It all depends on how well you can do afterwards. I graduated with just over 500k and did well enough for a while that I thought it was totally worth it. So worth it that I decided to take out another 240k and go back to specialize in endo haha. For others though that are in a super saturated area, or just work as associates making under 180k, they would probably say it isn't worth it.
Also, I see you got into Roseman? If so, that's where I went too! I loved it there. Hopefully it still has the same vibe it did when I was there.
Just curious what number you would say is well enough to be worth it
I averaged around 350k my last 3 years, so probably that much haha. Although I think if you can get above 275k, then at that point the loan amount stops hurting so much. You have more than enough to pay loans, save money, and live a decent life.
you are saying you made around 350k your last three years? did you graduate three years ago? is this from being an associate? pp or dso? middle of nowhere? thanks!
I think I elected to not go into medicine for this reason
I worked for a smallish dso in Phoenix, Arizona and graduated in 2016. Did 305k the first full year, then 325k, and then that 3 year average of 350k. We were similar in working 11 hour days, but only did 3 days a week instead of 5. I would have died if I had to do five 12 hour days a week!
Definitely possible.
You don't have to do this in the long run. At 26 -30, you should be able to work like this because you are healthy and have zero back problem. With just 4 years of hard work (at $350k/year), you should accomplish a lot.....like cutting the student loan in half, open your own practie without taking out additional loan, buying a first house etc. At 30, with less debt, you can afford to cut down the work hours per day and work days per week to allow your hands and back to recover. By your mid 30s and early 40s, you should have zero debt and start enjoying a lifestyle of a dentist/doctor.......for the next 30-40 (or more) of your life. Many of my 40-50 year old dental colleagues are enjoy their lives right now. They used to work 6-7 days/wk when they were young new grads. I still work 5 days/week because I enjoy working. I don't have a lot of hobbies. It's boring staying home. Today, I only have 38 patients and only work from 1:30pm-4pm.
12 hour days but 3 days per week doesn’t sound bad at all.
It was seriously the best. I don't think I would have ever left that place if it weren't for going back to specialize. I'd love to have the same type of schedule after I'm done with residency. I loved having 4 days off a week.
What was the bulk of your procedures back at the DSO? Crowns?
We did pretty much everything we were comfortable with except for placing implants. We even did our own hygiene! We stuck to solid bread and butter dentistry and quadrant dentistry. Lots of fills, exts and SRPs and rct b/u had crowns. We were hot very crown heavy unless there was a genuine need for it or after root canals. And we ran each office as if it were our own. We did our own hiring and firing and training. And anything that we didn't feel comfortable doing, we could refer, no problem.
