ADAPT Blog

What does it take to find the right fit for your practice transition?

It all comes down to finding someone who shares your mission, vision, and values. That’s true whether you’re an associate looking for a practice or a long-time owner trying to find a successor. 

So how do you assess mission, vision, and values during your search process? They can be hard to articulate — particularly if you haven’t been practicing very long — but in-depth discussions can reveal your preferences and priorities. 

Before you get to the point where you’re signing a letter of intent or an associate contract, spend time together in the practice. (Preferably, that means shadowing the practice and doctor at least three times — while patients are being seen — to get a true feel for how the practice runs.) Observe closely to make sure you’re on the same page about:

• The level of care being delivered
• How you interact with patients, specialists, and the community
• Treatment planning
• How you manage and work with staff

I recently discussed all this with Patrick Chavoustie of the Dental Brief Podcast.

Maybe you’ve found a practice that looks great on paper: the location, the salary, the number of operatories. 

How do you know it’s the practice where you can become the dentist you’ve always dreamed of being?

I hear of too many cases where dentists jump at the first associateship they’re offered, simply because the salary sounded right — then six, nine, or twelve months later they realize it’s just not a great fit. Maybe they’re working too many hours, or they’re doing nothing but prophys when they thought they would be learning implants.  

So how can you avoid this fate?

When you’re evaluating a practice, slow down and take the time to determine if it’s the right one for you. After all, you worked hard to get through undergrad and dental school. It’s worth a little extra effort now to make sure you’re choosing the right practice for your next step. 

I recently spoke with Rolando Mia of Empowered Dentistry about exactly this topic. Listen to our episode of the Dental Voice podcast or read on for some of the advice I shared. 

Rounding the corner into your last year or semester of dental school? If you’re on the job hunt, you’re probably wondering what that first job might look like.

Just like in every other field, you may not find the “perfect” forever job right out of the gate. It often takes a few years of working in a few different scenarios before you can learn what type of practice is right for you.

Some people love a bustling, busy practice with a dozen doctors working side by side, each focused on a couple specific treatments. Others prefer to do a little bit of everything and work solo. There’s no right or wrong – it’s a matter of preference.

As dentists begin their practice transitions, nearly all have the same question on their minds: how long do you think this is going to take?

As an ADA Advisor helping dentists navigate their practice transitions, I talk to many dentists who say they feel “stuck.” When someone says this, I always try to better understand what they mean. Their answers tend to fall into one of a few categories:

• They have been in their current practice for a few years and feel like there’s no room for advancement. The owner isn’t retiring any time soon and doesn’t want to share patients or responsibility.
• They are in a corporate practice and like the stability, but feel burned out.
• They want to buy but aren’t sure how they can afford it, or don’t feel quite ready. (And they know there’s a lot they don’t know.)

Does the thought of negotiating keeping you up at night?

It’s perfectly normal to be nervous about negotiations. After all, the stakes can be high – especially when you really want something to work out.

At ADA Practice Transitions, we act as facilitators, not negotiators. That means that we help you prepare to negotiate and offer tips to protect your interests.

We have found that a bit of preparation can go a long way towards making the experience smoother and more successful. Even if you haven’t yet found your perfect match (and if you haven’t – create your free profile to get started!), it’s smart to start thinking about what you want achieve from your upcoming transition. If you understand what you want and what you need to move forward, you will be coming to the negotiating table with clear goals that can pave the way.

Have you found the practice of your dreams? Could it be the practice of your partner’s dreams too?

If it is in a new town or state, what would it take for you and your family to make the move?

Now is a great time to have some important conversations with your family about how your career affects your collective future. Most of you have never been allowed this kind of focused time to evaluate your true priorities as a family.  

ADA Practice Transitions will find you the right practice or dentist to help you take the next step in your dental career.

If you ask a dentist about “corporate dentistry,” you may get a strong reaction. Opinions range from “corporate dentistry is destroying the profession” to “corporate dentistry is ideal – it allows a dentist to focus on dentistry rather than running a business,” with many flavors in between.

In particular, I have heard a number of established dentists lament how many new graduates choose the corporate dentistry route for their first job. Whenever I encounter someone who is disappointed with a new graduate’s choice outside of independent dentistry, I often have the following conversation: