Cool Canadian Curious for Carlsbad (San Diego: sales, insurance, daycare)

[calicopete]

I am a Canadian looking to move my family to open/buy a Dental Practice in the San Diego region, particularly in Carlsbad. My wife is a homemaker so our household would be single income although I am sure with her entrepreneurial spirit, she may wish to supplement (she's an insurance broker by experience but an interior designer by heart). I am also contemplating going further as a specialist (ortho, endo or prostho).

I have a few curiosities:

- Is there a great need if one works and lives in Carlsbad to venture outside --for necessities/entertainment/leisure/recreation/medical attention-- other than perhaps on weekends or holidays?
- Are dental professions in in the SD region threatened or affected at all by practices south of the US border?
- How are dental services paid (out of pocket/employer benefits/insurance)
- Is the SD area a retirement region? (I'm thinking baby-boomers needing dental work and retiring their practices)
- Can a person of my profession support my family with a comfortable and even high standard of living and own a $700-$900K home in Carlsbad?
- Does living right by the ocean ever get dull?

Facts to consider before you offer feedback:

- 30 years of my life I have lived in about 2-3 good months of sunny summers and the rest cold with about 6 months of subzero climate
- Our area is all flat farm land with a few valleys that are subpar for scenery (think Midwest with no mountains)
- There isn't much to do outdoors 6-8 months of the year so we spend a lot of time indoors
- Family of 4
- Fuel is nearly $3.50/gallon
- Property tax is $250/month
- Personal Income tax is 28% for my tax bracket not to mention about $200 per month in unemployment insurance premiums (yes we pay collectively for those that get laid off and also those that don't want to work)
- Income tax for a small business is 17%
- Sales tax (GST) is 5% luckily we don't pay a provincial tax
- Provincial Health care premiums are free for now for Albertans
- Groceries and necessities are about $700/month
- Dining and entertainment for our family runs about $500/month
- Cell Phones $200/month
- Utilities $500/month
- Daycare is $600/month per child
- Private school tution is $500/month for K to 6

Please feel free to offer alternatives to Carlsbad without sacrificing safety and good schools, including private schools.