Of course, there is no single lifestyle, income, satisfaction, etc... .

 

[theleatherwalle]

meh if i had to pick the two best jobs in the world today

pharmacy or dentistry. I would put opto, md, and physical therapy on there as well.

The pay is good the life style is good. The one thing i think people should remember about dentistry is that it is manual labor. if you are not comfortable holding a drill in your hand, then dentistry isn't for you.

 

[Member21081994]

meh if i had to pick the two best jobs in the world today

pharmacy or dentistry. I would put opto, md, and physical therapy on there as well.

The pay is good the life style is good. The one thing i think people should remember about dentistry is that it is manual labor. if you are not comfortable holding a drill in your hand, then dentistry isn't for you.

Yea I'm comfortable with holding a drill, I think dentistry best suits me. But I've been eying pharmacy.

 

[DentinBond]

But I've been eying pharmacy.

Actually, you should be eyeing optometry, assay pharmacy, and perhaps ruminate on dentistry.

Really sorry. Couldn't resist.

 

[kew]

Been practicing for 2 years after dental school now. Just made $20,000 this month. Pretty awesome. Built my first house. 3,000 squ feet for $260,000. My wife has been extremely surprised how well everything's going. But I'll be honest with you. You have to be diligent in finding the right opportunity. I was totally fine with working wherever I could in the beginning and just getting my experience counting so that I could eventually apply for those better jobs being offered by private offices looking for a good young dentist but with a few years experience. Well, turned out. A GREAT office hired me with just over year experience and I am in HEAVEN. The doctor loves me to death. I've been here 8 months now and we both work great together. He has been in practice for 25 years and wants to work less days while not making his patients suffer the shortened availability. He was great to introduce me to every soul coming in the door and it has been huge. Now he's opening and moving into a nice new office and I see a long future ahead of me with him. So don't ever settle and always keep your ambitions large. And how could you ever consider Pharmacy over Dentistry. Have fun behind a counter. YUCK!!.....I didn't even know these two could be compared by the same person.

 

[Member21081994]

Been practicing for 2 years after dental school now. Just made $20,000 this month. Pretty awesome. Built my first house. 3,000 squ feet for $260,000. My wife has been extremely surprised how well everything's going. But I'll be honest with you. You have to be diligent in finding the right opportunity. I was totally fine with working wherever I could in the beginning and just getting my experience counting so that I could eventually apply for those better jobs being offered by private offices looking for a good young dentist but with a few years experience. Well, turned out. A GREAT office hired me with just over year experience and I am in HEAVEN. The doctor loves me to death. I've been here 8 months now and we both work great together. He has been in practice for 25 years and wants to work less days while not making his patients suffer the shortened availability. He was great to introduce me to every soul coming in the door and it has been huge. Now he's opening and moving into a nice new office and I see a long future ahead of me with him. So don't ever settle and always keep your ambitions large. And how could you ever consider Pharmacy over Dentistry. Have fun behind a counter. YUCK!!.....I didn't even know these two could be compared by the same person.

Lol I was just exploring some options.

 

[ineed2stpsmurfn]

Been practicing for 2 years after dental school now. Just made $20,000 this month. Pretty awesome. Built my first house. 3,000 squ feet for $260,000. My wife has been extremely surprised how well everything's going. But I'll be honest with you. You have to be diligent in finding the right opportunity. I was totally fine with working wherever I could in the beginning and just getting my experience counting so that I could eventually apply for those better jobs being offered by private offices looking for a good young dentist but with a few years experience. Well, turned out. A GREAT office hired me with just over year experience and I am in HEAVEN. The doctor loves me to death. I've been here 8 months now and we both work great together. He has been in practice for 25 years and wants to work less days while not making his patients suffer the shortened availability. He was great to introduce me to every soul coming in the door and it has been huge. Now he's opening and moving into a nice new office and I see a long future ahead of me with him. So don't ever settle and always keep your ambitions large. And how could you ever consider Pharmacy over Dentistry. Have fun behind a counter. YUCK!!.....I didn't even know these two could be compared by the same person.

experiences like this are when dentistry definitely doesn't sound too bad.. unfortunately it's not that common I'm guessing

 

[SxyDentalDiva]

What jobs did you work at prior to this one to gain experience?

Been practicing for 2 years after dental school now. Just made $20,000 this month. Pretty awesome. Built my first house. 3,000 squ feet for $260,000. My wife has been extremely surprised how well everything's going. But I'll be honest with you. You have to be diligent in finding the right opportunity. I was totally fine with working wherever I could in the beginning and just getting my experience counting so that I could eventually apply for those better jobs being offered by private offices looking for a good young dentist but with a few years experience. Well, turned out. A GREAT office hired me with just over year experience and I am in HEAVEN. The doctor loves me to death. I've been here 8 months now and we both work great together. He has been in practice for 25 years and wants to work less days while not making his patients suffer the shortened availability. He was great to introduce me to every soul coming in the door and it has been huge. Now he's opening and moving into a nice new office and I see a long future ahead of me with him. So don't ever settle and always keep your ambitions large. And how could you ever consider Pharmacy over Dentistry. Have fun behind a counter. YUCK!!.....I didn't even know these two could be compared by the same person.

 

[theleatherwalle]

Been practicing for 2 years after dental school now. Just made $20,000 this month. Pretty awesome. Built my first house. 3,000 squ feet for $260,000. My wife has been extremely surprised how well everything's going. But I'll be honest with you. You have to be diligent in finding the right opportunity. I was totally fine with working wherever I could in the beginning and just getting my experience counting so that I could eventually apply for those better jobs being offered by private offices looking for a good young dentist but with a few years experience. Well, turned out. A GREAT office hired me with just over year experience and I am in HEAVEN. The doctor loves me to death. I've been here 8 months now and we both work great together. He has been in practice for 25 years and wants to work less days while not making his patients suffer the shortened availability. He was great to introduce me to every soul coming in the door and it has been huge. Now he's opening and moving into a nice new office and I see a long future ahead of me with him. So don't ever settle and always keep your ambitions large. And how could you ever consider Pharmacy over Dentistry. Have fun behind a counter. YUCK!!.....I didn't even know these two could be compared by the same person.

So let me guess it right...you just graduated with dental school debt. You've only been working two years as an associate and your pulling 240k a year, and you built a house.

This entire post smell like complete BS. You either have a lot of family money behind you or you are full of it.

How does it make sense for him to want to work less days then open up a brand new office.

This is ridiculous

 

[artvandelay786]

So let me guess it right...you just graduated with dental school debt. You've only been working two years as an associate and your pulling 240k a year, and you built a house.

This entire post smell like complete BS. You either have a lot of family money behind you or you are full of it.

How does it make sense for him to want to work less days then open up a brand new office.

This is ridiculous

This is not ridiculous; my cousin, a dentist with five years experience, makes similar money. Also, it's possible to have little debt if you go to a public DS.

 

[theleatherwalle]

don't believe the hype.

This person posted that they are 400K in debt after school in another thread

I think 220 is possible if you're in private practice with many years of experience, but as an associate. I am sorry you are not gonna make that kinda money unless you are living in the middle of no-where.

If you are 5 years out, and someone in your family gave you a practice I could believe that. Other than that sorry play again and make it believable this time.

Also just general note: If you have to brag about how much money you make online or how big a house you live in...You likely arn't making either. Do I care how big a place you live in? Does it have anything to do with the conversation?

Also when you tell me someone wants to work less and is opening a brand new office. It doesn't make any sense. I can automatically tell this person is lying. Sadly, young pre-dents believe this person.

When you are little older and actually in school, you will appreciate other people. You won't have this mentality that is this: I am pre-dental school I am the best, what idiot wouldn't want to be a dentist. "yuck pharmacy". I can't imagine a grown dentist saying that. Can you? More than likely, you can't.

 

[mr24]

So let me guess it right...you just graduated with dental school debt. You've only been working two years as an associate and your pulling 240k a year, and you built a house.

This entire post smell like complete BS. You either have a lot of family money behind you or you are full of it.

How does it make sense for him to want to work less days then open up a brand new office.

This is ridiculous

i know a few recent grads in very similar situations. definitely not BS.

 

[theleatherwalle]

Right...

Please tell me where they practice. Also, are they telling you that. Unless they roll up in an S-class I wouldn't believe it.

 

[Wakaaa]

I don't think it's BS at all. The dentist that wants less hours to open up a new clinic wants to work in the new clinic while keeping his older business running and making him a profit. He wants to work hard and pull patients into the new clinic so maybe in another 5 years that old dentist will do the same to the new clinic and seek another clinic to run. Once you get patients pulled in, the owner as well as the associated get their share.

 

[theleatherwalle]

Been practicing for 2 years after dental school now. Just made $20,000 this month. Pretty awesome. Built my first house. 3,000 squ feet for $260,000. My wife has been extremely surprised how well everything's going. But I'll be honest with you. You have to be diligent in finding the right opportunity. I was totally fine with working wherever I could in the beginning and just getting my experience counting so that I could eventually apply for those better jobs being offered by private offices looking for a good young dentist but with a few years experience. Well, turned out. A GREAT office hired me with just over year experience and I am in HEAVEN. The doctor loves me to death. I've been here 8 months now and we both work great together. He has been in practice for 25 years and wants to work less days while not making his patients suffer the shortened availability. He was great to introduce me to every soul coming in the door and it has been huge. Now he's opening and moving into a nice new office and I see a long future ahead of me with him. So don't ever settle and always keep your ambitions large. And how could you ever consider Pharmacy over Dentistry. Have fun behind a counter. YUCK!!.....I didn't even know these two could be compared by the same person.

I think you all failed RC on the DAT.

notice the part I have bolded. Even if he did want to open a new practice, opening a brand new practice wouldn't lead him to working less days. It would lead him to working more.

Anyway i've wasted too much time arguing this. Reread the post and think about it like a normal person. Think about how much production he'd have to do to bring in 220K. Then go back and think about how efficient and fast you have to be. Remember, he is a GP,and he is only an associate! Start doing the math.

 

[uthscsaalum]

I believe kew for three reasons...

1. He's working in Texas and from reading the internet it sounds like our market is easier to survive in than other places.
2. I have several friends making the same kind of money he claims to make in Texas as associates without working for their mom/dad/cousin/uncle.
3. I have a simlar associate position. I work in a small town and get paid a much higher percent of collections than other people I know because it's not a desirable town to work in. On top of that I work in a busy office and see 100% private pay and PPO, mostly adult, patients so if I'm busy the fees for work are good.

 

[MaceG1]

Been practicing for 2 years after dental school now. Just made $20,000 this month. Pretty awesome. Built my first house. 3,000 squ feet for $260,000. My wife has been extremely surprised how well everything's going. But I'll be honest with you. You have to be diligent in finding the right opportunity. I was totally fine with working wherever I could in the beginning and just getting my experience counting so that I could eventually apply for those better jobs being offered by private offices looking for a good young dentist but with a few years experience. Well, turned out. A GREAT office hired me with just over year experience and I am in HEAVEN. The doctor loves me to death. I've been here 8 months now and we both work great together. He has been in practice for 25 years and wants to work less days while not making his patients suffer the shortened availability. He was great to introduce me to every soul coming in the door and it has been huge. Now he's opening and moving into a nice new office and I see a long future ahead of me with him. So don't ever settle and always keep your ambitions large. And how could you ever consider Pharmacy over Dentistry. Have fun behind a counter. YUCK!!.....I didn't even know these two could be compared by the same person.

Finally! Someone who's actually optimistic regarding their life as a Dentist. None of this "sky is falling/life sucks" BS.

 

[artvandelay786]

don't believe the hype.

This person posted that they are 400K in debt after school in another thread

I think 220 is possible if you're in private practice with many years of experience, but as an associate. I am sorry you are not gonna make that kinda money unless you are living in the middle of no-where.

If you are 5 years out, and someone in your family gave you a practice I could believe that. Other than that sorry play again and make it believable this time.

Also just general note: If you have to brag about how much money you make online or how big a house you live in...You likely arn't making either. Do I care how big a place you live in? Does it have anything to do with the conversation?

Also when you tell me someone wants to work less and is opening a brand new office. It doesn't make any sense. I can automatically tell this person is lying. Sadly, young pre-dents believe this person.

When you are little older and actually in school, you will appreciate other people. You won't have this mentality that is this: I am pre-dental school I am the best, what idiot wouldn't want to be a dentist. "yuck pharmacy". I can't imagine a grown dentist saying that. Can you? More than likely, you can't.

Again, I don't believe there's any hype to this. He worked as an associate with a few years of experience and grossed around 200K. If you live in places like Texas, especially, this is not unheard of.

 

[theleatherwalle]

I believe kew for three reasons...

1. He's working in Texas and from reading the internet it sounds like our market is easier to survive in than other places.
2. I have several friends making the same kind of money he claims to make in Texas as associates without working for their mom/dad/cousin/uncle.
3. I have a simlar associate position. I work in a small town and get paid a much higher percent of collections than other people I know because it's not a desirable town to work in. On top of that I work in a busy office and see 100% private pay and PPO, mostly adult, patients so if I'm busy the fees for work are good.

How did you convince the dentist to give 100% private pay and PPO?

Maybe everyone I know has terrible negotiating skills

I still have trouble believing these numbers, but if you say so.

I think people should realize though that this isn't the norm, and I am really curious to know where you work that is that undesirable in Texas. Texas in general seems like a nice place. If it was Alaska, I would be more likely to believe it. I just can't see a dentist giving you 100% of collections without being family or something.

 

[Golfguy]

How did you convince the dentist to give 100% private pay and PPO?

Maybe everyone I know has terrible negotiating skills

I still have trouble believing these numbers, but if you say so.

I think people should realize though that this isn't the norm, and I am really curious to know where you work that is that undesirable in Texas. Texas in general seems like a nice place. If it was Alaska, I would be more likely to believe it. I just can't see a dentist giving you 100% of collections without being family or something.

And you were criticizing others for reading comprehension? Read it again.

 

[theleatherwalle]

Any you were criticizing others for reading comprehension? Read it again.

Yeah.

I should have reread that.

My bad. So what are your collection rates? To have those numbers you have to have insane speed and collection

I only criticized the person for believing someone who wants to work less would open up another practice. I am still waiting on that explanation on that.

PS: check your spelling tiger woods

Anyway im not gonna argue what someone makes. The smell of BS was just over-whelming. If you make that great awesome. If not, well good luck telling pre-dents.

 

[Golfguy]

Yeah.

I should have reread that.

My bad. So what are your collection rates? To have those numbers you have to have insane speed and collection

I only criticized the person for believing someone who wants to work less would open up another practice. I am still waiting on that explanation on that.

PS: check your spelling tiger woods

Anyway im not gonna argue what someone makes. The smell of BS was just over-whelming. If you make that great awesome. If not, well good luck telling pre-dents.

Well, it makes sense in the context of dedicating resources to a new practice.

 

[theleatherwalle]

How??

He clearly says the person wants to work less.

So you inferring that he wants to work less at one place so he can work more at another?

 

[Golfguy]

How??

He clearly says the person wants to work less.

So you inferring that he wants to work less at one place so he can work more at another?

Yes, that's the only way it makes sense. I see what you're saying as well, we'll just have to ask him....

 

[uthscsaalum]

How did you convince the dentist to give 100% private pay and PPO?

Maybe everyone I know has terrible negotiating skills

I still have trouble believing these numbers, but if you say so.

I think people should realize though that this isn't the norm, and I am really curious to know where you work that is that undesirable in Texas. Texas in general seems like a nice place. If it was Alaska, I would be more likely to believe it. I just can't see a dentist giving you 100% of collections without being family or something.

I won't say my collection percentage but I was offered much higher than the norm and then asked for more and the boss agreed. He still makes a good profit off of me or he wouldn't have hired me.

As far as undesirable places in Texas, our western border is with Mexico so anything within a few hours of the border is not the kind of town your typical Texas dentist wants to live/work in for various reasons, with the main one being all the crime and violence that goes on in mexico and near the border due to the drug cartels. Most people I graduated with wanted to work in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio and their suburbs or go work in their hometown. This leaves a lot of less desirable small towns in between those cities and in the Texas panhandle where tons of money can be made if you are willing to work in one.

 

[theleatherwalle]

That is pretty awesome, but sadly I think I'd rather work in a nicer city. One of my friends lived in a high crime place, and the risk isn't worth it for me. That's still a pretty amazing haul for an associate. I doubt most dentists can pull that off.

 

[Wakaaa]

That is pretty awesome, but sadly I think I'd rather work in a nicer city. One of my friends lived in a high crime place, and the risk isn't worth it for me. That's still a pretty amazing haul for an associate. I doubt most dentists can pull that off.

Obviously not, but these "lucky dentists" aren't 1 in a million. You need to realize you're not do lucky so stop bashing and making people think they'll never be successful like so and so. Anyone can become rich as a dentist if they're really smart about it. Obviously you want to live in a nicer and safer area, so your chances of pulling in higher income is lower than someone willing to work in a place with a few dentists. I think you need to understand that some people are more fortunate then you so get over it. Your life, your choices, your results. If mine are different then yours or the average whose to say I can't be better than so and so?

 

[theleatherwalle]

Obviously not, but these "lucky dentists" aren't 1 in a million. You need to realize you're not do lucky so stop bashing and making people think they'll never be successful like so and so. Anyone can become rich as a dentist if they're really smart about it. Obviously you want to live in a nicer and safer area, so your chances of pulling in higher income is lower than someone willing to work in a place with a few dentists. I think you need to understand that some people are more fortunate then you so get over it. Your life, your choices, your results. If mine are different then yours or the average whose to say I can't be better than so and so?

calm down. My other house is a mansion and my Ferrari is the garage.

Actually dentists like that are one in a million. If you have to brag about it online, you don't have it offline. This is universally true for nearly everything. I don't think someone who is 400K in debt and score an 18 on their DAT is more fortunate than me. I would likely say they are less fortunate and more in debt. Everything in his story smells like garbage. I am not to say he can't be better, but lets just say its really fishy. I'll give you an example. If a dentist comes to me and claims to be making what that guy claims he is making, and he says well I've practiced for several years and own my practice. I could believe it. What this poster said is basically this, "I'm a twelve year old who is good enough for the NBA, and I was signed by the Heat to be center. My wingspan is 7'6". That is how outrageous his post was. The sad thing is that many pre-dents like you read this and believe it. Anyway UTHSC if you could message me about your collection rates I'd appreciate it. I don't think I'll bother visiting this thread again.

What percentage of collections are you making UThsc? I am going to assume more than 30%.

 

[Kahr]

Obviously not, but these "lucky dentists" aren't 1 in a million. You need to realize you're not do lucky so stop bashing and making people think they'll never be successful like so and so. Anyone can become rich as a dentist if they're really smart about it. Obviously you want to live in a nicer and safer area, so your chances of pulling in higher income is lower than someone willing to work in a place with a few dentists. I think you need to understand that some people are more fortunate then you so get over it. Your life, your choices, your results. If mine are different then yours or the average whose to say I can't be better than so and so?

There's plenty of truth to the points you make here, and it's good that you're addressing them. However, I do not believe theleatherwallet was bashing anyone or trying to make people think they can't be successful. He's just sharing his point of view, as you are, and both of you have valuable perspectives to share.

 

[theleatherwalle]

look its a moot point.

This guy may be telling the truth. He may be lying.

Its the internet+sdn so I expect to hear a little bit of crazy every now and then.

If that guy makes that awesome. I seriously want to know what percentage of collections he makes, the size of the town, and how much the office brings in.

Anyway, I totally lied about not checking this thread. I really need to turn SDN updates off on my phone.

 

[Wakaaa]

I was talking to my dad a few days ago and asked him if loans are really that bad as people make them out to be and I really hate saying this to people because I don't like to brag, but he asked how much loans are we talking and I said if I was to go out of state around 300k - 450k and he said that it is easily doable if you work and be a bit cheap on yourself for like 2 years. He's paid over 3million in loans in less than 12 years and no he doesn't make 100k over dentists, he makes at the most 10k more than dentists. Now that 3 million wasn't all payed off at the same time, but over 1.5 mil has been payed off with that kind of pay. So he says 400k is really nothing if you're a dentist. He gave me a few examples of stories that happened recently when he was at a friends house. His friends cousin was there and asked him how was work. This man got his dental degree in Syria and said it was working fine. He is an associate here in the U.S. My dads friend told his cousin, if you're willing to work for someone else I know a good person that's honest and trustworthy and won't make you go through this many patients with good pay (140k - 180k). He literally said this in front of my dad.. "I am not willing to leave this clinic if I don't get paid 25k - 30k at least a month because I get paid more at the current clinic I work in." This man has literally been in the U.S for like 3 years. He hasn't even received a degree from this country, only passed the tests here, and has 0 loans from dental school.

If you literally leave dental school thinking you can spend and buy whatever because you're getting payed 120k a year then you will struggle with the debts, but most of the people I know that are successful in there businesses and all the people I know that have over 2 - 3 million as I said earlier about my father made it out perfectly fine. They set there priorities to pay of those loans and live a satisfied life and now they're happier because most of the loans are done. No offense to some people, but most of my American friends parents struggled with their debts at first because they spend every dollar that goes into their pay check, living the "chill life" with all the loans that drown them. You need to be cheap when you first get out of dental school to get rid of the loans. Once you get rid of those loans it's so much easier to live a luxury life if you're keeping that 3 - 4k in your pocket.

 

[theleatherwalle]

I was talking to my dad a few days ago and asked him if loans are really that bad as people make them out to be and I really hate saying this to people because I don't like to brag, but he asked how much loans are we talking and I said if I was to go out of state around 300k - 450k and he said that it is easily doable if you work and be a bit cheap on yourself for like 2 years. He's paid over 3million in loans in less than 12 years and no he doesn't make 100k over dentists, he makes at the most 10k more than dentists. Now that 3 million wasn't all payed off at the same time, but over 1.5 mil has been payed off with that kind of pay. So he says 400k is really nothing if you're a dentist. He gave me a few examples of stories that happened recently when he was at a friends house. His friends cousin was there and asked him how was work. This man got his dental degree in Syria and said it was working fine. He is an associate here in the U.S. My dads friend told his cousin, if you're willing to work for someone else I know a good person that's honest and trustworthy and won't make you go through this many patients with good pay (140k - 180k). He literally said this in front of my dad.. "I am not willing to leave this clinic if I don't get paid 25k - 30k at least a month because I get paid more at the current clinic I work in." This man has literally been in the U.S for like 3 years. He hasn't even received a degree from this country, only passed the tests here, and has 0 loans from dental school.

If you literally leave dental school thinking you can spend and buy whatever because you're getting payed 120k a year then you will struggle with the debts, but most of the people I know that are successful in there businesses and all the people I know that have over 2 - 3 million as I said earlier about my father made it out perfectly fine. They set there priorities to pay of those loans and live a satisfied life and now they're happier because most of the loans are done. No offense to some people, but most of my American friends parents struggled with their debts at first because they spend every dollar that goes into their pay check, living the "chill life" with all the loans that drown them. You need to be cheap when you first get out of dental school to get rid of the loans. Once you get rid of those loans it's so much easier to live a luxury life if you're keeping that 3 - 4k in your pocket.

I am going to tell you right now to stop posting garbage. I am half way inclined to report your post.

Firstly: Do the math. 3 Million in loans. you have 200K a year to pay it off. No taxes no living expenses, no paying for you to have an internet connection to write drivel online. If you spent all your money on loans, It would take you 15 freaking years.

Second: Did he pay it off or does he have 1.5 million remaining what you wrote makes no sense. Did he win the lottery and then pay off the rest.

Third: I am 99% sure of this. Whenever you come from another country outside of the US/Canada schools. I am pretty sure they make you spend a minimum of two years in dental school in the U.S. That is more than just a few "tests". He would also have to though licensing.

I don't think you have any idea of what you are talking about.

 

[Wakaaa]

I'm completely 1000% serious. No he doesn't have 1.5 mil loans left. He put in most of his income into paying off his loans. He had about 1. 5 million loans after he purchased his business but over a mil has been payed off. He leased his first person and it's lease contract was sold for the highest in the city of Chicago so that helped pay of the mil, but there was about 800k after everything from lease contract money to savings.

If you don't want to believe me that's completely fine. It doesn't affect me in anyway. I just thought I'd share how loans really affect a person and not how everyone thinks it'll affect a person. You don't live dirt poor when you have 400k loans and everyone will make it out fine if you have a job out of d school. Now finding a job after finishing d school is another problem which I have no experience in. So if anyone has any stories about graduating and how they get a job that would be awesome. Do people get offered jobs when they are 2 - 3 months away from finishing exams? Or how is it?

 

[Dgeorg6]

I'm pretty sure associates can make 200k the 1st year out in certain areas. I'm from a rural part of Louisiana though, but my dentists associate made 120k in just 8 months her 1st year out (this year) so I would say its definitely possible.

And idk if I'm reading that guys (kew) post wrong or not but he said he made 20k this month, nothing about annual salary. I'm sure he gets paid 30-35% collections/productions or whatever and maybe he just had a good month? Also, he may have had parents help out on loans and he doesnt have 400k? or the school he went to possibly wasn't 400k and maybe only 200k? You don't know the situation he is in so you can't really throw around accusations that he is being dishonest, although I do agree what he said about his boss wanting to stop working and building another practice doesn't make to much sense.

Honestly I plan on only having about 100k in debt after dental school because of state school and parents help so I dont see how what he is saying is that farfetched, but thats just me.

 

[theleatherwalle]

In another thread, he says he has 400K of debt. (Will provide a link if asked)

I guess by the sound of his post he just sounds like braggart. He may have just had a good month that is true.

The post about the house, his monthly income, and everything else just smelled so bad I had to go off on him.

Now we have another joker who claims someone has paid off 3 million in loans...you know with no living expenses or taxes or anything, and that their friend is practicing in the U.S. without going to dental school.

Even making 35% of collections. You'd have to be working at incredibly fast rate. just to hit 160 or 170. I think 160 or 170 are possible, but there is a big gap between 160 and 220K a year.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=739665

I suggest everyone read this. It is very informative, and it is real information. I doubt it is even possible to make 200K with 30% collections.

Oh well I am pretty sure that person was trolling, but I digress.

 

[JcRoughriders]

I was talking to my dad a few days ago and asked him if loans are really that bad as people make them out to be and I really hate saying this to people because I don't like to brag, but he asked how much loans are we talking and I said if I was to go out of state around 300k - 450k and he said that it is easily doable if you work and be a bit cheap on yourself for like 2 years. He's paid over 3million in loans in less than 12 years and no he doesn't make 100k over dentists, he makes at the most 10k more than dentists. Now that 3 million wasn't all payed off at the same time, but over 1.5 mil has been payed off with that kind of pay. So he says 400k is really nothing if you're a dentist. He gave me a few examples of stories that happened recently when he was at a friends house. His friends cousin was there and asked him how was work. This man got his dental degree in Syria and said it was working fine. He is an associate here in the U.S. My dads friend told his cousin, if you're willing to work for someone else I know a good person that's honest and trustworthy and won't make you go through this many patients with good pay (140k - 180k). He literally said this in front of my dad.. "I am not willing to leave this clinic if I don't get paid 25k - 30k at least a month because I get paid more at the current clinic I work in." This man has literally been in the U.S for like 3 years. He hasn't even received a degree from this country, only passed the tests here, and has 0 loans from dental school.

If you literally leave dental school thinking you can spend and buy whatever because you're getting payed 120k a year then you will struggle with the debts, but most of the people I know that are successful in there businesses and all the people I know that have over 2 - 3 million as I said earlier about my father made it out perfectly fine. They set there priorities to pay of those loans and live a satisfied life and now they're happier because most of the loans are done. No offense to some people, but most of my American friends parents struggled with their debts at first because they spend every dollar that goes into their pay check, living the "chill life" with all the loans that drown them. You need to be cheap when you first get out of dental school to get rid of the loans. Once you get rid of those loans it's so much easier to live a luxury life if you're keeping that 3 - 4k in your pocket.

not saying i dont believe ur story... but i know international dentists have to have graduated from US or canadian dental schools in order to practice in the states
http://www.adea.org/dental_education_pathways/Pages/InternationalApplicants.aspx

 

[TheClutch]

In another thread, he says he has 400K of debt. (Will provide a link if asked)

I guess by the sound of his post he just sounds like braggart. He may have just had a good month that is true.

The post about the house, his monthly income, and everything else just smelled so bad I had to go off on him.

Now we have another joker who claims someone has paid off 3 million in loans...you know with no living expenses or taxes or anything, and that their friend is practicing in the U.S. without going to dental school.

Even making 35% of collections. You'd have to be working at incredibly fast rate. just to hit 160 or 170. I think 160 or 170 are possible, but there is a big gap between 160 and 220K a year.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=739665

I suggest everyone read this. It is very informative, and it is real information. I doubt it is even possible to make 200K with 30% collections.

Oh well I am pretty sure that person was trolling, but I digress.

I agree with you that his case is def special.
It may be true but it is def a little fishy.
I think that this whole debt/lifestyle thing largely depends on each individual. for some it works out well

one thing for sure is that here in SDN people tend to say that dentists are doing great, but, in DT, you can generally sense that new grads are really struggling.

people can argue all day err day that this guy had 400k debt, yet is doing great whereas this other guy is struggling.
always run the numbers, debts, payments, taxes, income, living cost. Numbers never lie.

PS
think about it
some new grads may be pulling +200k but they are in the middle of no where and their social life freaking sucks (except for those who enjoy it). Some new grads enjoying the big city lifestyles but are always stressed out to work.
There is always trade-offs in life. We all make choices.
Don't have to envy the other guy. you don't know the whole story.

 

[suarez 7]

In another thread, he says he has 400K of debt. (Will provide a link if asked)

I guess by the sound of his post he just sounds like braggart. He may have just had a good month that is true.

The post about the house, his monthly income, and everything else just smelled so bad I had to go off on him.

Now we have another joker who claims someone has paid off 3 million in loans...you know with no living expenses or taxes or anything, and that their friend is practicing in the U.S. without going to dental school.

Even making 35% of collections. You'd have to be working at incredibly fast rate. just to hit 160 or 170. I think 160 or 170 are possible, but there is a big gap between 160 and 220K a year.

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=739665

I suggest everyone read this. It is very informative, and it is real information. I doubt it is even possible to make 200K with 30% collections.

Oh well I am pretty sure that person was trolling, but I digress.

So much negativity in your posts. Yes, there are some questions to be asked about those anecdotes but no need to call people out with names like, "joker" and "braggarts."

For the dentist that claims to have $2m in loans, well most of that is actually good debt and it's deducted from the business (overhead) not from that person's salary/income. As far as I know he/she would only be paying the student loans from the take-home money.

 

[Wakaaa]

Well he did go to school here to pas the tests, but I didn't know you consider that person a graduate of that school? He graduated in Syria, came here an applied, got accepted, took the tests and passed.

 

[theleatherwalle]

I only call people names who deserve to be called names.

Debt is debt please don't kid yourself by saying its business debt or a tax right off. You will quickly flounder. You may get a tax break, but at the end of the day you owe money. Trust me the college bubble is coming, and this silly idea of "good debt" will end quickly once the bubble bursts.

This person is again writing garbage about someone practicing when legally it cannot happen in the U.S.

"its a special case"
"oh its a friend of a friend of a friend"
"oh im lying and have no idea what im talking about"-i'll wait for this one.

It has nothing to do with jealousy. It has everything to do with honesty. Young pre-dents are reading this, and they are getting tricked into believing a reality which isn't there.

 

[Wakaaa]

Lol you might as well make a thread proving your theories and jealousy towards others. I honestly don't know what would change your thoughts on what I said. What don't you understand about what I said? I'm not sure exactly how long the dentist my father met has been here or but it's at the max 5 years. You want to question how long exactly then sorry I can't tell you whether he's been here 5 years and 3 months or 5 years and 8 months.

I have literally no reason to lie to anyone because I would NOT want anyone to lie to me over things I seek to know either.

Sorry if I said rude or offensive.

 

[theleatherwalle]

keep changing your story. I want to watch you dig out of this hole.

 

[Wakaaa]

Lol I understand where you're coming from trying to prove people that make it sound too good to be true to people that seek information on big factors in their life decisions, but I am in no way lying.

 

[Shnurek]

http://lolabees.me/2011/11/28/10-reasons-your-dentist-probably-hates-you-too/

 

[CMistry]

Wakaaa, I believe you. Your facts don't sound 100% correct (I'm sure he did 2 years of dental school or post-grad training) but everyone else seems to think it's impossible for a dentist to be filthy rich. It is unusual, but by no means impossible. A dentist I am close to grosses 8 figures and brings home 7. I am very sure. Of course he's more of a business man with his 8 practices than a dentist, but he still practices daily. Dentistry has the potential for a lot of money, if you like business more than you like dentistry. But of course that's not why most of us choose dentistry. If anyone wants REAL figures on averages go look on dental chain websites for starting salaries and the ADA for reported averages. All the schools tell you how much they cost on their websites. It's really very straightforward.

Cyrus