Are you contemplating on joining corporate practice? While there are a lot of advantages you can get when you join the world of corporate dentistry, there are also some disadvantages that come with it. Before finally making the decision, it is wise to consider the few downsides of joining the corporate practice.

Ownership

When you join a corporate dental entity, you automatically become an employee. That only means that you are not your own boss and you lose ownership or control over your practice. You can not also have any access to the records of your patients no matter how vast your patient base is if you decide on leaving the company later on.

Freedom

Being an employee limits your freedom of practice. Just like any other typical employees, you are bound to follow the norms, rules, and regulations set by the corporation. You do not even have full control over your schedule or when it comes to patient scheduling. Since you will be working for a third party and you will only rely on the corporation in terms of managing the business, chances for you to gain new skills and to learn how to be independent and how to run or manage a small dental office is very limited. 

Quotas and Goals

Unlike with private dental practice, you will not be the one to set your own goals or quotas. Most of the corporate dental entities set specific sales or production quotas on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

This production goal or quota usually includes the number of patients you will have to serve or the number and type of procedures you will have to perform (like root canals, crowns, routine check-ups, and exams) on a given time frame. Depending on the company's policy, failure to meet the quota will mean that you are subject to certain regulations.

Work Schedule

Although you can suggest a work schedule that fits your needs, requirements, and preferences, the corporate dental entity still has the last say for the final schedule. Most often, employed dentists work on a typical business hours schedule. You are obliged to report on your schedule on a regular basis. You cannot just leave anytime you want or need. You also have the tendency to work on an overscheduled workdays most especially if you need to meet a high volume of patients. 

Flexibility of Dental Service

If you work in a corporate dental entity, you can not explore your practice even more because you are being restricted to the company treatment policies. You have less flexibility when it comes to recommending and performing different dental procedures too.

Supplies and Equipment

The company will be the one to choose which vendor or supplier to choose and what type of dental supplies, products, equipment, and instruments like the dental loupes to use. You can always pick the dental precision instruments like the dental magnification loupes and dental headlights, though, since it is considered as a sort of personal dental tool. However, sometimes you still have to ask permission from the corporate practice when you want to buy a personal dental instrument, even in choosing where to buy dental loupes.