My New Dentist’s Beginner’s Guide: From dental student to practice owner

By | October 5, 2015

“What should I do after I graduate from dental school?”

Dr. Byrnes

Dr. Byrnes

Recently, I was on a panel of dentists speaking to third- and fourth-year dental students. This was the question on the top of their minds. This is the question that I had to answer for myself just over two years ago. I considered every reasonable possibility that I could conceive, but I did not expect to find myself owning a dental practice just a short time later.

When I graduated from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in 2013, I knew that I wanted to move back to my hometown of Winter Park, Florida. Beyond that, I had hoped to work for my dentist but nothing had been set in stone. While many of my classmates had decided to specialize or had already accepted a job, I found myself scrambling to find work.

I applied to just about any position that made sense. This included private practices and corporate offices. I went on lots of interviews and, in the span of about a year, I worked part-time in six different dental offices, and ultimately bought a practice that was not one of those six. While at times it was difficult to keep my head on straight, it gave me a lot of experience that I would not have been able to get if I had been working in just one office.

Over the next few months I will be guest blogging and publishing my “New Dentist’s Beginner’s Guide.” Through this series, I hope to share much of the experience that I have earned in my first years out of school. This will include topics such as “How to find a job”, “How to handle money” and “How to speak to patients with confidence.”

Dr. Drew Byrnes is a New Dentist Now Guest Blogger. He graduated from the University of Florida College of Dentistry in 2013. His practice, Dr. Drew Byrnes Family and Cosmetic Dentistry, can be found at 199 E Welbourne, Ste 200, Winter Park, FL 32789, 1-407-645-4645. In his free time, he enjoys running, spending time with his wife and volunteering with his church and in his community. 

15 thoughts on “My New Dentist’s Beginner’s Guide: From dental student to practice owner

  1. Jindabyne Accommodation

    Amazing blog, please do keep writing such inspirational blog for the upcoming youth. It could be very helpful for the students to plan there future in the right way.

    Reply
  2. Jared

    Looking forward to seeing your future posts. It’s always great to hear from someone who’s been through the grinder already.

    Reply
  3. Jason Strong

    A friend of mine is getting ready to start dental school and he is beyond stoked about it. He is nervous about it as well though, so I’ve been helping him look around for things to help him prepare for his first year. This seems to be the right thing for him and I can’t wait to show him when I see him later.

    Reply
  4. Nash Rich

    I wanted to become a dentist when I was younger, but I became too afraid of the schooling. I never hear much about how dentists get started after school, so this was interesting. I always thought after graduating, dentists pretty much had work right out of school, but I guess life isn’t that simple. Either way, great insights and and sharing your success story.

    Reply
  5. Howard Reed

    Thanks for the tip about applying everywhere. My brother has been studying to become a dentist, and I will have to tell it about getting himself out there. Hopefully he is able to get a position soon after graduating.

    Reply
  6. Andy Harrison

    Good for you! That is awesome that you were able to acquire a lot of experience in the six places you worked. If it was me, I would probably of tried to stay at the same place. Then again, if you aren’t with your job, quit.

    Reply
  7. Dentures Auckland

    That was some relevant notes I supposed I should take this beginners guide to follow them. I certainly need more practice to achieve success and become a good orthodontist. Great work by the way.

    Reply
  8. Mena Bishara

    Thanks for the tip. When I was first starting out I also applied everywhere and basically after a lot of interviews I got a lot better at knowing the language and what questions to ask. I now have my own practice at http://bisharadental.com. Keep at it and you will become a great dentist in no time.

    Reply

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