Best Side Hustles for Dentists (How to Boost Revenue)
Learn how you can expand your income with telehealth and more
Are you looking for ways to diversify your income amidst rising practice overhead and insurance reimbursement challenges? We’ve come up with seven of the best side hustles for dentists that allow you to use your existing resources and professional credentials to add revenue streams.
If you’re ready to learn how to make extra money as a dentist, keep reading!
1. Offer high-demand wellness services
Why it’s a top side hustle: Weight management, hormone therapy, and longevity medicine are experiencing remarkable market expansion, giving dentists a distinct advantage in this space.With your credibility and the established link between oral health and overall health, patients are seeking whole-healthcare solutions from providers they already rely on.
Benefits:
Recurring revenue from ongoing patient programs
Cash-pay model with potentially HSA/FSA eligible programs
Meet patients where current demand is highest
Complement your existing holistic health approach
Higher profit margins without insurance overhead
Can offer these services without additional training or hiring staff if working with a platform like OpenLoop.
Pro-tip: Dentists often lack prescribing privileges for these therapies, but OpenLoop eliminates this barrier through its turnkey operational platform.
2. Offer aesthetic dentistry services or partnerships
Why it’s a top side hustle: The facial injectable market is expected to expand at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2025 to 2030, creating revenue opportunities for dental practices.
Besides getting their teeth cleaned to maintain health, patients also do so because they value their appearance. Given your extensive training in oral and facial anatomy, you’re uniquely qualified to venture into aesthetic services yourself, such as providing Botox for reducing gingival display or dermal fillers for smoothing facial lines.
However, keep in mind that additional certification may be required to offer these services.
Benefits:
Can generate revenue without performing the aesthetic procedures yourself
Leverage your existing patient base, already interested in appearance enhancement
Your dental credentials provide instant credibility for facial injectable procedures
Pro-tip: If you provide the services yourself, check your state’s regulations to learn about rules for administering Botox and dermal fillers.
3. Membership/concierge dental programs
Why it’s a top side hustle: Traditional dental insurance creates administrative burden for you and can limit patient care options. Membership-based dental programs would allow you to offer patients direct access to care through monthly or annual subscriptions, eliminating the need for insurance intermediaries.
Benefits:
Generate stable, predictable monthly revenue
Can set your own pricing without insurance fee schedule restrictions
Attract uninsured or underinsured patients seeking affordable options and/or predictable fees
Pro-tip: Target self-employed individuals, small business owners, and patients frustrated with insurance limitations.
4. Dental sleep medicine
Why it’s a top side hustle: Research suggests that the prevalence of sleep apnea in adults is 33.9% and 17.4%, in men and women, respectively. Despite these high numbers, the vast majority of cases remain undiagnosed and untreated. Dentists could offer an effective alternative to CPAP machines withoral appliance therapy.
Benefits:
Utilize existing practice space and equipment
Medical insurance often covers oral appliances
Can generate recurring revenue through appliance adjustments and follow-up appointments
Pro-tip: Pursue certification through the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine to establish credibility and ensure best practices.
5. Telehealth dental consultations
Why it’s a top side hustle: According to research, “teledentistry might be the future of the oral health sector” and has the potential to improve patient outcomes, decrease healthcare inequalities, and broaden access to dentistry services. There’s also demand for it, with the global teledentistry market projected to grow from $1.58 billion in 2023 to $6.03 billion by 2032.
Benefits:
Screen dental emergencies more efficiently
Generate revenue during evenings or weekends
Extend care access to homebound or rural patients
Lower overhead compared to physical dental offices
6. Product testing/affiliate marketing
Why it’s a top side hustle: You’re recommending oral care products and other dental tools to patients daily at your clinic, so why not tap into its revenue potential? Your professional credentials establish immediate trust that translates directly into product sales through affiliate partnerships, product testing agreements, or branded product lines.
Benefits:
Generate passive income without additional clinical time
Patients can test products in your office before purchasing
Strengthens patient relationships/loyalty by providing trusted product guidance
Pro-tip: Start with affiliate programs for products you already recommend, like electric toothbrushes, water flossers, night guards, and more.
7. Mobile dental services
Why it’s a top side hustle: Transportation barriers, which are more common among elderly individuals and college students on campus, are preventing many patients from accessing traditional dental offices. Mobile dentistry would eliminate this obstacle by delivering treatment directly where patients live, work, or study.
Benefits:
Can charge premium rates for mobile convenience
Reach underserved populations with limited access
Secure contracts with facilities for recurring, predictable visits
Build your practice's reputation while serving your local community
Pro-tip: Consider starting with assisted living communities and nursing homes, as these locations offer concentrated patient populations and regular appointment schedules that maximize your efficiency and income per visit.
Expand Your Dental Practice Revenue Opportunities
Today’s healthcare consumers desire convenient delivery models and transparent cash-based pricing, and dentists possess a natural competitive advantage in this evolving landscape.
OpenLoop delivers the clinical infrastructure to facilitate telehealth consultations and high-demand wellness services. You promote the program, we handle the rest.
Ready to expand your services? Talk to our team today!
*This content is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, please consult a licensed attorney.