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Associate contracts, Virginia non-competes, pay, W-2 vs. 1099, licensing, student loans and the path to ownership.
The first contract a new dentist signs shapes the next several years: how they are paid, where they can work if they leave, and how quickly they build the skills and savings to own a practice. Most of that is decided in a few pages that few graduates are taught to read.
These guides are for fourth-year dental students, residents and associates. They cover associate contracts and pay, non-compete rules in Virginia, W-2 versus 1099 status, getting licensed in Virginia, student loan repayment, choosing between a DSO and a private practice, buying into a practice and knowing when you are ready to own.
Cisor Consulting works with dentists from the fourth year of dental school onward. Our career development for dental students and associate career consulting services turn these guides into a plan for your own career.
How Virginia’s non-compete statute applies to dental associates in 2026: low-wage and overtime rules, the new severance requirement, and what to ask a lawyer.
10 min readRead guideCollections vs. production, daily guarantees, draws and lab fees: how dental associate pay formulas work, with worked numbers showing why the details matter.
9 min readRead guideVirginia dental licensure step by step: CODA degree, INBDE, the ADEX-only clinical exam rule, NPDB report, score cards, the five-year rule and annual CE.
9 min readRead guideFederal loan rules changed in 2026: the new RAP plan, the end of SAVE and Grad PLUS, new borrowing caps, PSLF for dentists and how to choose a repayment plan.
9 min readRead guideWhat to expect in year one as a dental associate: the production ramp, numbers to track, money habits, insurance, CE and the conversations to have at 90 days.
9 min readRead guideW-2 or 1099 dental associate? How the IRS control test works, what self-employment tax costs, Virginia’s employee presumption and how to compare the two offers.
9 min readRead guideDSO or private practice for your first dental job? A side-by-side look at pay, mentorship, schedule, autonomy, contracts and the path to ownership.
9 min readRead guideA clause-by-clause checklist for dental associate contracts: pay definitions, lab fees, termination, non-competes, malpractice tail and questions to ask.
10 min readRead guideA month-by-month plan for D4 students: residency or practice, licensure exams, job search, contracts, loans and paperwork to finish before your first patient.
9 min readRead guideHow a dental practice buy-in works: valuation, deal structure, financing, the partnership agreement, tax questions and the warning signs to watch for.
9 min readRead guideA readiness check for associates considering ownership: clinical, financial, personal and market signals, and how to choose between buy-in, purchase or startup.
8 min readRead guideGet a hands-on partner for the decisions in this guide.
