Where to Set Up Your Dental Practice – Urban Areas vs Small Towns?
How to choose where to practice dentistry? Should you choose an Urban Area for your dental practice or Small Town? This post will answer this question and help you in taking a decision.
In this post, we are exploring the possibilities and advantages/disadvantages of opening a dental practice in a small town compared to much wanted urban areas. Therefore, this post is aimed at both new dental graduates and also for experienced dental practitioners who wish to expand further.
Advantages of having a dental practice in a small town/semi-urban areas
In the 21st century, it is sensible to know that, the concepts of small towns are no more applicable. Due to increasing online and road connectivities, the majority of the small towns are well connected to the cities.
Not only that, small towns provide many advantages to a young dentist which an Urban location can never provide.
1. Less Financial Burden:
It is one of the most important benefits of working in a small town. The cost of every aspect is low compared to urban centers. You will need to spend less money in:
- Cost of setting up a clinic.
- The amount that you need to loan from the banks.
- Lower maintenance cost.
The above three cost-related factors will significantly reduce the financial burden which a dentist otherwise would have faced in the Urban location.
In short, you would not be facing a massive amount of Debt.
2. You do not need to fight an Army of Dentists
Unlike in Urban centers (where there is a vast crowd of dentists competing for patients), in a small town set-up, you can be hugely relaxed.
You are no more part of the rat race fighting and struggling every day to get new patients. There is no backbiting or name-shaming the other dentists.
Majority of the dentists practicing in the small town feel they are much more relaxed and happy at work than their friends who are facing the competition in the urban sectors.
3. Much easier to make your mark as a Dentist:
In the overpopulated dentist numbers in the urban sectors, it is complicated and time-consuming to make a name for yourself.
A dentist may have all the charm and efficient skills as a dental surgeon, however, it will still not be enough to make a mark. Why? Due to the simple fact that patients have many options to choose from. There is also a high-level negative politics at work.
In a small town set-up, professional life is easier as the number of dentists is limited. If you are good at your work, you will soon name, fame and money as a dentist in that area.
Also, the cost of promoting yourself is minimal. All you require is good behavior, some local marketing in the town and nearby areas, limited online marketing and attending social events.
4. Better financial stability that leads to stronger future
A dental practice set-up in a small town gives you more chances to cover the first 3 points mentioned before. It overall leads to a much better financial future and stability.
In a short period of years, a dentist stands to make a name for himself, his practice and also earn respectable finance for his family/himself.
All this leads to a much more relaxed lifestyle than struggling in the fast track and highly competitive urban area dental practice sector.
The professional career of a dentist comprises of 5 professional stages. As stated by Dr. Pranav Agale (from DentistFriend.com), every dentist has to go through 5 Stages in his/her career.
Our comparative interaction with Dentists in Urban location and small towns indicated that the small town dentists are much more relaxed in completing all the stages in the career of a dentist.
