Some dentists go solo in private practice from day 1, others may never go solo their entire career. It all depends on how you see yourself practicing.
As for loans/financing. That often is at the descretion of the seller and the situation of your purchase. If your buying into a practice where you'll be a partner or a situation where you buy out the existing dentist and they work for you as an associate for a few years before they retire, then you'll often see the senior partner/seller financing your buy in through the practice. If its a straight buy-out situation where as soon as you sign the papers, the practice is 100% yours and the selling dentist walks away, then often the loans is via a 3rd party lender (often a bank), who tends to be more than happy to give you a business loan for the $$ you'll need to buy the practice.
