Dr. David Whitlock shares his journey through the private practice and DSO world. Graduating dental school is exciting - and terrifying. New dentists are entering the profession eager for mentorship, guidance, and opportunity, yet many struggle to find the right fit or end up in positions they never wanted. In this free, one-hour webinar, Dr. David Whitlock will share about his dental career- from growing up in Southern California to relocating his family to Eastern Kentucky, owning two practices in a low-competition market, and navigating DSOs, private practice, associateships, and everything in between. Conversation about what actually matters after graduation: choosing the right opportunity, finding (or becoming) a mentor, understanding where demand really exists, and building a career that supports both your professional goals and personal life. Designed especially for dental students and new graduate.
This webinar will be recorded. Attendance is free, non-CE, and registrants will have the option to receive a complimentary copy of Dr. Whitlock’s book.
Date: Thursday, March 12th, 2026
Time: 6 PM ET
Cost: FREE!
Location: Zoom
Complete the form below to register for this FREE webinar.
*Can’t watch in live, but still want to learn? Anyone who registers for this webinar will be sent access to the recording after for free. If you do not register, you will have to pay to see the recording :).
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
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Identify common career pitfalls new dentists face and understand why many associateships fail due to lack of mentorship, misaligned expectations, or reactive career decisions.
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Evaluate job opportunities more strategically.
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Understand what makes a strong associate from an owner’s perspective, and how new grads can position themselves as valuable, hire-ready candidates.
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Debunk common myths about dental careers, including whether you can truly “live anywhere and be successful” as a dentist.
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Recognize the importance of being proactive early, including job searching, networking, and mentorship - before graduation pressure forces rushed decisions.
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Gain confidence navigating early-career anxiety, learning practical ways to survive, thrive, and avoid burnout during the transition from school to practice.
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Reflect on personal priorities.
HOSTED BY
Dr. Paul Goodman
Dr. Paul Goodman is a dentist, multiple-practice owner, transitions broker, and founder of both Dental Nachos and Dentist Job Connect. Many people know him as "Dr. Nacho."
His online and virtual community of over 60,000 dentists strives to help each other increase happiness, decrease stress, and reduce the number of times dentists feel like crying inside a day.
Dentist Job Connect is proud to help practice owners connect with associate dentists to share in the joy of dentistry, which Dr. Nacho describes as full contact arts and crafts.
FEATURED PRESENTER
Dentist Job Connect is a fast-growing job connection platform and service designed to BOND dentists together- created exclusively for dentists by a dentist.
We help dentists find the right fit for their associate job so they can survive, thrive and "not cry" in the real world of dentistry.
Our platform allows practice owners to create a listing, search through resumes and start connecting with over 5,000 job seekers. In addition, listings are shared with our dental network of 70,000 members through social media, targeted texts and emails.