When a dentist says he or she "is leaving the practice," what does that mean?

Question

I am a current patient in one dental office where I had two dentists assigned to me in a three year span. The first one (a woman) did my teeth for two years and told me that she was "leaving the practice." She replaced by another (a man), who only lasted one year when he too said he was "leaving the practice." Next thing I knew, he flew off to another state. I never bothered to ask both of them what they meant by that.

Are they going back to school to get a advanced degree or training to be a dental surgeon? This is just a general guess on my part.

I am currently on my third dentist in the same office, but he's not leaving any time soon... he's the dentist with the most seniority and have been there long before the two dentists that worked on me.

Preferably someone who works in a dental office could answer this question.

Answer 1

that means they quit leaving you to find another dentist

Answer 2

I'm in the dental field and it's a lot like any other job. "leaving the practice" is just that. It is obviously not owned by the dentist who is leaving, otherwise they would say they were "selling the practice". They will probably find another dental job elsewhere or open their own practice. It doesn't mean they are leaving the dental field and are not going to practice any longer. Generally if you are leaving from an office that someone else owns, you are discouraged from giving patients too many details because the patients "belong" to that office and it is frowned upon if a dentist has his/her current patients follow them to a new location.

Answer 3

I don't work in a dental office, but usually when a dentist or doctor says leaving the practice, they are usually transferring to another office to work. Usually dentist stay doing what they are doing till they finish there schooling, work while finishing school. But I had a dentist that said this and he just moved to a different location out of the county!

Answer 4

When a dentist has thier own office, it's called their 'practice'. When other dentists are employed with the dentist that owns the practice, they are associates. When the associates 'leave the practice', it means they are not going to work for the dentist who owns the 'practice' anymore.

There are a number of reasons for leaving... better opportunity at another 'practice', going back to school to continue thier education and becoming a specialist, moving out of the area, etc...

So many answers.... so many to choose from... I hope this helped.

:)

Answer 5

Leaving the practice just means they will no longer be working there. It could be for a number of reasons... they are starting/taking over another practice... retiring...moving from the area...or just looking for a new place to work. People tend to come and go in the dental field. Always looking for a better opportunity. Its nothing personal to the office they are in, just needing a change.

Answer 6

It could mean two things one they are not going to practice dentistry anymore or they are leaving that particular office to start a new job with another dental office. The best thing you can do to satisfy you curiosity is to ask your new dentist why the two previous dentists told you they were "leaving the practice" he may know the reason. It could be they were underpaid at that particular dental office.

Answer 7

A "practice" is a dentist's office, in this case. When they say they're "leaving the practice," they don't mean they're giving up dentistry forever. They just mean they're quitting their job at that particular dentiast's office. They are going to go be dentists in another "practice," another dentist's office.

Answer 8

Usually "leaving the practice" means one of two things. It could mean that they are no longer going to practice denistry at the location they are currently in.
The dentist could be leaving the practice they are with to start their own dental clinic if they are practicing with a group of dentists currently or they could be moving to another practice elsewhere in the state or country.
It could also mean that they no longer wish to be a dentist and are looking into doing something else with their lives such as going back to school or getting a job in another field of work.

Answer 9

Leaving the practice means not working in that office anymore. I'd sure switch to another dental practice - office. Too much turnover there. I know it's hard to be constantly having to trust new drs.

Answer 10

Well on thing could be is just like lawyers. There working at the dentists office that someone ones and they just work there. They could be starting there own dentists office some wheres else. So they would work for them selfs. Getting exprience working for some one else before they go out on there own.

Answer 11

I'm a medical student and generally when someone says "They're leaving the practice" it means that they are no longer going to work in that paticular field. The dentist is most likely not going to work as a dentist any longer.