10 • Careers


BEING YOUR OWN BOSS


Trainees who hope


eventually to set up their own dental practice


should carefully consider the pros and cons, says MDDUS dental adviser Claire Renton


career in dentistry also provides an ideal opportunity to become a partner in your own business. So how do you decide if branching out on


I


your own is the right move for you? Becoming self employed is not an option that will suit all dentists and each of us have our own views and careers preferences. But before making a decision, it’s wise to consider some important factors.


Location, location, location This is often one of the most important decisions we make in our lives – where to live and work? If you are considering setting up a new practice or buying an existing one, location is just as important as the cost. Often the location of our practice will determine the type of patients we have and the treatments we offer. Practices in a city centre are more likely to have a predominance of adult patients who fit in dental appointments around their working lives. Are you prepared to work across normal lunchtimes and after office hours to more easily accommodate these patients? Practices in the suburbs are likely to be more family orientated with a mix of families, young professionals and older patients. Would you like this mix in your working life? By choosing your location carefully, you can also determine factors such as whether the practice will be an NHS practice, mixed or entirely a private practice.


T MIGHT seem quite early in your career to start thinking about setting up your own practice but it’s something that will likely cross your mind at some stage in the near future. While many practitioners will choose to practise as an associate, a


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