There are many compelling reasons why dentists, especially those who are ambitious and entrepreneurial, strongly prefer establishing and managing their own private dental practice rather than being employed as dentists at government hospitals. As per expert dentists KB Village Dental, While government dentistry jobs certainly have merits such as stability, reasonable income and standard work hours, opening their own private clinics allows dentists much more personalization, autonomy and earning potential when it comes to their careers and improving patient care.
The benefits of opting for private practice ownership generally outweigh the disadvantages as well as the extra efforts involved. There are several key reasons why private practice is often preferred:
More Control and Autonomy
In a private dental clinic, dentists have much more control over their work environment and the care they provide. They can choose the location of their office, purchase the exact dental equipment and technology they want, hire their preferred staff, and determine their own schedules, policies and procedures. This allows them to practice dentistry in the manner they feel is best rather than conform to government bureaucracies and strict hospital hierarchies. The autonomy enables better customization of dental care.
Higher Earnings Potential
Dentists typically have a much higher earning capacity in private practice compared to government salaries. While government jobs offer job security, stable incomes and benefits, ambitious dentists can earn significantly more owning their own business. Their income levels correlate directly to how many patients they treat, procedures they perform and services they offer. Top-performing private dentists can earn over ten times what government dentists make in the same period. Higher earnings allow for reinvestment into better technology and infrastructure as well.
Lower Administrative Burden
Government hospitals are notorious for extreme administrative burdens – paperwork, protocols, departmental coordination and political red tape hamper productivity significantly. Doctors state spending more time on administration than actual patient care. Private clinics provide relief from most of these entanglements – dentists have staff handling accounts, supplies procurement, insurance claims processing and scheduling – leaving them free to devote their time fully to dentistry. This ensures better time and resource utilization.
Personalized Patient Relationships
Building personalized long-term relationships with patients is very fulfilling for most dentists. However, government settings rarely allow for consistency as patients are assigned whichever dentist has availability at their visit time. Private practice allows dentists to treat the same patients over many years, understanding their unique dental histories, needs and personal rapport. This facilitates optimum patient education and dental care.
More Flexibility in Services Offered
Government hospitals have strict guidelines on which dental procedures they have the budget and facilities to provide. Dentists may want to offer certain new technologies like Invisalign orthodontics or dental implants but face limitations. Private clinics can choose exactly which dental treatments they have demand for and can support financially and technologically. This allows offering a wider array of services that benefit patients.
Focus on Quality over Quantity of Care
Government hospitals have very high patient loads causing dentists constant pressure to meet treatment quotas. This hampers dentists from dedicating enough time for precision and care in procedures. Private clinics allow better control over patient intake and scheduling flexibility so sufficient attention can be given to ensure safety standards and quality norms. Quantity of care does not have to supersede quality of treatment.
No Night/Emergency Shifts
Working as a government hospital dentist requires undertaking rotating night, weekend and public holiday shifts to handle dental emergencies. This can be tedious and disruptive for many dentists. Private practitioners can choose their own clinic hours and provide on-call numbers for patients needing urgent after-hour assistance. This allows for better work-life balance.
Conclusion
Dentists gravitate towards private practice as it offers autonomy in work, higher and more scalable earnings, less bureaucracy, better patient relationships, flexibility in services, focus on quality over quantity of dental care and discretion over working hours. While government jobs provide stability, ambitious dentists prefer running their own clinics. The pros of control, income potential and tailored care outweigh the risks and efforts involved in operating an independent dental business for most dentists.
