States ranked by cost of living, state income tax, General dentist income, and immigration

[newmanchster]

I currently live in California. I dream to have my own practice, home, and to expand to other businesses. I realize that achieving such dream in California as a new dentist is almost impossible. I have been researching other states that would be most ideal environment for me to succeed in. I would like to hear from dentist in different areas and states on what you think of your state and area and what your recommendations are for a new dentist.

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[honeyroastednuts]

If you don't mind me asking, what's your and dentists in your immediate area's income like?

 

[newmanchster]

If you don't mind me asking, what's your and dentists in your immediate area's income like?

I am still a student. I am just thinking ahead. from what i hear, the average socal dentist salary is about 150K. however, a fresh out of dental school dentist make around 80-100K in first year or two.

 

[2TH MVR]

It's been said many times. Rural, underserved areas better than saturated areas. Then you have to factor in family needs and wants. It's one thing to say that it is financially smart to practice in Fargo, SD ...... but do you really want to live there? Family needs are important also. It's give and take.

The other item is that it takes TIME to build a practice. It can takes years to build a good practice and reputation. You essentially will be throwing all that goodwill away and having to start over in a new state if you decide you want to move.

Yes ... taxes suck. More so in good ole California.

 

[BluntForceTrauma]

It's been said many times. Rural, underserved areas better than saturated areas. Then you have to factor in family needs and wants. It's one thing to say that it is financially smart to practice in Fargo, SD ...... but do you really want to live there? Family needs are important also. It's give and take.

The other item is that it takes TIME to build a practice. It can takes years to build a good practice and reputation. You essentially will be throwing all that goodwill away and having to start over in a new state if you decide you want to move.

Yes ... taxes suck. More so in good ole California.

Fargo is in ND.

Only reason I know that is cause the wife is from there, and yeah, I never want to live there ha

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[Typical Average Student]

Personally, I would only move to places where I would want to live, not where people are telling me to move to. If you feel happy in California or New York, why not just try a little harder to expand to other businesses there? It might take you a little longer to build that capital but it's a better lifestyle instead of immersing yourself into your work too much.

If the money was in rural North Dakota, but you aren't accustom to that lifestyle, why move there? For a couple extra thousand? Not worth it in my opinion.

 

[charlestweed]

I don’t think I will be successful if set up my practice in rural and less culturally diverse areas:

1. People in big cities care more about their smiles and having straight teeth than people in rural areas. Many of my patients have braces more than once. They had braces when they were kids but didn’t wear retainers….and now they want braces again to re-straighten their teeth. When I did my ortho residency at the program in the Midwest, I was surprised to see a lot of adults walking around with missing front teeth.

2. Hispanic and Asian patients prefer to see non-White doctors like me. They feel I can better relate to them than the non-immigrant native born doctors. High birth rate among Hispanics and the huge wave of immigrants from China and Vietnam in recent years have helped keep my practices busy.

3. With more dentists in populate areas, I have more referral sources.

4. With more corp offices in big cities, I can easily find P/T jobs to supplement my income and to maintain a stable income. When my own offices don’t get a lot of new starts (during the months of Oct- Jan), I still get guaranteed salaries from working at the corp.