Suffocating under a $300,000 student loan, most dental graduates decide to work as associates until the student debt is gone. If you really want to pay off your loan quickly, consider becoming an owner as soon as you can. Use a short-term associateship to hone your clinical and patient communication skills and enjoy the benefits of ownership sooner.
Below is a comparison between a new graduate who becomes a practice owner after two years of associateship and another dentist who works as an associate for seven years and then purchases the practice.
Over a 10-year period the dentist who chose the early ownership option in year 3 has over $800,000 more of excess cash flow than the dentist who did not become an owner until year 8.
Short-term associateships resolve your debts faster, and speed you toward ownership and its many rewards.
