Graduating Dental School… Now What?
What to consider when you’re considering life after graduation
“We make our decisions and then our decisions turn around and make us.” FW Boreham
Congratulations are in order. Graduation is in sight and, no doubt, feelings of excitement and accomplishment are swirling. Though you may be closing one door, you’re entering a new hallway, the working world of dentistry, and it’s time to decide which door to open.
There are varying career paths to consider in dentistry, but in order to take that first step, there are questions to ask and answers to acquire. Questions you should be asking of prospective employers as well as questions you should be asking yourself. Knowing the right questions to ask is what will give you the assurance you need in selecting your path and beginning a stellar dental career.
Do I want to practice general dentistry? Or perhaps something else?
The majority of dental practices offer general dentistry services, and therefore, general dentistry is where most dental grads set up shop. Though there will always be a market for annual check-ups, it’s important to keep in mind dentistry specialties, such as the dentures and implants market. A market that is quite significant and worth considering.
More and more patients are seeking a permanent solution to their dental health issues, increasing the global dental implants market size which, “was valued at USD 4.38 Billion in 2018 and is expected to reach USD 8.06 Billion by the year 2026.” The dentures and implants industry presents a viable and rewarding option for dental graduates to pursue.
Affordable Dentures & Implants (ADI), the largest tooth replacement service provider in the country, is a network of affiliated practices and dentists focusing solely on three services: extractions, dentures, and implants.
As a graduate student at Temple University’s School of Dentistry, Dr. Nirjal Patel, DMD, practice owner of the ADI-affiliated practice in Kinston, NC, recognized his particular interest in surgery and implants. “That’s the beauty about it here...If you want surgery and prosthetics, this is it,” Dr. Patel continues, “This is focused care that makes you an expert in this field. I just placed 70 implants in the past two months. Being able to perform surgeries more and more often just takes you to the next level in this discipline. It makes you a really good surgeon."
Really good surgeons are able to change lives every day. Like Devin Burns, DDS, an ADI Locum Tenens who will become the practice owner of the new ADI affiliated practice in Vero Beach, FL this summer. “Missing teeth,” he says, “It’s a disability and it affects people psychologically and physically. When I see the tears in their eyes when they realize what they can now do, it does something to me. That is what drew me to Affordable Dentures.”
As you narrow down the type of dentistry you prefer to practice, it’s helpful to understand the various problems facing dental patients. Ask yourself which problems you’d like to help solve. If you want to play a prominent role in giving patients their smile back, perhaps tooth replacement is the perfect path to choose.
Do I want to work in private practice? Do I want to affiliate with a Dental Support Organization (DSO)?
For decades, dentists went into the field with the intent to open their own private practices. Times have changed and the growth in private practice ownership has remained relatively stagnant, while in contrast, DSOs are on the rise. In 2017, 8.8% of U.S. dentists were affiliated with a DSO, up from 7.4% only two years earlier. Additionally, as more and more private practice owners are retiring, fewer young dentists are filling those gaps, choosing an alternate route. In fact, in 2017 only 28% of dentists 35 and under were private practice owners, down from 44% in 2005.
The rise of DSO affiliation, as opposed to private practice, is, no doubt, attributed to multiple factors. Student loan debt, the hefty costs of opening and maintaining a practice, and the ever-increasing demand for work-life balance, to name a few. The Association of Dental Support Organizations (ADSO) expands on the benefits that drive more and more dentists to DSO affiliation, including centralized business support, which equates to more patient face time. Not to mention, with tremendous buying power, DSOs offer advanced technology, training, and resources, resulting in state-of-the-art and affordable care for patients.
Affiliating with ADI, says Dr. Burns, “is almost like working in a big group practice...You’re working with hundreds of dentists who have been where you are, who you can call upon to help you succeed. It’s invaluable,” he continues, “ADI has a lock on this market. They have systems in place where it’s hard to fail. You just have to step in there, be humble, and keep learning. I think anyone can be successful in this system.”
There’s more to ADI’s inherent value than just the business management tasks they save you from. The reassurance that comes with being part of a steadfast and supportive DSO system is priceless, especially during challenging and unpredictable economic seasons.
Dr. Michael Powell expresses immense gratitude “to ADI for shepherding [him] through the process” during the uncertain time that resulted from the COVID-19 outbreak. Thanks to ADI’s skilled manpower and incredible resources, affiliated practices receive the information, supplies, advice and assurance they need to withstand the unravelling that comes with unprecedented events. “I can’t put a price on that,” Dr. Powell affirms. It’s safe to assume that countless affiliated practice owners would agree with him.
he patient-doctor conversation is more productive and the process is more efficient, resulting in a trusting relationship and a happy patient, giving you the bandwidth to treat more patients.
What do I want my life to look like day in, day out? What is the work/life balance like here?
If you’re one that lives to work, there are opportunities for just that in the dentistry field. You may be required to work weekends, long hours, and be on call. Private practice owners, in particular, have to be married to their job because it’s a never-ending responsibility. If you’re not treating patients, discussing cases with your staff, or planning for the next business day, you’re still working even when the last patient leaves and your staff clocks out. There are bills to pay, employee relations to manage, advertisements to mail, and office maintenance to tend to, to name a few. All of this can make your work-life balance very, well, unbalanced.
In January 2020, LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trend Report was released, finding that “69% of HR professionals agree that work-life balance is the number one factor impacting the employee experience at work.” The millennial generation, who currently make up half of the workforce, has always voiced the strong value they place on work-life balance. As they are anticipated to make up 75% of the workforce come 2025, the weight placed on this value is increasing.
Dr. Burns, a father of five, knows firsthand the importance of flexibility and work-life balance. Having weekends free to be with his family is a must for him. “ADI isn’t open on weekends. There is a predictable schedule here. I feel like I’ll be able to work hard, produce enough income and provide a good quality of life for my family.”
What is my financial situation going to look like?
Though money isn’t everything, when you’re a recent dental graduate with student debt, it just may be.
Dental school, as you know, is a big investment. The average debt of a graduating dental student in 2019 was over $292,000. According to an article by NerdWallet, “With a $292,000 student loan balance, you’d owe more than $3,390 per month on a 10-year repayment plan, assuming a 7% interest rate”. Since this high expense makes other monthly expenses difficult, if not impossible, to pay, in reality, it takes 20-25 years for dental students to pay off their debt.
Dr. Michael Powell is no stranger to debt. He had upwards of $400k in student debt when he graduated dental school in 2015. “That number goes through your head 10,000 times,” he says, “I was able to pay it off in three and a half years...partly because I was working at a successful ADI practice.”
Unlike some dentists who are 100% commission-based, Dr. Powell, who began his career as an ADI Associate and now owns his own practice in Port Charlotte, FL, has always been paid on a salary basis in addition to bonuses for exceeding goals. “The salaries at ADI, even for new graduates, are very competitive,” Dr. Powell says. He urges recent graduates to consider the implications of a commission-structured role. “Having a salary I can rely on...there is a huge sense of being able to breathe...with a potential to earn even more,” Dr. Powell notes, “Having financial freedom...it impacts every aspect of your life.”
Dr. Peter Fereg, who graduated dental school in 2017 and is now an ADI practice owner in Lake Mary, FL, shares Dr. Powell’s sentiments. “The opportunity to make money is there,” Dr. Fereg asserts, “It’s not uncommon to see dentists in the ADI network making in the top 5% of all dentists’ salaries. Working here gives you a chance to start making money right away.”
What is my marketing plan? How will I attract patients?
Establishing a patient base can be daunting. It takes a well-constructed marketing strategy and proper funds. The ADA recommends that start-ups “should plan to spend about $40,000 on marketing during the first year.” Along with marketing dollars, you need a marketing plan and ample time to execute it. You need positive patient experiences that turn into referrals. You need differentiation, a way to separate yourself from the dentists in your area who are also eager to land the same patients that you’re marketing to.
“Half the battle is getting patients through the door,” says Dr. Fereg, “People know ADI, they don't know Peter Fereg Dentistry.” They do now.
When you join an organization that has brand recognition and a well-respected name, the patients come. Marketing duties fall on the shoulders of the professional marketers within the organization who know where, when, and how to attract and build your patient base. You simply have to demonstrate your clinical talents, which preserves, proves, and even elevates the organization’s positive reputation.
Dr. Ola Ukaoma just began her dental career as an associate with DDS Dentures & Implants (DDS) after graduating from UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry in 2020. She points to the two purposes that the DDS marketing strategy serves. “First, it gets the DDS name out there so patients know where to find us. Second, the marketing materials serve to fully educate our patients...so that they can come in here, better informed and more engaged...it’s less overwhelming for them.” The patient-doctor conversation is more productive and the process is more efficient, resulting in a trusting relationship and a happy patient, giving you the bandwidth to treat more patients.
Take time to ponder what you want your workday to look like, to examine your personal financial situation and to establish the goals you have for yourself. Only you hold the answers. There are other important questions to be answered, however, and that’s where your prospective employers come in. Check out Part 2: Graduating Dental School… Now What? to understand the questions you should be asking them.