The pathway to private practice has evolved for dentists entering the field, requiring increased strategy and planning to ensure success.
Benjamin Falk, DDS, of Florence (Mass.) Dental Care, recently spoke with Becker’s to discuss how the prospect of private practice has changed for new dentists.
Note: This response was lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: Is private practice still attainable for new dentists? Why or why not?
Dr. Benjamin Falk: The narrative that private practice dentistry is no longer attainable for new graduates is becoming increasingly common — and sadly misleading.
Private practice is not disappearing. It is evolving. There is no question that today’s early-career dentists face real and significant barriers. Educational debt has reached unprecedented levels, and the financial threshold for practice acquisition continues to rise. These factors have altered the traditional trajectory from graduation to ownership, prompting many to question whether private practice is still a realistic goal. But framing the issue as a binary — attainable versus unattainable — oversimplifies a more important truth: The pathway has changed, not the destination.
For most new dentists, immediate ownership is no longer the norm. Instead, the associate phase has become a strategic and necessary stage of professional development. Well-structured private practice associate positions now frequently include benefits that were once less standardized: liability insurance coverage, licensure reimbursement, continuing education support, retirement planning options and health coverage. In some cases, signing bonuses and production-based incentives further enhance early-career earning potential. These are not trivial perks. They represent a recalibration of how dentists build financial stability in the initial years after graduation.
More importantly, the associate period offers something that cannot be financed: experience. Clinical confidence, efficiency, patient communication and exposure to the business side of dentistry are all critical competencies that directly influence long-term success in ownership. For many, this phase is not a delay — it is preparation.
At the same time, alternative career models deserve acknowledgment, not as concessions, but as parallel opportunities. Federally Qualified Health Centers and similar public health settings provide structured loan repayment and forgiveness programs that can fundamentally alter the financial outlook for heavily indebted graduates. These roles also reinforce dentistry’s broader mission of serving underserved communities. For some, this pathway may ultimately redirect long-term goals; for others, it is a deliberate, time-bound strategy to reduce debt before transitioning into private practice.
What is clear is that the profession is no longer defined by a single path to ownership. Group practices, partnerships, phased buy-ins and hybrid career models have expanded the definition of “private practice.” The greater risk is not that private practice is unattainable — it is that new dentists may be discouraged from pursuing it at all.
Ownership still offers something uniquely valuable: autonomy in clinical decision-making, the ability to shape patient care philosophies and long-term financial independence. These are not obsolete ideals; they remain central to why many choose the profession in the first place. However, achieving them now demands a different mindset. Financial literacy, contract awareness, mentorship and long-term planning are no longer optional — they are essential.
Private practice is not out of reach, but it no longer happens by hanging a shingle outside your door. It happens by design.
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