Regret dentistry
I graduated 4 years ago this month. I just bought my practice officially on November 1, 2025. My student loans are now out of forbearance. I am married, have 2 young children, and was older when I graduated. If I had known it would take this long (still sort of breaking even with a salary from the practice per my accountant’s recommendation, instead of starting to stack cash) I’d I still be waiting to make “dentist money,” I never would’ve gone into dentistry. I enjoy my job, but it’s too much pressure, liability, and expensive to be breaking even. I keep being told “just give it time, you’ve had a few good months in a row, you front loaded your expenses and shortly, you’ll finally see your gains.” I’m tired of being told to wait “just a couple more years.” If I hear from another older established dentist “oh I get that Kois is expensive but it’s just worth it just to meet John,” I’m going to lose my shit. I get you don’t just deserve a good living simply because you graduated school and there is hard work and stress to be had. I’ve done the stuff I’m supposed to, the stuff I hear about on podcasts, the stuff I’ve read about, and the things older dentists have recommended. At some point, there are immediate, as well as long term positives to being in this profession, right?