Associate Dentist - Established Patient Base | Autonomy | Mentorship | Growth | Future Ownership
Listed compensation
$225K - $350K+
The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed
Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.
Job Description
- Ruby Canyon Dental | Grand Junction, Colorado
- $225,000–$350,000+ Earning Potential
- Established Patient Base | Autonomy | Mentorship | Growth | Future Ownership
You're a Good Dentist!
You want autonomy—but you don't want to practice on an island.
You want to earn well—but compensation isn't the only thing that matters.
You want to keep becoming a better clinician, make a real impact on your patients, work alongside people you respect, and build a career that still leaves room for a great life.
If that sounds like you, keep reading.
One of our respected doctors is transitioning out of Ruby Canyon Dental, creating a rare opportunity for the right dentist to step directly into an established patient base and full schedule with immediate production potential.
- This isn't a position where you'll spend your first year trying to find patients.
- The patients are here.
- The team is here.
- The opportunity is here.
- We're looking for the right doctor.
What You Can Build Here
Immediate Production + Exceptional Earning Potential
Step into an established patient base with the opportunity to earn $225,000–$350,000+ annually, supported by guaranteed compensation, production incentives, and quarterly production true-ups.
We want you focused on providing excellent dentistry and building relationships—not worrying about whether there are enough patients on your schedule.
Autonomy Without Being on an Island
We hire doctors we trust and give them room to practice.
You'll have the autonomy to diagnose comprehensively, develop treatment plans, build relationships with your patients, and make clinical decisions.
At the same time, you'll have experienced doctors and leaders available to collaborate, mentor, and challenge you when you need them.
Support without micromanagement.
Become a Better Dentist
We don't believe professional development should happen by accident.
You'll receive intentional mentorship from Dr. Derek Dean in comprehensive treatment planning, advanced restorative dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, implant restoration, case presentation, leadership, and practice management.
You'll also participate in an outsourced Associate Growth Program that provides structured coaching, accountability, and professional development outside of the practice.
Add generous CE support, and you'll have multiple resources dedicated to helping you become a stronger clinician, communicator, leader, and businessperson.
Build Something Bigger
- Maybe you want to practice great dentistry as an associate for years.
- Maybe you want to lead.
- Maybe ownership is eventually part of your future.
- We're open to all three.
Our Doctor Career Path provides opportunities for leadership development, business education, increased responsibility, and potential future ownership.
If you're looking for your last associate position before becoming a leader, partner, or future practice owner, we should talk.
- You'll Probably Thrive Here If You...
- Take ownership instead of waiting for someone else to solve the problem.
- Want autonomy and are accountable for the results that come with it.
- Stay humble enough to keep learning, regardless of your experience.
- Are hungry to improve clinically, professionally, and personally.
- Communicate with emotional intelligence and genuinely enjoy people.
- Want to provide comprehensive dentistry rather than simply treat one tooth at a time.
- Value a strong team and understand that great dentistry isn't accomplished alone.
- Want your work to have a meaningful impact.
- Look for solutions that are good for the patient, team, and practice.
- Want to build a great career without sacrificing everything outside of it.
- This Might Not Be the Right Practice for You If...
- You're looking for a place to simply show up, do dentistry, collect a paycheck, and go home.
- We care about results—but we also care how those results are achieved.
- We have high standards for patient care, communication, teamwork, accountability, and continued growth.
In return, we believe great doctors deserve respect, autonomy, exceptional support, meaningful earning potential, and the opportunity to build the career they actually want.
Most importantly, we're looking for someone who Gets It, Wants It, and has the Capacity to succeed in this opportunity.
Compensation & Benefits
- $225,000–$350,000+ annual earning potential
- Guaranteed compensation
- Quarterly production true-ups
- Up to $10,000 signing and relocation assistance
- Health insurance – Ruby Canyon Dental pays 70% of employee premium
- 401(k) with 4% employer match
- Malpractice insurance provided
- DEA and professional license reimbursement
- Generous Continuing Education funding
- Outsourced Associate Growth Program
- Internal clinical and leadership mentorship
- Sam's Club membership
Practice With the Technology You Need
Our fully digital practice includes CBCT, digital radiography, intraoral scanners, intraoral cameras, and modern technology that supports comprehensive diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient education.
Who We Are
Our Core Values aren't words hanging on a wall. They define the people we want on our team and how we expect to treat each other and our patients.
Humble
- We serve with gratitude and respect and remain willing to learn.
- Hungry
- We pursue growth and continuous improvement.
Smart
We communicate with emotional intelligence and professionalism.
Seek Win-Win-Win Solutions
We look for outcomes that are good for our patients, our teammates, and our practice.
Build a Great Career. Have a Great Life.
Ruby Canyon Dental is located in Grand Junction, Colorado, where more than 300 days of sunshine and incredible access to mountain biking, hiking, skiing, rafting, golfing, camping, and Colorado wine country make it possible to build an exceptional career without giving up an exceptional life.
Could This Be Your Last Associate Position?
- You may already have a good job.
- But maybe you're ready for more.
- More autonomy.
- More growth.
- More impact.
- More opportunity.
- Maybe you want to be surrounded by people who care about getting better.
- Maybe you want mentorship without micromanagement.
- Maybe you want a path toward leadership or ownership.
- And maybe you want to accomplish all of that while still having a life outside of dentistry.
We're not trying to attract every dentist. We're looking for the right dentist.
If you're ready to find out whether that's you, we'd love to meet you.
Requirements
What We're Looking For
- We're looking for more than someone who can perform dentistry.
- We want a doctor who is clinically capable, emotionally intelligent, accountable, growth-minded, and genuinely enjoys building relationships with patients and teammates.
- Required
- DDS or DMD from an accredited dental school
- Active Colorado Dental License or ability to obtain one before employment
- Current DEA registration or ability to obtain one
- Current BLS/CPR certification
- Ability to provide comprehensive general dentistry within your scope of practice
- Strong patient communication and education skills
- Commitment to high-quality, ethical patient care
- Preferred
- 1–3+ years of clinical experience
- Strong restorative dentistry skills
- Comprehensive diagnosis and treatment-planning experience
- Experience presenting larger or multidisciplinary treatment plans
- Interest in cosmetic, restorative, implant, and/or surgical dentistry
- ACLS certification
- Desire to continue developing clinically, professionally, and as a leader
- Exceptional new graduates with strong clinical skills, maturity, and a demonstrated growth mindset are encouraged to apply.
The Dentist Who Will Thrive Here
Credentials get you considered. Who you are determines whether you'll thrive here.
You'll Likely Be a Great Fit If You
Take ownership. You don't wait for someone else to solve every problem.
Want autonomy. You value being trusted to make clinical decisions—and accept the accountability that comes with that trust.
Are humble. You're confident in what you know and comfortable asking questions about what you don't.
Stay hungry. You actively want to improve your clinical skills, communication, leadership, and results.
Are emotionally intelligent. You can read the room, communicate professionally, receive feedback, and build strong relationships.
Think comprehensively. You want to understand the whole patient rather than simply treat the tooth in front of you.
Value your team. You understand that exceptional patient care requires collaboration.
Want to make an impact. Helping patients improve their health and quality of life matters to you.
Seek Win-Win-Win solutions. You look for outcomes that serve the patient, the team, and the practice.
Want to keep growing. You're looking for a career opportunity, not simply your next job.
Our Expectations Go Both Ways
- We'll expect a lot from you: excellent patient care, accountability, communication, continued development, teamwork, and professionalism.
- You should expect a lot from us, too.
You Should Expect
Autonomy. Respect. Supportive leadership. Meaningful work. Professional development. A positive culture. Strong earning potential. Flexibility and balance.
And if your long-term goals include leadership, partnership, or practice ownership, you should expect us to help you build the skills necessary to get there.
Key Responsibilities
The associate dentist will manage an established patient base by providing comprehensive general dentistry and developing personalized treatment plans. They will also participate in clinical mentorship and leadership development programs to enhance their practice and patient care.
Qualifications
- Education
- Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
- Experience
- 2+ years of experience
Certifications
Key Skills
Work-Life Balance Analysis
WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Associate Dentist - Established Patient Base | Autonomy | Mentorship | Growth | Future Ownership at Ruby Canyon Dental Group a 6.6 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as good. This places the position in the top 25% in Dentist — ranked against 3,154 active Dentist listings on WeekdayDoc.
Dentistry Career Context
Ruby Canyon Dental Group holds silver-tier status on WeekdayDoc's Top Employers work-life index, composite score 74/100, 3 active listings.
Of the 49 active Dentist listings this role was benchmarked against, 41% have no call, 78% require no weekends.
| Measure | This job | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Work-life score | 6.6 / 10 · top 25% in dentist | ranked against 3,154 Dentist listingslisting-based score, 0–10 |
| Listed pay | $225k–$350k | Dentist median $250k (middle half $175k–$325k)11 comparable listings, Nov 2026 |
| Cost-of-living adjusted pay | ~$279k in purchasing power | Colorado index 103.1 (US = 100)BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) |
| Dentist listings in Colorado | 176 active | 5,625 nationallylive on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Work setting | on-site | peers: 41% no call · 78% no weekends49 benchmarked listings |
| Sign-on & loan repayment | $10k sign-on | Colorado healthcare professional listings: 17% state a sign-on bonus (median $5k) · 11% offer loan repayment176 active listings, Nov 2026 |
| New Dentistry listings | 213 in the last 30 days | 209 the 30 days before (about the same)U.S., first seen on WeekdayDoc, Nov 2026 |
| Ruby Canyon Dental Group | silver tier, 74/100 | Top Employers work-life index3 active listings |
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