How to find the right dental job after school – where to look?

 

How to find the right dental job after school - where to look? www.foreigndentistinusa.com

You have achieved your dream of joining a US dental program and are on the threshold of graduating. No time to relax yet – now comes the very important task of finding a dental job!! Although it may seem like a herculean task, if you start early enough, you might be able to sign contracts even before you graduate. I’ve put together some of the advice and tips that have helped us find jobs in the past. Keep in mind – even though I’m writing mainly keeping a foreign dentist in mind, a lot of the same points are applicable to US graduates as well.

 

Start by deciding where you want to live & the purpose of your first job

Have an idea of what it is you want to achieve with your first job. Is it fulfilling immigration requirements, paying off student loans, gaining maximum speed/experience? Do you want your first job to put you on the path to partnership or ownership? Sometimes the decision is about being closer to family, easier access to amenities or a better school district for the children. Whatever be the reason, narrowing down the state you want to settle down in will enable you to plan accordingly. The requirements for dental licensure varies by state. Once you decide on the location, you can undergo the appropriate clinical licensing exam. Generally speaking, there can be some great opportunities to make a good living in more rural areas. Many rural job openings also advertise relocation bonus and better compensation package to entice applicants. In bigger cities, it can often be harder to get new patients. As a result, everyone is fighting for the same target audience. You will have to set yourself apart via social marketing or additional training.

 

Corporate dental office vs Private practice

I will discuss the pros and cons of working in a corporate environment vs private practice in a future post. US-trained foreign dentists will require an employer to sponsor their work visa. This will limit the type of practice you can have to being an employee in a dental practice until you get your Green card (the H-1B employer-employee relationship rule states that the employer must directly supervise the employee and pay taxes on the employee’s behalf). Most dentists offering associateship opportunities will negotiate that the associate eventually takes ownership of the practice. Another option is to work part-time in a corporate office and the rest of the time in a private practice. This will give you first-hand experience of both environments so you can see for yourself which is better suited for you. I recommend exploring all your options and schedule any and all interviews that you can. You never know what might turn out to be a good fit or what may fall through at the last minute. It’s always good to have backups.

 

Explore local contacts

If you plan on practicing in the same state after you graduate, it will be easier for you to start networking earlier. Start by contacting anyone that you may know working in the dental field in the area that you want to practice. If you want to work where you grew up, call your dentist and ask if he or she knows anyone looking to hire an associate. Next, reach out to the reps for the dental supply companies in the area (Patterson, Henry Schein etc.) These reps know all of the dentists in a given area and they often keep records of which offices are looking to hire. You should also reach out to your local dental organization as many of them have placement services/job listings.

 

Search the internet

Many local and state dental organizations have online publications that include classifieds. You could also try to search the Internet for “dental jobs” or “dentist wanted” followed by the name of your city. You could also contact dental recruiters – they work on behalf of the employing dentists and will keep you in mind if opportunities arise. (ETS Job Listings, Indeed.com, DentalTown Classifieds, Craigslist)

 

Work with US Public Health Service, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs or the military

The U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps are uniformed dental officers, serving in the Indian Health Service, U.S. Coast Guard, Federal Bureau of Prisons and the National Health Service Corps. Only foreign-trained dentists who have undergone the DDS/DMD advanced standing programs are allowed to apply. One of the perks is that you and your family will be eligible for immediate permanent status (Green card) if recruited. Federal dentists also earn a base salary, in addition to an assortment of benefits, providing a competitive compensation package that grows with years of service and promotions and a loan repayment program. And many dentists use their time as federal dentists to complete a residency or specialty program.  (U.S. Army Dental Corps, U.S. Navy Dental Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, U.S. Public Health Service)

I hope this post will give you some ideas to help with your job search. If you have any other suggestions or advice, feel free to share it in the comments below! Don’t forget to leave your email and subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss any of the upcoming posts!

Get access to exclusive content & updates on new posts

Here are a few examples of what's currently included: planners to keep you organized regarding your applications, downloadable forms and guides, practice tests, the contact information of state licensing boards & more!

I agree to have my personal information transfered to MailChimp ( more information )

I will never give away, trade or sell your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time.

2 thoughts on “How to find the right dental job after school – where to look?

  1. DrM.Mahalakshmi says:

    Hi,your post is really helpful and informative for who is seeking dental faculty position in US? May i know how to search jobs in selected states for foreign dentists?you have given search engine for dentist jobs.For faculty jobs is there any specific search engine is present ? so that its useful for me.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.