The Associate Compensation Decoder
Read, compare, and negotiate any dental employment offer — without guessing what the contract actually pays you.
Book + 6-tab calculator suite — $47
Get the Complete Package — $47Most associates sign the first offer they are handed
You trained for years to practice dentistry. Nobody trained you to read a compensation agreement. Thirty percent of production sounds simple — until you learn what counts as production, what gets deducted first, and how your payor mix quietly decides your paycheck. This book closes that gap.
15 chapters, plain language
A complete guide to reading, comparing, and negotiating any dental employment offer.
Every compensation model, decoded
Production percentage, collections percentage, base plus bonus, daily guarantee, and the hybrids — what each one pays and where each one hides risk.
The payor mix that shapes your income
PPO write-offs, fee schedules, and what collections really means — the variables that silently move your take-home by thousands.
Contract red flags in writing
What the risky clauses look like on the page, from lab-fee deductions to restrictive covenants and clawbacks.
The negotiation, word for word
Scripts for the offer conversation itself, so you can ask for what you want without guessing or overreaching.
A 6-tab calculator suite — the book in action
Enter one offer in Scenario A, a second in B, a third in C. Every formula calculates automatically and the comparison tab shows the winner.
Who it is for
- New or early-career associate dentists weighing a first — or next — offer.
- Anyone who has read an employment contract and was not sure what they were reading.
- Anyone who accepted thirty percent of production and never fully understood what it meant for their paycheck.
- Anyone who wants to negotiate but does not want to guess.
Questions associates ask before signing
Production pay is a percentage of the dentistry you complete. Collections pay is a percentage of what the practice actually collects for it, which shifts the risk of unpaid or written-off claims onto you. That is why your payor mix matters so much.
It depends on what counts as production, what is deducted first, and the office fee schedule and payor mix. The same percentage can produce very different paychecks in two different practices, which is exactly what the book and calculators help you compare.
A heavy PPO mix means insurers write off part of every fee before anything is collected, so a collections-based percentage pays out on a smaller number. Understanding a prospective office mix is often more important than the headline percentage.
Common ones include lab fees deducted from your production, aggressive non-compete or restrictive covenants, vague bonus triggers, and clawback clauses. The book shows what each looks like in writing so you can spot them before you sign.
Neither is universally better. They differ in compensation structure, autonomy, mentorship, and long-term upside, and the right answer depends on your goals and numbers. The DSO vs. Private 5-Year Model is built to compare them.
The $47 complete package includes both the 15-chapter book and the full 6-tab calculator suite. The calculators are the book put into practice on your own numbers.
No. It is educational content based on common compensation structures and patterns, not personalized legal, financial, or tax advice. Review any employment agreement with your own attorney and advisor before signing.
Decode your offer before you sign it
The complete book and the full 6-tab calculator suite, for $47.
Get the Complete Package — $47