Five dentists recently spoke with Becker’s to share what they would do differently if they started their careers today.
Editor’s note: Responses were lightly edited for length and clarity.
Question: If you had to start over in dentistry today, what would you do differently?
Sibera Brannon, DDS. Dentist at Affordable Dentures & Implants (Sun City, Ariz.): If I had to start over in dentistry today, I would focus less on simply becoming a great clinician and more on becoming a well-rounded builder from the very beginning.
Early in my career, like most dentists, I prioritized clinical excellence. That foundation is essential, but it’s not enough on its own to create long-term success, sustainability or freedom. If I could do it again, I would accelerate three things much earlier:
First, I would invest sooner in understanding the business of dentistry. Ownership, overhead and cash flow matter just as much as clinical production. Too many dentists work hard without fully understanding how value is actually created within their practice.
Second, I would focus more intentionally on leadership and people development. Growth doesn’t come from doing everything yourself. It comes from building teams, mentoring other doctors and creating an environment where others can thrive.
Third, I would think earlier about systems and scalability. Instead of viewing a practice as something dependent on my physical presence, I would build it as a system — one that can be replicated, refined and sustained over time through strong processes and digital workflows.
Finally, I would connect my work to a deeper sense of purpose much sooner. Dentistry is more than a profession. It’s a platform. When aligned with service and impact, it can extend far beyond the walls of a practice and create something meaningful on a much larger scale. It’s what I often think of as learning to operate beyond the chair.
I wouldn’t change the journey, but I would shorten the learning curve because the future of dentistry isn’t just about doing more dentistry. It’s about building systems, developing people and using this profession as a platform for something greater.
For me, that mindset is now being lived out through Project NicaRisas, where clinical care, mentorship and purpose come together to create something that extends far beyond the practice.
Rick Mars, DDS. President at The Dental Care Group (Aventura, Fla.): Not one thing. You have to appreciate that being a dentist is a journey. Where you start in your journey is going to look way different than where you finish. You learn every single day when you are a dentist. Sometimes the lessons are small, and some days they are life changing. You grow with these lessons and know that your team and patients grow because of the lessons you teach them. Successful dentists find their niche. It can be clinically or administratively (or both), and when you do find it, you embrace it and run with it. You will have good days and great days and occasionally not so good days, but know that good ones will far outnumber the bad ones.
Jean-Pierre Rwigema, DDS. Dentist at Affordable Dentures & Implants (Fort Worth, Texas): If I had to start over in dentistry today, I would focus earlier on three areas: strong clinical mentorship, business education and healthcare compliance.
Dentistry is a highly technical profession, but long-term success requires more than clinical skill alone. I would have sought out strong mentors earlier, particularly in areas such as implant dentistry, full-arch rehabilitation, surgical treatment planning and clinical decision-making. Good mentorship helps a young dentist avoid preventable mistakes, build confidence and develop sound judgment much earlier in their career.
I would also have invested earlier in understanding the business side of dentistry, including leadership, patient communication, case acceptance, team development, insurance and practice operations. Many dentists graduate with excellent clinical training but limited exposure to the realities of leading within a dental practice or dental organization. Understanding how clinical decisions, operations, patient experience and financial sustainability work together is essential.
Most importantly, I would have developed a deeper appreciation for compliance, ethics, documentation and risk management much earlier. Since beginning my graduate certificate in healthcare compliance at Kent State University, I have gained a much clearer understanding of how important compliance is to the long-term integrity of healthcare delivery. This is especially true in federally sponsored programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, where providers have a responsibility to ensure that billing, documentation, medical necessity, patient care and organizational processes meet applicable legal, ethical and regulatory standards. Compliance should not be viewed as merely a regulatory requirement or an administrative burden. It is a patient-protection framework. It helps ensure that care is properly documented, services are medically necessary, claims are accurate, patients are treated fairly, and that healthcare organizations operate with transparency and accountability. For dentists, especially those practicing within larger group practices, DSOs, public programs or insurance-based environments, understanding compliance is critical to protecting patients, providers and the organization.
Overall, I would still choose dentistry again. However, if I were starting over today, I would build my career from day one on a broader foundation: clinical excellence, strong mentorship, business knowledge, ethical leadership and a proactive understanding of healthcare compliance.
Barry Sporer, DMD. Dentist at 80 Park Avenue Dental (New York City): Looking back on my career, my only regret is not partnering with a DPO sooner. Like many, I initially viewed joining a DSO as a late-stage “exit strategy.” What I actually found was a far more efficient way to practice.
Many dentists hesitate to affiliate because they fear losing clinical independence or becoming just another employee. However, the business model has evolved significantly. While a DPO model may require a minimum 60% equity stake, the reality is that you maintain the autonomy to run your practice your way — just with better back-end support.
My years in organized dentistry taught me that the best way to protect our profession is through collaboration — a principle I saw daily while chairing [the New York County Dental Society’s] Peer Review and Quality Assurance Committee. I’ve found that same spirit of mutual growth within the DPO model. While many fear that affiliation means isolation from the craft, my experience has been the opposite. It has provided a platform to share best practices and clinical insights, proving that whether through a society or a partnership, we are stronger when we aren’t practicing on an island.
Robert Trager, DDS. Dentist at JFK Airport (New York City): After practicing for 60 years — 41 years [and counting] at JFK Airport and LaGuardia Airport for 26 years — I have realized the best place to open a practice would be in the airports. I would become the first “ASDO” (airport service dental organization). Instead of opening up a practice in a home, professional building, store front or a mall, I now realize the best scenario is right in the workplace. JFK has 30,000 employees and LGA has 25,000. I would open up at least 20 ASDOs at airports, all of which would have well over 20,000 employees. They would all be open 24/7 so you could practice as many hours as you wish. You would never be locked out of your premises, and there would always be snow, trash removal and free parking.
The airline unions as well as the airport service vendors and the airport administration all have excellent unions and HR administrations, all resulting in higher dental fees, [no matter] which dental contract they have. Many of the fees I receive are higher than what others get in the same ZIP code. Patients can come in before, during and after their shifts which allows them much more convenience and flexibility [for] treatments. Airports never go bankrupt or out of business. There’s never a worry about gentrification, and there will always be new employees as others retire to fill their positions. The provider fees in most cases are $2,000 annually, some are $5,000 annually and others are unlimited. You don’t have to be in network because you are the only provider there, and you can receive the highest reimbursements. Patients come from all different cultural ethnicities and religious backgrounds, thus making it a wonderful experience in learning about their backgrounds, culture, foods and language. I have learned at least eight different language phrases in treating my patients, and many of our patients are flight attendants and have provided me with many upgrades over the years as well as free international flights from station managers at [other] airlines. I have been fortunate to travel to Asia, Europe and South America. Another interesting point is when they retire and move out of state: They fly back to us for their dental treatments because they appreciate our dental services.
At the age of 86, I am still working Monday through Friday. [There are] too many perks to retire. It keeps my mind and body active … My slogan has always been, “Join the smile high club.” I have been known throughout the country as the “smile high dentist.”
At the Becker's 5th Annual Future of Dentistry Roundtable, taking place September 14-15 in Chicago, dental leaders and executives will gain insights into emerging technologies, practice growth strategies and the evolving landscape of dental care delivery, with a focus on innovation, patient experience and operational excellence. Apply for complimentary registration now.
