Dental Residents - How to Find a Job Coming Out of your AEGD or GPR

Congratulations! After spending your whole life in school and residency you can finally see the end in sight. Now it is time to start putting all that education to use but finding a job is a lot different than applying to programs. Do you know how to get started?

This is an attempt to provide a centralized resource to help you land a job.

Step 1. Make a Plan.
As outlined in the following blog link, the key is to be flexible. It is best to determine what your options are before narrowing your focus on the best fit. Job Hunt Tips.

Obviously location is important, but don't waste the crucial first years of your career in order to live in the heart of the city. Here is an overview of area limitations on a job market: Where are the Jobs?, and a real-life example is outlined here: The Grass is Always Greener. If you absolutely have to live and work in a saturated market, here are some strategies to help you land a job: Saturated or Difficult Markets.

Step 2. Prepare Your CV and Cover Letter.
Generally speaking, CV/resumes are overrated, as are cover letters. Still, they are a necessary evil when breaking into a job market. It is important to stand out from the crowd, but make sure that it is for the right reasons. You likely gained many marketable skills in residency. Did you place implants, get sedation certification, perform an full mouth rehabilitations? Be sure to highlight those experiences.
Here is an example of a well-written cover letter: Cover Letter Sample.
And here are instructions on writing your CV/resume: Resume for Dentists.

Step 3. Applying.
Here are several online sources for dentist jobs:

• ETS Dental Job Listings
• Indeed.com Job Listing Aggregator
• Careerbuilder
• DentalTown Classifieds

Step 4. Interviews.

The Telephone Interview:

• Return your phone messages and emails promptly. It speaks to your motivation, interest, and courtesy. Don't let returning phone calls or emails become an issue or an obstacle to getting an interview. Even if you don't think you will be interested in an opportunity, return the call. On more than one occasion we have seen a candidate get a call from Practice B when he was already talking with Practice A. The candidate puts off returning the call to Practice B. Two or three weeks later, the opportunity with Practice A does not work out and now Practice B will not consider the candidate because no calls have been returned.
• Your main goal in a telephone interview is to get a face-to-face interview.
• Ask for the interview. Take the initiative to set a time. Say something like, "From what you have told me, I would be very interested in meeting with you and coming to see your practice. When would be good for you?"
• Smile- even on the phone. You really can tell when someone is smiling.

Here is some additional reading on phone interviews: Tips for Phone Interviews.

The Face-to-Face Interview:
Don't go in blindly. Be sure to prepare in advance. Look over this article the night before: Preparing for the Interview.

• Treat the staff with courtesy and respect. A practice owner often feels like his or her staff is like a family and will listen to their opinions, especially if they are negative. On more than one occasion, we have seen excellent candidates not offered an opportunity because they treated a staff member poorly.
• Smile and show some enthusiasm. More candidates are hired because of their personalities and positive attitudes than because specific clinical skills. One high-end cosmetic practice told us they had interviewed six different dentists. They hired the candidate who smiled and appeared to truly enjoy being a dentist, passing on more experienced candidates with less personality and enthusiasm.
• Show sincere interest in the hiring dentist's situation. Understand that the dentist needs to solve a problem. Maybe the practice just lost a key associate or partner. Maybe the practice is growing and cannot keep up with patient demand. Maybe the dentist needs someone to take over the practice when he or she retires. You need to get a clear understanding of the dentist's true motivation for adding an associate. Once you truly understand the needs of the hiring dentist, you can mutually determine if you are the solution.
• Send a thank you note after the meeting. Here is a great example of a post-interview thank you: Thank You Note.

Still nervous? Here is a full blog post on interviewing: Interview Tips.

Step 5. Reviewing Contracts.
A good overview of contracts may be found here (the most relevant information is on the last page of the article): Compensation Considerations.
Do you have all the information you will need in order to make an informed decision? What to Know Before You Accept an Associate Position
Not satisfied with the offer? Don't be afraid to ask for more. Here are some tips on Negotiating Your Offer.

Step 6. What Can You Expect to Earn?
There are several good sources covering realistic dentist earnings. Here is our own: How Much do Dentists Make?
The Levin Group publishes an annual survey in Dental Economics. The 2013 version can be downloaded here: Levin Group Survey.
The ADA puts out its own numbers, also: ADA Income and Gross Billings.

Step 7. Plan Your Relocation.
If you need to relocate, be sure to plan it ahead of time. Here are a few key points to ponder as you plan: Relocation Tips.

Finding a job can be an intimidating process. I hope these resources will help make the process easier. Please feel free to call us should you have any questions. We are always happy to help. For more updates, tips, and helpful information, follow us on our Facebook fan page, Twitter, LinkedIn or on our blog.

Posted by Morgan Pace, Senior Dentist Recruitment Consultant with ETS Dental. To find out more, call Morgan at (540) 491-9102 or email at mpace@etsdental.com.

Immigration Options for Dentists

by Ken C. Gauvey
www.gauveylaw.com

There are many associate dentist hiring cycles throughout the year. December through February is the busiest time of year for US-trained foreign nationals who will need to navigate the immigration process in order to work in the country.

With that in mind, we recently invited Ken Gauvey of www.gauveylaw.com to contribute. Ken has experience advising dentists and dental practice owners through the visa and permanent residency processes.

Dentists are placed in a strange position in U.S. immigration laws.  While being recognized as health-care professionals, dentists are precluded from applying for the same types of immigration benefits offered to other health-care professionals.  Therefore, with few exceptions, United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) treat dentists more akin to engineers than doctors.  However, there are exceptions to this treatment that dentists can take advantage of that can either shorten the time it takes to get Lawful Permanent Residency (LPR), known as a Green Card, and remain in the U.S.

We hope that this overview will answer questions and ease concerns of those preparing to seek sponsorship:

Temporary Work Authorization

The standard immigration process involves working under some form of temporary visa status before gaining LPR status.  This temporary visa can be one of several visa options for professionals and include the H-1B, TN, and E visa categories.

The primary temporary visa status for working in the U.S. is the H-1B visa. The H-1B is a visa limited to professionals requiring at least a Bachelor’s degree and who are working for a specific U.S. employer as stated in the H-1B petition.  The H-1B is approved for a period of three years, with one three-year extension permitted, unless an application for LPR status was filed 365 days prior to the end of the 6th year of H-1B status, in which case the H-1B can be extended until the LPR status is finalized. However, there are only 65,000 H-1B visas available every year.  These visas are used by everyone from models, to IT and engineers, to doctors and dentists.  There are an additional 20,000 H-1Bs available for those who received a Master’s degree in the U.S. In 2013, USCIS received 124,000 H-1B petitions within the first five days of the application period, which starts every year on April 1. The H-1B therefore is fairly dependent on timing and luck.

The H-1B process involves two steps. Once the employer wants to hire a dentist on an H-1B, the employer, through counsel, files a Labor Condition Application (LCA).  The LCA is filed with the U.S. Department of Labor.  The DOL then certifies the LCA within, typically, 5-7 business days.  The LCA is then filed with USCIS, along with the I-129, evidence and supplements, to apply for the H-1B.  If the application is filed on April 1, if approved, the dentist can begin working on October 1 of that same year.

H-1B transfers work in a similar way with one important exception.  An H-1B transfer occurs when the dentist is already in the U.S. on an H-1B and wants to change employers. The new employer must sponsor the H-1B transfer.  The LCA, I-129, evidence and supplements are still required.  However, the dentist can begin working for the new employer as soon as the transfer application is sent to USCIS, rather than waiting for an approval.  

Dentists from Canada and Mexico have additional options for working in the U.S. These dentists can work under a NAFTA visa as a TN.  The TN is a visa that permits certain categories of workers, including dentists to work in the U.S. for a specific U.S. employer. The TN can be renewed without limitation as long as the dentist is employed by the employer.

Dentists from Australia can enter on the E-3 visa.  This visa is essentially an H-1B specifically for individuals from Australia. Importantly, the E-3 has its own numerical limitation of 10,500.  The E-3 may be renewed every two years.

Lawful Permanent Residency

Once a dentist is employed in the U.S., there are several ways to remain in the U.S. as a Lawful Permanent Resident.  The most used is the Labor Certification process, or PERM.  However, dentists and employers can avoid this lengthy and costly process in a couple of ways including demonstrating extraordinary ability or demonstrating acclaim as an outstanding researcher.

The Labor Certification process, or PERM, is the most often used avenue to Lawful Permanent Residency. In PERM, the employer engages in a specified three-month recruitment effort as dictated by the U.S. Department of Labor to try to fill the dentist’s position.  If no U.S. qualified applicants apply for the position, the employer then asks the DOL to certify the PERM application.  That certified application is then used to file for the immigrant petition and eventually Lawful Permanent Residency.  The entire process can take from one to ten years depending on how the DOL treats the PERM application and the country of origin of the dentist.

Individuals who have a record of research and publication in highly ranked journals can avoid PERM. Depending on the level of publication, international acclaim, and accomplishments, PERM can be avoided through the filing of a National Interest Waiver or Outstanding Researcher petition.  The National Interest Waiver is a petition to USCIS to be relived of the PERM requirements because it is in the national interest for the dentist to remain in the U.S.  The dentist has to show that the dentist’s continued presence and work in the U.S. would benefit the nation as a whole.  The Outstanding Researcher has similar criteria.  In these petitions, the dentist must demonstrate that the dentist has risen to the very top of their field.  This is often done through awards, references to published works, and the like. Either the National Interest Waiver or the Outstanding Researcher petition would permit the dentist to skip the PERM process.

Dentists have a plethora of immigration options available to them.  As with any major legal decision, it is always best to contact an experienced attorney familiar with the immigration needs of health-care professionals before going forward. U.S. immigration provides very few second chances, so it is always best to know the pitfalls and hurdles that stand in the way.

For more information or to consult with an immigration lawyer, please contact Ken Gauvey at www.gauveylaw.com