Henry Schein uses Twitter to address young dentists' finances

Are you a first-year dentist or dental student looking for resources to help sort out the various financial and business decisions many young dentists face?

Check out Henry Schein's Ask the Experts live Twitter chat on April 25, 3-4 p.m. Eastern time, "Financial Literacy and the Transition from College to Real World."

Keith Drayer, vice president of Henry Schein Financial Services, will be on hand to answer questions about why owning a practice is a good way for younger dentists to maximize their skills and how it can be a source of income for paying back debt.

"I talk to young dental professionals all over the world, and there are so many similarities no matter where you are," said Drayer, who is responsible for Henry Schein Financial Services, Henry Schein Professional Practice Transitions, and Henry Schein Nationwide Dental Opportunities. "In dental schools everywhere, students are focusing primarily on clinical aspects and passing the boards. With so many new clinical demands in dental school, less time is available to give business classes and teach students about human resources, as well as all of the challenges and opportunities that come with running your own business."

Here are some of the questions Drayer anticipates fielding during the hour-long Twitter event:

• If you are a student, where do you think you'll be after dental school?
• What private sector options do you think there are for practicing?
• What do you want/expect to gain from an associateship?
• What kind of advisors should you surround yourself with?
• How much average debt do you have from dental school?

For those just graduating from dental school and trying to decide how and where to begin practicing, Drayer recommends Henry Schein's Nationwide Dental Opportunities service.

"Getting into dental school is more competitive and harder than ever, with applications running 20:1 in terms of acceptance," Drayer said. "So if you get in, you are going. And people may have preferences in terms of geography, but in reality if you can get into dental school with that ratio, you're going where you get in. But this means that many dental students go out of state, and then when they are ready to relocate and start practicing they don't have the networking base they thought they would. Our associate dentist placement and recruitment service -- which is free -- is a resource designed for them."

To participate in this Twitter event, log into hsic.com/joindentalchat and use #dentalchat.