How Much Do Dentists Really Need to Retire? Dentist retirment Planning with Ryan Isaac, co-founder of Dentist Advisors

For many dentists, financial success seems tied to how busy the schedule is, how many chairs are full, or how much revenue the practice brings in. But when it comes to retirement, the numbers often tell a very different story.

On a recent episode of the No BS Dental Growth Podcast, I sat down with Ryan Isaac, co-founder of Dentist Advisors and host of The Dentist Money Show, to talk about the one question every dentist eventually asks:

👉 When do I finally have enough to retire?

Why Dentists Retire Later Than Most

Ryan has worked exclusively with dentists, orthodontists, and oral surgeons for nearly two decades, and he’s noticed a trend: dentists often retire later than the average American.

Why?

They tie their identity closely to their profession.
They’re high earners but often late savers.
Debt (student loans, practice loans, mortgages) lingers longer than expected.
Many underestimate just how much they’ll need to keep their lifestyle in retirement.

The Retirement Formula for Dentists

Forget chasing the next “shiny” investment. Ryan explained that the most reliable formula for retirement comes down to three essentials:

Liquidity – How much cash do you have available today?
Income – What recurring income sources will you have (practice sale, real estate, investments)?
Net Worth Growth – Are you steadily increasing assets that will compound over time?

It’s not about timing the market or getting lucky with the next hot stock—it’s about consistent, measured financial planning.

How Much Is Enough?

The truth: there’s no magic number for every dentist. But Ryan recommends thinking in terms of lifestyle replacement.

What does it cost you to live your life right now?
Multiply that annual number by 25.
That’s your rough “financial freedom” benchmark.

For example, if your lifestyle costs $200k a year, you’ll want around $5 million invested and working for you.

Avoiding the Biggest Mistakes

According to Ryan, here are the traps dentists fall into:

Waiting too long to save because they assume practice growth will cover everything.
Over-leveraging debt with new equipment, expansions, or second locations without building personal wealth.
Lack of liquidity, meaning they’re “asset rich but cash poor” when opportunities—or emergencies—arise.

The Elements Planning System

Ryan also introduced the Elements Financial Planning System, a tool his firm uses to give dentists a real-time snapshot of their financial health. Instead of waiting for a year-end review, dentists can benchmark where they stand today—across liquidity, savings rate, net worth, and retirement readiness.

Takeaway for Dentists

The biggest myth in dentistry is that financial freedom comes “someday.” In reality, it comes from building systems today that grow with you through every stage of your career. Dentist retirement planning.

Whether you’re fresh out of school with student loans or approaching the finish line, now is the time to start planning.

Because the truth is, dentists don’t just need enough to retire—they need enough to retire well.

Resources & Links: 🎧 Listen to The Dentist Money Show: dentistadvisors.com/podcast

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