Associate Dentist

Position Overview

1 Health is seeking Associate Dentists for its Wigram clinic in Christchurch. This is a permanent full-time opportunity, and flexible working arrangements can be considered. Dentists at every stage of their career are encouraged to apply, including recent graduates and highly experienced clinicians.

About the Clinic

1 Health is a Christchurch-owned, multidisciplinary health centre located at 1 Henry Wigram Drive and operating seven days a week. The hub brings together general practice, dentistry, occupational health, and aesthetic medicine in one setting. Its growing GP enrolment base creates a steady flow of potential dental patients, while the practice model emphasises low-pressure dentistry, digital systems, and connected medical-dental care aimed at improving patient outcomes and experience.

Role Summary

The clinic is looking for dentists who want a more dynamic associate position than a standard flat-percentage arrangement. You will provide care across general, emergency, cosmetic, and sedation-supported dentistry, while also working closely with the wider in-house clinical team.

Clinical Work

• Routine general dentistry, including examinations, restorative work, root canal treatment, and minor oral surgery.
• Urgent and emergency dental treatment, with some after-hours and weekend work when mutually agreed.
• Cosmetic procedures such as whitening, bonding, and veneers.
• IV conscious sedation cases supported by nurses trained in ultrasound-guided IV cannulation.
• Integrated patient care alongside general practitioners, occupational health providers, and aesthetic clinicians.

What Sets This Role Apart

• A modern, digital dental setup with intra-oral scanning and up-to-date equipment.
• Referral opportunities generated internally through the broader medical, occupational health, and aesthetic services.
• A transparent earnings model that offers the feel of ownership without requiring immediate equity purchase or full ownership risk.

Compensation and Profit Share

The remuneration structure is designed to be clear and performance-based. You will receive 40% commission on your personal net collections as your base income. The practice retains the remaining 60% to cover overheads such as staffing, rent, consumables, lab costs, marketing, and investment in equipment, technology, and fit-out. Once those costs and agreed investments are recovered, any surplus linked to your revenue stream is split 50/50 between you and the practice. As the clinic grows and capital costs reduce, your share of profit becomes more meaningful, creating the potential to earn above the usual associate benchmark.

Growth Potential

Because the practice sits inside a medical hub, your patient list is expected to grow faster than in a standalone dental clinic. A regular stream of newly enrolled GP patients, along with the pull of on-site medical, aesthetic, and occupational health services, creates ongoing internal referral opportunities and more chances to build long-term patient relationships. The integrated setting also supports combined care plans where appropriate.

Sedation and Nursing Support

IV sedation is backed by nursing support trained in ultrasound-guided IV access, in line with DCNZ conscious sedation expectations and team-based monitoring practices. This setup helps with the management of anxious and surgical cases and supports the development of a strong sedation-focused patient base.

Culture and Staff Benefits

The workplace is described as collaborative, growth-oriented, ethical, and evidence-led. Staff can also expect a strong team environment with a work-hard/play-hard attitude. Benefits include discounted gym memberships, staff discounts on massage therapy, access to aesthetic treatments at staff rates, and free multifrequency body composition analysis to support personal wellness and performance. The roster can be tailored within a seven-day operating model to help balance service needs with work-life preferences.

Future Leadership Opportunity

For dentists with an entrepreneurial outlook, there may be a pathway into a lead dentist position at a planned second Christchurch location once performance and fit are established. This could also open the door to a more advanced risk-reward structure, potentially including enhanced profit share and equity, subject to growth planning and financing feasibility.

Application Details

Interested candidates should email their application to the clinic directly. Please include a CV and a short cover letter outlining your current clinical scope and experience, your interest in the 40% commission plus 50/50 surplus profit-share arrangement, and your appetite for leadership or ownership opportunities over the next two to five years.

Additional Information

The role is based in Wigram, Christchurch, New Zealand. It is a full-time permanent position, and flexible arrangements may be available. The clinic operates seven days a week, and some emergency care may extend into after-hours or weekend sessions as agreed.