The dentists you meet in your AEGD or GPR won't all be academic types. I specifically asked at all interview what the residents do upon completion and was a little surprised to learn that some of them go to work for some of the attendings as associates. Many times, attending dentists are private practice docs who come to the GPR/AEGD one time a week as a different experience from the daily office routine.
As far a making connections, it's up to you to do it. Make the best of what you're offered. Even if you didn't work for the attendings at your program, I'm sure they would know of other docs in the area looking to sell or take on an associate. Word of mouth can be bigger than you think, and it takes some effort on your part to find something that suits you. Many times, dental company reps know which offices are looking for associates b/c they deal with the supply ordering for the office on a regular basis and have an established relationship with the doctor. And all the ways Gavin mentioned are also good ways to network with fellow dentists.
Networking is one of my priorities for doing a GPR after graduation. It'll give me a chance to learn about the dental community in NYC, an area I'd like to be in but know little about and currently have zero connections there. If I were to stay in my current location, I wouldn't have to rely on a GPR/AEGD so much to find connections for an associate position b/c I know many practitioners and it's easy for me to meet them being a "hometown" local.
You'll have to put the effort out to meet potential dentists for associateships at some point - either while you're in dental school or during your residency. A residency is also a great way to learn and and practice many procedures you get little or no exposure to in dental school like endo (root canals), implants, perio surgery, etc.
