Dental Specialist for H-1B Query

[tidbits]

Hi. I will be graduating in June 2008 from an orthodontics residency program here in the US with a Certificate. I have a US dental degree (DDS), a Master of Science (also from a US institution), valid dental licenses in a couple of states.

I would like to seek out an employment opportunity for H-1B. I haven't used my OPT since I came to the US on a F-1 in 2002.

Now I have three employment options:

1) dental chain companies (such as Western Dental)
2) university/hospital faculty employment
3) private practice option

The one that I am most interested is the (3) - private practice purchase/employment associate option. How difficult is it for an F-1 student to negotiate with a private practice owner for H-1B sponsorship? I am willing to buyout the guy or girl if they want me to. But I also want to be secure in knowing that I can obtain a H-1B and PR eventually.

Has anyone gone through this pathway before? If all private practice options are not good, I will have to explore a faculty position or one of the dental chain companies...

Any personal experiences stories are welcome!

Thanks for your help.


Sincerely,


TiB

 

[great guru]

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Hi. I will be graduating in June 2008 from an orthodontics residency program here in the US with a Certificate. I have a US dental degree (DDS), a Master of Science (also from a US institution), valid dental licenses in a couple of states.

I would like to seek out an employment opportunity for H-1B. I haven't used my OPT since I came to the US on a F-1 in 2002.

Now I have three employment options:

1) dental chain companies (such as Western Dental). Check out there H1 sponsership has too many clauses to check before sign.
2) university/hospital faculty employment
3) private practice option

The one that I am most interested is the (3) - private practice purchase/employment associate option. How difficult is it for an F-1 student to negotiate with a private practice owner for H-1B sponsorship? I am willing to buyout the guy or girl if they want me to.

How much can you put down payment. Practices goes as much as 300K-1.5M
But I also want to be secure in knowing that I can obtain a H-1B and PR eventually.

Has anyone gone through this pathway before? If all private practice options are not good, I will have to explore a faculty position or one of the dental chain companies... before deciding option 1 & 2 how many years are you going to lock up you self before getting your GC. There is a possibilities after couple of months to talk about option 3 with me. What about your location constrain and present location. Are you come under other nation category for PD concerned
Any personal experiences stories are welcome!

Thanks for your help.


Sincerely,


TiB

 

[tidbits]

Thanks for your quick response.

Will banks or other financial institutions give me a loan based on my "practice transition" agreement with a private practice owner?

It sounds quite complicated: on a recent practice management seminar, I learned that a graduate orthodontist can make an agreement with an owner that he will buy - say 10% of the practice - and then purchase the remainder as a "stock option" and gradually paying off the owner over a number of years. At that time, the owner will be an employee of the new buyer and then both will be paid a salary (with the owner (or seller) being paid gradually over a number of years).

I still need to find out more about this. But I have about a year before I finish my training. Plenty of opportunites out there, just need to find the city that I would like to live in and a practice to buy!

Thanks for your thoughts!


Cheers,

 

[great guru]

Seminar will not give you real life scenario. Most of the buy-out takes long time. If you are an H1 , every one takes maximum advantage (no.of years) out of you. That is not so easy as you thing from a seminar. But like to get a fixed salary then Western Dental is best bet both in California and Arizona for an H1 candidate.

Bank business loan is based on your credit history and colletaral. For H1 again lot of restriction on business loan. Home mortage there is a colleteral, but business??
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Thanks for your quick response.

Will banks or other financial institutions give me a loan based on my "practice transition" agreement with a private practice owner?

It sounds quite complicated: on a recent practice management seminar, I learned that a graduate orthodontist can make an agreement with an owner that he will buy - say 10% of the practice - and then purchase the remainder as a "stock option" and gradually paying off the owner over a number of years. At that time, the owner will be an employee of the new buyer and then both will be paid a salary (with the owner (or seller) being paid gradually over a number of years).

I still need to find out more about this. But I have about a year before I finish my training. Plenty of opportunites out there, just need to find the city that I would like to live in and a practice to buy!

Thanks for your thoughts!


Cheers,

 

[tidbits]

Hey Guru

Thanks for your answers...

I'm not based on West Coast at this moment. I took the NERB and SRTA so I am more East Coast based.

I would like to start my own business practice, but with no savings or rich parents, and very low likelihood of getting a business loan on a H-1B, I had been leaning towards a fixed salary positions such as dental chain companies and/or dental faculty position.

Lately, however, I started to do some searching for a private practice owner who would like to work with someone in my situation. Hopefully I will get some interested responses!

If you have any other suggestions or comments, please feel free to post!

Cheers,