A Dentist’s Guide to Finding an Associate Position and Getting Into a Specialty
Breaking into dentistry is one thing. Figuring out what comes next is a whole other journey. Whether you are a current dental student trying to decide on a specialty, a new grad navigating your first associate contract, or someone still weighing whether Specializing is the right path, the advice you get in school does not always prepare you for the real decisions you will face after graduation.
That is why I sat down with Dr. Babak Gholami, a general dentist and NYU College of Dentistry graduate who completed his General Practice Residency at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn before joining the faculty at NYUCD and practicing across multiple Manhattan offices. Dr. Gholami covers everything from what it really takes to get into an endodontics program, to how to read your first associate contract, to what he wishes he had done differently in dental school. This is the kind of honest, practical insight you rarely get in a classroom.
About Dr. Babak Gholami
Dr. Babak Gholami is a general dentist from Atlanta, GA who received his training and D.D.S. degree from NYU College of Dentistry. After graduating with the class of 2024, Dr. Gholami continued his education with a General Practice Residency at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. He has since been practicing in Manhattan, NY across various dental offices and teaches as a faculty member at NYUCD. He practices all facets of general dentistry, including endodontics, cosmetics, oral surgery, and restorative dentistry.
1. Why did you choose endodontics, and what advice would you give to students trying to find their specialty?
I think it is important for dentists and students to experience all the different types of dentistry and gain exposure to all specialties to discover what truly interests them. It should be something you enjoy doing and can see yourself doing for the rest of your career, as choosing a specialty will define your scope of practice. I chose endodontics because I enjoy performing root canals and saving teeth. Endodontic procedures have always felt right to me, but it was when I really dove into difficult cases during residency that I realized I truly loved it. People will always want to save their teeth when possible, and helping them achieve that is a special feeling.
2. What does the endodontics application process look like, and how competitive is it?
The endodontics application follows the ADEA PASS timeline, and the application cycle typically opens at the end of spring, around mid-May. Applicants will need to have their INBDE scores, GPA and institutional evaluation, letters of recommendation (at least three), and for some programs, an ADAT examination score. Endodontics moves on a relatively fast cycle, as many programs use rolling admissions, so applying sooner is always better. It is important to have all of these materials prepared as the cycle opening date approaches. Endodontics has become incredibly competitive in recent years and is arguably now one of the most competitive dental specialties.
3. How important is GPA and class rank when applying to specialty programs?
GPA and class rank are very important, especially given the competitive nature of endodontics and the limited number of available spots across the country. Having a high class rank and a solid GPA will make your application stronger when specialty applications open, as these metrics are one of the easiest ways for programs to initially assess applicant quality. That said, numbers are not everything. Programs are looking for well-rounded applicants who genuinely have a passion for endodontics and who will contribute positively to the culture of their program and to the specialty as a whole. If your numbers are not where you would like them to be, pursuing research, volunteering, shadowing, or gaining more experience through a GPR, AEGD, or fellowship will increase your value as a candidate. Some programs also prefer applicants with more hands on experience, so working in practice for a period of time can be a benefit as well.
4. What was the hardest part of the specialty application process during dental school?
The hardest part is definitely balancing studying for exams, boards, and practicals while simultaneously trying to gain exposure to different programs and build your network. The final stretch of dental school is an incredibly demanding time. You are managing graduation requirements, board examinations, residency applications, and also growing clinically to prepare yourself for practicing independently in the real world.
5. How did you find your first associate position, and what advice do you have for new graduates job hunting?
I created an Indeed profile during the last few months of my GPR and began sending applications to practices broadly. Cast a wide net and see who responds. Networking with people you meet in school and residency is also a valuable strategy, because chances are someone in your circle will know a practice that is looking for a good doctor. Shadowing at offices during dental school is another great way to find a place you enjoy that may eventually become somewhere you work in the future.
6. What are your thoughts on DSOs versus private practice for new graduates?
DSO versus private practice is a tough comparison, and it really varies from office to office. I do not have personal experience with DSOs, but colleagues of mine who have worked with them have had mixed reviews. If the opportunity is strong, makes financial sense, and is somewhere you would genuinely want to be, then it is worth exploring. At the end of the day, experience is experience, and gaining clinical experience is the most important thing following graduation. I would recommend exploring many options and not committing to anything until you have spoken with mentors, peers, and even a lawyer if contracts are involved.
7. What should new dentists understand about associate contracts?
Most contracts will structure your pay around either Production, which is a percentage of the work you perform each day, or Collections, which is a percentage of what the office actually collects from insurance or self pay for that work. The main difference comes down to payment timing. Production based pay tends to come more quickly, while Collections based pay may take longer due to insurance processing. Ultimately, if you are satisfied with the percentage and the fees the office charges, the distinction between the two may not matter as much. You should also be aware of non compete clauses, which establish a geographic radius around the practice within which you cannot work for a specified period of time after leaving. If you plan to work at multiple practices simultaneously, you will need to negotiate this carefully. Contracts may be part time or full time and may require you to commit to a certain length of time at the practice, or simply give two to three months notice before leaving. Daily minimums are also important to negotiate, especially early in your career when patient volume may be inconsistent. In New York City, commission percentages for general practitioners typically range from around 30 to 35 percent.
8. What advice would you give a new dentist who feels intimidated starting out on their own?
You have to remind yourself that you are a trained, board certified doctor. No matter how new you are, you studied and worked hard for this. No one can take away the knowledge and clinical experience you built in dental school, and no one can discount the sacrifices you made to get here. Starting out on your own can feel daunting, but you know what you are doing. You are never obligated to perform procedures you are not comfortable with, and you can always reach out to mentors, faculty, or more experienced clinicians for guidance. Nobody mastered this in their first years out of school. Trust your training and show patients who you are. Keep attending continuing education courses, keep asking questions, and you will only grow from there. Patients may initially be skeptical of a young doctor, but you can set the tone through confidence, composure, and a strong bedside manner. Take the time to explain what you are seeing on their radiographs and intra-oral photos. Show them you know your material and that will go a long way in building their trust and your reputation.
9. What do you wish dental school had taught you about the business side of dentistry?
Dental school simply does not go deep enough into the business side of dentistry, which is understandable given how much clinical material students need to master first. But the business side is a significant part of practice life, and financial pressures can end up influencing clinical decisions in ways that are not always in the patient’s best interest. What you should never do is allow financial considerations to push you toward altering treatment or compromising the quality of care you provide. The patient always comes first. If you do good work and prioritize patient outcomes, everything else will fall into place over time.
10. If you could go back to dental school, what would you do differently?
If I could go back, I would spend more time in specialty clinics shadowing and asking questions. More exposure is always beneficial, and I might have recognized my passion for endodontics sooner. I would encourage current students to learn as much as possible and complete as manyprocedures as they can in the clinic environment before they are out on their own. There is no other time in your career when you will be surrounded by as many experienced mentors ready to teach you. And beyond the clinical side, spend time with your classmates. After graduation, people tend to scatter back to wherever they came from and life gets busy quickly. You will never again be surrounded by this many people who truly understand what you are going through, Enjoy those.
What stands out most about Dr. Gholami’s perspective is how grounded it is. There is no sugar coating here, just real talk from someone who went through the process recently and came out on the other side with clarity. The dental school years are demanding, the transition into practice is humbling, and specializing in something like endodontics requires genuine passion, not just good board scores.
If you are in dental school right now or preparing to apply for a specialty program, take his advice seriously. Shadow early, ask more questions, protect yourself legally when contracts are involved, and never let financial pressure compromise the care you give your patients. The clinical skills you build in school are yours forever, and the relationships you form during those years are irreplaceable.
More interviews from dental professionals across specialties are coming here on Avalener. If there is someone in the dental world you would love to hear from, feel free let us know.
