Should You Own a Dental Practice or Stay an Associate?
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Should you own a dental practice or stay an associate?
Owners earn more on average, and ownership builds an asset you can sell. Associates trade some income for less risk, less management and more flexibility. In 2023, general dentists who owned their practice earned an average of about $228,000 net, compared with about $177,000 for employed general dentists (ADA Survey of Dental Practice, as reported by Becker's). The right answer depends on whether you want to run a business, how much risk you can carry right now, and the market where you want to live.
Owner vs associate, side by side
| Owner | Associate | |
|---|---|---|
| Average net income (general dentists, 2023) | About $228,000 | About $177,000 |
| Builds equity you can sell | Yes | No |
| Financial risk | Practice debt, payroll, rent | Little |
| Management work | Staff, marketing, insurance, finances | Mostly clinical |
| Control over schedule, care and team | Yes | Limited |
| Flexibility to move | Low | High |
Income source: ADA Survey of Dental Practice, 2023 income, as reported by Becker's Dental. Averages hide wide ranges by market and practice.
What the trend looks like
Fewer dentists own practices than before. Ownership fell from 84.7% in 2005 to 72.5% in 2023 (ADA Health Policy Institute). Young dentists are owning later, not giving up on it: among dentists who graduated 2006 to 2010, 81% owned a practice 15 to 19 years after graduation (ADA HPI, 2025).
Meanwhile more young dentists start out at a DSO. In 2024, more than 1 in 4 dentists within 10 years of graduation were affiliated with a dental support organization (ADA HPI). See DSO or private practice.
Thinking about ownership? Get free sample reports emailed to you to see what a market report on a town you're considering covers.
Signs ownership may be right for you
- You have opinions about how a practice should run: the patient experience, the team, the equipment.
- You're comfortable with some financial risk in exchange for higher long-term income and equity.
- You want to stay in one area for the long term.
- You have two or more years of clinical experience and are getting faster.
Signs to stay an associate for now
- You may move in the next few years.
- You want to pay down student debt or build savings first.
- You'd rather focus on clinical work without managing staff and finances.
- You haven't found a market you'd want to commit to.
If you lean toward ownership, start here
- Pick the region you want to live in and learn its market: how many residents there are per general practice, household income, age and growth.
- Decide whether to start or buy. See start from scratch or buy one.
- Talk to a dental lender about what you'd qualify for. See how to get a loan to start or buy a dental practice.
- Line up your advisors. See who can help you buy a dental practice.
More on the path: I want to own a dental practice someday. Where do I start?
Where Dentagraphics fits. Dentagraphics helps dentists see whether a town can support another practice before they commit, and holds no stake in any location or sale. A free account shows demographics and verified competition for any state or county. The Start/Buy membership ($149 per month) adds unlimited searches and practice listings from dozens of brokers in one place.
Frequently asked questions
Do dental practice owners make more than associates? On average, yes. ADA survey data reported by Becker's put 2023 average net income at about $228,000 for general dentists who own their practice and about $177,000 for employed general dentists.
What percentage of dentists own their practice? About 72.5% in 2023, down from 84.7% in 2005, according to the ADA Health Policy Institute. Younger dentists are reaching ownership later in their careers.
When should an associate think about buying a practice? Many dentists start planning after two or more years of clinical experience, once their credit and savings are in shape and they know where they want to live. See are you ready to buy a dental practice.
Is owning a dental practice risky? There is real financial risk: practice debt, payroll and rent. Choosing a location with enough patient demand, and buying at a fair price, are the two biggest ways to reduce it.
Weighing ownership? Create a free account and look up the demographics and verified competition for the area you'd want to practice in. Or get free sample reports emailed to you.