[This is a segment from the hour-long video training: The New Era of Private Practice Dentistry – available for free, on-demand here…]
Let’s be honest. Most doctors are working hard, doing the right things, making all the expected moves – investing in CE, running a practice, taking care of patients – and yet, they’re not experiencing the wealth, freedom, or joy they imagined when they first got into this game.
Why?
Because they’ve been playing by outdated rules. Rules written for a different time, a different market, and a different patient. But all of that has changed.
We have entered The New Era of Private Practice Dentistry.
Right now, we’re standing in the middle of the greatest opportunity we’ve seen in decades. Private practice dentistry is being reborn. And if you’re paying attention, you’re perfectly positioned to capitalize on what I believe are the four most vital trends reshaping our industry.
Let’s break it down.
1. The Consumer-Driven Marketplace
We’re no longer dealing with the oblivious, uninformed patient who walks in because their insurance told them to. That world is gone.
Today’s consumer is educated. They’re online. They’re Googling. They’re researching before they even think about picking up the phone. With AI delivering instant access to answers and a sea of options, patients are walking in with more knowledge than ever.
That means one of two things:
- Either you ALIGN with their expectations or
- You LOSE them.
They don’t want watered-down explanations.
They don’t want vague treatment plans.
They want truth and transparency, delivered with confidence and clarity. And if you can’t or won’t give it to them, they’ll find someone else who will.
This is the era of knowledge-based buyers. And that’s not a threat – it’s an advantage, if you know how to use it.
2. The Relationship Renaissance
With all the tech, all the automation, all the streaming and scrolling we’ve lost something that is experiencing a resurgence.
People are craving human connection again.
What we’re seeing, across every industry, is a shift back toward relationship-based, personalized experiences.
It’s not about the cheapest, open-door gym membership or the fastest online consult. The no longer want a do-it-yourself option.
It’s about boutique, high-touch, one-on-one care and attention.
And dentistry is no different.
Patients don’t want a brand or a corporate machine. They want you. They want to know your name. They want to feel seen, heard, valued. They want the trust that comes from a consistent relationship, not a revolving door of providers.
That’s why practices that lean into personality-driven communication, front-loaded relationship-building, and an intentional patient experience are winning.
And patients don’t want to figure out what you stand for after they show up. They want to feel it before they even pick up the phone so it must permeate every aspect of your practice, your culture, your marketing, and your messaging.
3. The Rise of the A-Patient
This one’s close to my heart.
We’ve always talked about A-patients, those who value their health, want to do things right, and invest in their well-being. The great news? There are more of them now than ever before.
Why?
Because the market is waking up. People are choosing to become A-patients. They’re craving personalization. They want care that matches their standards, their goals, their identity.
And yes – they’re willing to pay for it, but here’s the catch:
You can’t attract A-patients if you’re still running a C-practice.
You have to declutter your systems, your language, your case presentations, your environment, your mindset.
You have to think premium. Concierge. Luxury. Comprehensive. Aspirational.
If you mismatch with the A-patients’ expectations, they will feel immediately.
And don’t give me that excuse about being in a rural town. Some of our most profitable doctors are in small markets because they’ve positioned themselves clearly as the premium choice, which makes them irresistible.
I want you to be bold and obviously different – that’s the key to unlocking a wave of A-Patients in the New Era.
4. The Shift to Health Enhancement
Dentistry isn’t just about teeth anymore.
Patients aren’t looking for someone to simply “drill and fill.” They want someone who helps them live better, sleep better, feel better, look better. They want someone who gives them energy, confidence, and a longer, fuller life.
That’s what the entire health market is moving toward: optimal health for optimal living.
Not just treatment. Not just prevention. But transformation.
Think about it – longevity clinics, concierge medicine, IV hydration bars, wellness spas, body scans – these businesses are exploding. Because people are spending on health enhancement, quality of life, and future-proofing their well-being.
And dentistry is perfectly positioned to lead that charge.
But only if you reframe your identity. Your practice can no longer be about triaging and solving problems.
It has to be about something more. Something bolder. Something that calls out to patients’ desire for wellness, prevention, and longevity.
So What Now?
If you’ve followed me, worked with me, attended our trainings, you know that this is everything we’ve been preparing for.
We’ve always said private practice is a vehicle for your life. And now, the external marketplace is finally catching up with our internal philosophy.
But that only matters if you act. Now is the time to…
- Get clear on your clinical identity
- Define the purpose of your practice
- Decide who you’re really for
- Declutter the distractions
- Embrace this moment and this movement
This is the New Era of Private Practice.
The next chapter is yours to write. Let’s make it the greatest one yet.
