Orthodontic Practice Succession Specialists

By: Laura Bennett
Director of Marketing

In today’s society life altering decisions are made each and every day. We are generally unaware of the impact one particle decision may make in the years to come. With relocation on the forefront the question will soon arise, in what state or city do I want to practice? This topic brings mixed emotions to some orthodontists because they are uncertain of what the future may hold. According to the United States Census, the average person moves 11.7 times within a lifetime. When choosing a location to relocate many doctors plan to stay there for a lifetime. This is an area where you plan to raise your children, grow old and retire.

What to look for in a location
You must ask many questions when choosing a location to practice. These are just a few items you may want to investigate about a particular area before moving.

• What is the cost of living?
• What are the demographics?
• What is the average house price?
• What is the average salary?
• What are the weather conditions in the winter and summer?
• Are the taxes high or low?
• What is the crime rate?
• What is the average income?
• Is it culturally diverse?
• How far is the nearest hospital, airport or town?
• How highly ranked is the school system?
• How far is the beach/mountains?
• Are there competing orthodontists nearby?

Where is everyone moving?

With millions of possible towns and cities in which to relocate, are some places more popular than others? According to our data at Bentson Clark, the answer is yes. Based on data collected from 768 residents whose expected graduation is between 2005 and 2008, we found that California is the most popular location. California is not the only place residents are intending to move; our results reveal they are relocating all over the United States, Canada and throughout the world.

Why is California so popular? California’s diverse population of 35 million people has a unique culture that is flourishing. “The land of milk and honey” is 155,959 square miles with thousands of cities and small towns, each containing their own personality and charm. The weather varies at each location, but it is typically warm and extremely cold weather is rare. Some sections of the state only have a fifteen degree variation from summer to winter. California offers the best of all worlds; 900 miles of coastline, the mountains and the desert. California is a state that has something to offer for everyone.

The most popular cities in California are San Francisco, San Diego and Los Angeles. These locations allow the residents to have the relaxing ocean/bay and the hustle and bustle of city life combine. The study shows that the residents who want to move to California would also consider moving to Washington as a second choice. Of the residents who hope to move to California, 48 percent give no other state as a second choice. Out of all the residents planning to move to California, there is an equal balance of doctors planning to start a practice versus those planning to buy into a practice as an associate/partner.

“The main reason why I want to base my practice in California is because it is home,” said Dr. David Chen who graduates from the University of Florida in 2007. “Growing up near the bay area, I was spoiled by the diversity of the people, the food, weather, as well as the different sceneries (mountains, ocean, and desert) California has to offer. I can’t seem to find that in other states I have visited.”

Dr. Jun Park who recently graduated from the University of Texas Health and Science, San Antonio wants to relocate to California “due to the weather and personal preferences.”

Washington is the second most popular state for residents. Washington mirrors California in landscape. The coastline and mountains are very attractive for graduates. The weather is cooler and Washington receives more snow and many more rainy days in comparison with other west coast states. The culture is vastly diverse, giving cities like Seattle character that allures visitors and residents. Seattle is the most popular city within Washington, due to its location on the sound and the short distance to the coast.

Arizona and New York are tied for the number three most popular location. The most popular city in Arizona is Phoenix, and New York City is the number once location choice within New York. The states finishing up the top five are Florida and Texas. The least sought after locations were Arkansas, Minnesota, Delaware and Mississippi.

For some orthodontists, choosing a location has nothing to do with finance, environment, population or practice potential. The survey results indicate that locations are often chosen because of family. They desire to move back to be near their aging parents and childhood friends. Dr. Eric Oxford of Vanderbilt University is a resident planning to move back to Texas after graduation because of his family. “I was born and raised in Texas…I met my wife there….and we now have two boys. We really want to get back to Texas where we are from and where all our family is located. We want our boys to know their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.” said Dr. Oxford.

Dr. Graham Jones is another resident who is moving to be near family. Dr. Jones will be graduating from Saint Louis University in December. “We wanted to live somewhere where there would be pre-existing family and friend support and socializing systems already there than having to make new friends. Washington gives me more for my money in terms of being in proximity of my friends and family. My wife has so much family there…and some of my family is there too.” said Dr. Jones.

According to many residents and orthodontists, there is no single reason why some states are chosen over others. Dr. David Mikulencak, from Saint Louis University, is partial to Texas because of the weather among other factors. “The weather is great in Texas except June through August.”

“The living expense in Texas is lower than those of the coastal states, such as California or New York.” said Dr. John Cai of Baylor College of Dentistry in explaining why he would choose Texas over coastal states.

Overall residents and orthodontists are most interested in states that include at least one large metropolitan area and are located within a few hours from the coast or a large body of water.

What does this mean for residents and others looking to relocate?
The overwhelming demand of moving to certain states can have advantages and disadvantages. For anyone planning to move to one of the more popular states on the list, we recommend exploring practice opportunities as your residency begins or when you determine where you want to move.

Take steps to get ahead in the relocation process. Register with programs such as Bentson Clark’s Free Matching Program that will contact you when a practice is available in the preferred area of choice. Start networking with doctors to let them know you will be available at a certain date and hope to move to the area. Start visiting practices in which you are interested. Explore every possibility and market yourself in every outlet available.

It is a tougher market in popular states because the competition for existing practices is much more intense. Plan to pay a premium for a practice in these states. In areas that can be considered growing, there will be available patients to satisfy growth, but you will have to commit to working the referral base and marketing the practice. These will cost time and money, but it will be well worth the effort as the practice grows and flourishes.

For less popular locations, there is typically less competition for practices within the market. Because of this factor, one can expect lower overheads, high net incomes, less pressure and a slow-paced lifestyle.

Chris Bentson, President of Bentson Clark, suggests considering areas outside of the high competition areas. “There are many great, high grossing, high net-income practices in the central part of the United States that are unfortunately not even considered by residents and recent graduates.” said Bentson.

Choosing a practice location can be a daunting task, but it is not impossible. Weigh the pros and cons of a popular state versus a less popular state. Research the area diligently and see if your lifestyle matches the cultures and its surroundings. Know exactly why you want to relocate to a specific area and keep that in mind at all times. Make sure you are 100 percent sure you want to invest time, money and energy into this location. Most importantly, do not make a spur of the moment decision; take your time and learn all you can about the area and other orthodontic practices in the region.

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