Know What Type of Office You Work With

There are two different types of dental offices you may want to consider working for. There are private practices and an increase of Dental Support Organizations (DSOs) known as corporations. The breakdown between the two is knowing the advantages and disadvantages. Every dental office is different it all comes down to values, beliefs, and ideologies. Make sure it aligns with what you believe in and are comfortable with. Some offices will have incentives where it will determine what lifestyle is appropriate or suitable for you professionally and personally. What will work best for you?

Private Practice Advantages

There are several things that are beneficial to working at a private practice. To start off they welcome you to the team like a family. This allows for mutual respect, communication, and growth for opportunities. When employed by someone who knows you are a valuable addition to the team they are more open to building a strong relationship; dentist-hygienist or hygienist-hygienist makes the work environment welcoming.

Private practice builds relationships within the community they build trust through personalized care and referrals. They value their interest in providing their patients with appropriate treatment and comfortable care. Many of these patients are long-term patients who have been going to the same private practice for years. I have had patients who have been going to the same practice longer than the dentist has been in his career!

Dental care is consistent where the dentist and hygienist know thoroughly the patient’s history based on experience and provide individualized and personalized care for the patient’s needs. Private practice does not focus heavily on production numbers or gaining X amount of new patients but there may be some incentives such as production bonuses, and monthly or quarterly goals just depending on the office.

Dentists and dental hygienists should come together as a team and be comfortable having conversations about ways to improve the dental practice and make adjustments as needed. This also includes discussing treatment options with the dentist and patient and giving your best recommendations and making sure the patient understands. It is important to voice any questions or concerns with your dentist and come to an agreement.

Private Practice Disadvantages

Most private practices lack medical insurance and other additional benefits. It is always important to know what type of benefits and care packages are provided in your private practice. Some offices will offer 401K, medical insurance, and short-term disability note if it is something that is a deal breaker let them know if there is a way where they can accommodate your needs. Example: A once-a-month payment to cover medical insurance or 401k after working for over a year etc.

Private practice has an increased rate of responsibility when it comes to scheduling. It can be challenging when it comes to needing to call in when sick, emergency, and requesting time off, etc. Keep in mind that you can always communicate with your dentist and the front desk to help accommodate your needs. Being limited on hygiene schedule can lead to a higher burnout rate especially if you are the only hygienist.

A small group of coworkers can also be entailed there may be some tension or drama. In a perfect world we do not want that to be a work environment we want part of but it is something to consider when finding your future dental home. There are plenty of options out there, find one that does not involve unnecessary drama.

Corporate/DSO Advantages

Large corporations have the advantage of accommodating your needs such as the flexibility of taking time off, sick leave, emergency, or personal requests. This will allow you to have your time off needs and feel less stress when these incidents occur. Large corporations and associate offices will manage to find coverage and take it from there so you won’t have to worry.

A big advantage of corporate/DSO is a comprehensive benefits package which can be a main factor for many. Medical insurance, 401K, and disability coverage can influence making it your career choice compared to private practice.

Many corporate dental offices will invest in helping you pay off student loans, continuing education (CE’s), and skill advancements. They are willing to invest in their employee’s education to continue working, increase productivity, and increase profit. It is a win-win situation.

Corporate/DSO Disadvantage

Corporate dentistry can fall into a category where the main focus is high production or also referred to as a “numbers game”. Every successful business needs to be profitable and when working in a corporate dental practice you may find yourself feeling stressed or burned out with having daily, weekly, or quarterly goals.

The turnover rate may be higher due to not having a team member or dentist being the owner of the practice. There can be a lot of unclarity or an unorganized structure if there is no one who is passionate about running a successful and cared-for dental office compared to private practice.

Corporations have a larger scale of employees who may or may not be clinical team members and setting unrealistic expectations. When it comes to patient scheduling someone who is not a frontline dental clinician may have the dental care provider in a time crunch leading to frustration or cause burnout.

Summary

To summarize both private practice and corporate dentistry have their fair share of advantages and disadvantages. Many of the topics listed are what many have a challenge choosing from what is suitable for choosing one over another. Again every office will have different values, beliefs, and ideologies. Think about what is most appropriate for you professionally and personally in order for you to grow as a dental hygienist. There is not one that is better than another. Both can be great job opportunities and your attitude will complement your work environment.