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Howard Speaks: Build Your Dental Career Outside the Operatory by Dr. Howard Farran, DDS, MBA

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Categories: Practice Management, HR and Accounting;
Howard Speaks:  

by Dr. Howard Farran, DDS, MBA, publisher, Dentaltown magazine

Ever since we mailed out the first issue of Dentaltown magazine back in December 1999, I’ve used this Howard Speaks column to hammer home one key truth: Dentistry is a people business. Young dentists, listen up—your clinical skills alone won’t guarantee success. You’ve got to get out of the operatory and into your community.

In dental school, you mastered molars and composites. Now it’s time to master communication, leadership and networking. In my 30+ years of practice, I’ve seen time and again that the most successful dentists are those who engage with patients, peers and the public. In other words, if you want a thriving practice, you can’t just fix teeth; you need to fix your attention on people. Communication isn’t a “soft” skill. It’s foundational to dentistry. As I’ve bluntly told dentists who struggle with case acceptance or staff issues on Dentaltown: “Buddy, you need to learn communication.”

If you’re a recent grad, odds are you spent the last several years buried in textbooks and labs, not working the cocktail party circuit. Dentists are often naturally introverted—you don’t ace organic chem and anatomy by being class president. But to truly succeed in practice, you must communicate effectively with patients and staff. The good news is communication is a learnable skill. One of the best ways to learn it is by joining Toastmasters International, a public speaking club with chapters worldwide.

Everybody I know who’s “in the people business” and at the top of their game has done Toastmasters. Up north, 95-year-old Canadian dentist Dr. Saul Yorsh has been a Toastmaster for decades and attributes much of his success to it. He encourages dentists to join Toastmasters to make “every word, gesture, smile and move count” in giving patients confidence.

Personally, I’ll confess that my journey into public speaking was through a less traditional route: I dabbled in stand-up comedy. True story. I did open mic nights at comedy clubs to conquer my stage fright. It was terrifying at first, but it taught me to think on my feet. And guess what? It even brought me new patients. After a gig, people would ask, “Are you really a dentist? Can I get an appointment?”

When you can speak so people listen, you can present treatment plans that patients trust, calm anxious folks and motivate your team.


 Serve and network
Now let’s talk networking. Not the slimy, business-card-shoving kind, but genuine community connection. Joining civic service organizations like Rotary Club International, Kiwanis International or Lions Clubs International is one of the smartest moves a young dentist can make.

Dr. Gordon McInally, a dentist from Scotland, joined his local Rotary club in his 20s. He wondered how much difference “a dentist working in isolation in Edinburgh” could make in the world. McInally went on to become president of Rotary International (so yeah, dentists can lead far beyond their operatory walls!).

Kiwanis International is similarly impactful, with a special focus on youth. Joining a Kiwanis club might have you working on reading programs at local schools or fundraising. Imagine the connections you’ll form by organizing a charity race alongside school superintendents or helping coach a youth sports team.

Then we have the Lions Club, an organization known worldwide for tackling vision and health issues. Becoming a Lion connects you with salt-of-the-earth community elders and leaders who have often been serving for decades.

The bottom line is that civic clubs offer a win-win: you’re doing good for others and doing well for yourself. You’ll build a reputation as the dentist who shows up for the community. When the Rotary president or the Kiwanis treasurer needs a new dentist, who do you think they’ll call?
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