Message Boards
Today's Active Topics Today's Active Cases Browse Forum Categories My Recent Activity My Messages Private Groups My Marked Threads My Subscriptions
Today's Active Images Today's Active Polls Most Active Topics Global Townie Map Advanced Message Board Search Message Board Terms of Use

Rock the Drill: Five Steps Toward Mastery by Dr. John Nosti

View Comments (10) More by this author (17)
Categories: Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Dentaltown Magazine 

by Dr. John Nosti

If you asked me if I am happy how my dental career has progressed, I would give you a resounding yes! By the time I was seven years out of dental school, I was performing cosmetic and rehabilitation cases on a regular basis, and I had just started to teach with a prominent cosmetic CE organization associated with Dr. David Hornbrook. However, the investment in time and money in CE courses I had taken to get to that point was rather haphazard, often redundant and resulted in excessive expenses. With a little advice and guidance, there were some key things I could have done to speed my path’s process, cut down expenses and become more laser focused. Regardless of where you are in your journey, I feel these can help you become the best version of yourself.

Have a vision of what you want your practice to be. After graduation from my residency, I had a goal to be an authority in occlusion/TMD and cosmetics. I trained extensively in these disciplines—but what truly was my end goal? How was I going to market myself and what message did I want to send out to the public? Was it treating pain patients? Was it creating smiles? Was it performing rehabilitations on worn dentitions that no one else wanted to treat? When you think about what marketing is, it is sending out a message about your best self and sending out a message to attract the patients you want to treat. By the time I was 10 years out of school, I realized my vision was to promote a comprehensive practice focused on cosmetics. My marketing message became focused on attracting patients who wanted these services versus trying to just market for routine new patients.

I think one of the biggest mistakes doctors make is not having a vision early on in their careers as to what type of practice they want or where they want to focus. Regardless of what your vision is, write it down and become relentless in achieving it.

Get focused on your education. I started my CE journey in TMD/occlusion, taking courses from various providers. Often, their philosophies, diagnoses and treatment advice conflicted. Some were empowering, while others seemed more interested in showcasing their intelligence or putting down participants. I made the mistake of starting multiple CE series at once instead of completing one first. While I gained broad knowledge, many courses felt redundant or contradictory. I see young dentists making the same mistakes—or worse, taking courses that don’t align with their vision. Why take an endo course if you hate root canals? If you rarely do veneers, spending $5,000 on a resin veneer course isn’t the best investment. Find a CE curriculum that aligns with your vision and complete it before starting another. This way, you’ll be better equipped to assess conflicting views and make informed decisions—without paralysis by analysis.

Take plenty of photos—seriously! This isn’t just for cosmetic-focused practices but for anyone aiming for comprehensive dentistry. One of my biggest regrets is not documenting all my cases. I’d judge outcomes in advance, and if I thought a case wasn’t AACD-worthy, I’d take minimal photos—huge mistake! When cases turned out great, I often had few or no before pictures. A thorough new patient exam should include a headshot, smile photo, retracted image with teeth out of occlusion (highly educational) and maxillary/mandibular occlusal shots. This highlights comprehensive care, unlike an intraoral camera, which presents one problem at a time. Photos enhance patient communication and case acceptance. Get a camera and master photography—even as an associate! Invest early and often.

Pay down debt. Many believe they need to save a large sum before investing, but every little bit counts. Consider the “latte factor”: if you spend $5 daily on coffee from age 30 for 30 years (excluding inflation), that totals $54,720. With just a 5% return, it could grow to $126,503.31. Can you invest an extra $5 a day? Do you own your practice building? Start thinking about this now! Instead of monthly mortgage payments, consider biweekly or weekly payments to pay off your loan faster and save on interest. For example, a 30-year, $400,000 mortgage at 5% interest has a $2,147.29 monthly payment. Switching to biweekly payments of $1,073.64 could cut nearly five years off and save $69,448.03 in interest—without refinancing. Daily payments save even more! The same applies to credit cards and other debt. Focus extra payments on the highest interest debt first. Once paid off, invest some of that money and use the rest to tackle the next debt. Avoid spending more just because a debt is gone!

Plan time off. One of the best philosophies on life satisfaction I follow is planning time off for family vacations. Don’t just hope to find the time—make it! These don’t have to be expensive or extravagant, but they must be fun and memorable. When these are on the calendar, there are often weeks of elation leading up to and following the vacation. They are also a great way to hit the reset button and stay focused on your vision. You cannot work 24/7/365 with the pedal to the metal—you will burn out. Planning time off is a great way to recharge, connect with those you love, and return to your vision with even more intensity. Until next time, get out there and #RockTheDrill.
Introducing Dentaltown’s Guest Columnists
We’re excited to introduce guest columnists on Dentaltown! Expect insights from top clinicians, educators, thought leaders— and, of course, Townies, who help make this the greatest dental community. For our first guest columnist, we’re proud to feature Dr. John Nosti. A Townie since 2004, he has posted more than 9,000 times on the message boards, written dozens of articles, and created just as many CE courses. He also serves as the Clinical Director of the Clinical Mastery Series.
More In Practice Management, HR and Accounting
Creating a Remarkable Dental Practice: The Physical Environment
Creating a Remarkable Dental Practice: The Physical Environment
Fred Joyal
CE Credits: 1.75
Office Visit: Bust to Boom
Office Visit: Bust to Boom
by Kyle Patton
September 2024
Office Visit: Dr. Devin Giron
Office Visit: Dr. Devin Giron
by Kyle Patton, associate editor
June 2023
Stop Cancellations!
Stop Cancellations!
Steven Anderson
CE Credits: 1.5
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
Dentaltown Magazine September 2025 Read Current Issue Read Archived Issues
Sponsors
Townie Perks
Townie® Poll
Who or what do you turn to for most financial advice regarding your practice?
  
Related Articles
Dental CE: What Dentists Need to Know Now About Google Analytics 4
Dental CE: What Dentists Need to Know Now About Google Analytics...
by Dr. David A. Wank
June 2023
Teach-Back Talks
Teach-Back Talks
by Dr. Tim Goodheart
November 2022
Team Training Done Right
Team Training Done Right
by Flint Geier
September 2023
Site Menu
Message Boards Magazine Continuing Education Podcasts Blogs Classifieds Dental News Events Townie® Poll Ebooks Townie Choice Awards
Company Info
Contact Us Advertise With Us Howard Farran DDS, MBA Policies and Agreements
Site Help
Sally Gross, Member Services Specialist
Phone: +1-480-445-9710
Email: sally@farranmedia.com
©2025 Dentaltown, a division of Farran Media • All Rights Reserved
9633 S. 48th Street Suite 200 • Phoenix, AZ 85044 • Phone:+1-480-598-0001 • Fax:+1-480-598-3450