Will Working as a Dentist Before Residency Hurt My Chances of Matching?

I’m currently a D3, after graduation I am planning to work as a general dentist for a few years to pay off some student debt before applying to a residency program. However, I’ve heard that many students go directly from dental school into residency.

Would taking time to work in private practice reduce my chances of getting matched into a residency later? Do programs prefer fresh graduates, or would real-world experience strengthen my application? I’d love to hear from anyone who took either path!