Everything they told you about success in dentistry was wrong


When I was in dental school, success looked like one thing.

Own a practice. Fill your schedule. Build a loyal patient base. Work hard for 30 years. Retire.

That was the plan. That was what we were all quietly working toward.

Nobody told me that owning a practice would feel like running a small business with no business training. Nobody told me that insurance reimbursements would keep shrinking while overhead kept climbing. Nobody told me I would be working harder than I ever imagined and still feel like I was barely moving forward.

The version of success they sold us in dental school was built for a different era. The dentists who graduated 30 years ago into a world where that model worked. We graduated into a different reality and most of us are still chasing a version of success that was designed for someone else's career.

The dentists I see thriving today built their own version. They stopped trying to make the old model work and started asking different questions. What do I actually want my practice to look like? What procedures light me up? What would it feel like to be busy doing work I actually enjoy?

Those are not soft questions. They are the most strategic questions you can ask.

Because when you get clear on what success actually looks like for you, you stop wasting energy trying to fit into a version of dentistry that was never built for you.

Video of the Week

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Most dentists are great clinicians. Nobody taught them how to run a business. Dr. Avi sits down with Craig Iott, operational consultant to 200+ businesses, to break down why dental practices feel chaotic, and what to do about it. They cover systems, DSO mistakes, shiny object syndrome, and why your personal brand matters more than ever. If you own a practice or plan to, this one is worth your time.

-Dr. Avi


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