Worth the cost to work as a private practice dentist?

[JenniferDavison]

Hi, I am a returning college student and am taking my prerequisites for dental school. Because I will be starting my career much later than most people(and I still don't know for sure that I will be accepted into dental school), I will probably only be able to practice for about 15 years before I retire. Will it be more profitable to work in a private practice or as a salaried dentist? Is it always necessary for private practice dentist to buy the building or are there options that might be more beneficial, maybe renting a space from other self-employed dentists in the same building? Thank you for the answers!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[KristopherTruth]

I'm assuming that you are looking at the financial outlook to find the value to this decision. To be honest I don't know. I'm a first year dental student and have many dentist as friends, both salaried and private practice owners and some in the military. I will tell you that there is much variability in salaries and quality of life. Many times as a private practice owner you can make a good living when all expenses are paid (overhead) and you take home what is left over. As a associate you can also make a lot of money as well. If you are concerned with retiring then you should look for something with less variability and more stability. I will say that as a private practice owner there is less stability and more variability than working as an associate. Even the military has $150,000 sign on bonus for Dental Docs now. But back to the previous question. Is it worth it? Well you have to decide. It is financially rewarding. It can bring you satisfaction if you want it to. I don't know if that helps but just throwing out ADA numbers and averages would not suffice. Honestly, you should talk to some Docs that work in conditions and settings that you plan on working. That will give you the insight that you desire.

 

[Saddleshoes]

error

 

[jheidenr]

Don't forget to consider how much you are currently making, what dental school you go to, and where you end up practicing. A financial planner can help you develop some scenarios and a differential cash flows analysis to help you make your decision. But my biggest advice is to do it only if you are truly passionate about it, not for the money.

 

[bigbadaboom]

listen to jheidenr
do it because you like dentistry, not for the money. it's not always good money.

depending on what school you will go, the tuition cost plus 4 years of living expenses, maybe 200k-400k in debt. If you open up your own practice, another 200k-500k in debt.

in california where there's strong liberal lobby in sacramento where they think all healthcare should be free, including dentistry, a trend is to produce many many more dentists and auxiliaries, hygienists, and mid-level providers so the cost of dental care is competitively low. The future of dentistry in the state is bad.