What Honorable People Do

"I performed a maneuver that had an unacceptably low minimum altitude. This maneuver, combined with other instances of not meeting the airborne standard that makes the Blue Angels the exceptional organization that it is, led to my decision to step down," Cmdr. Dave Koss said in a statement, referring to the Lynchburg, Virginia, Regional Airshow

Commander Dave Koss was the leader of the NAVY Blue Angels, the most extraordinary pilots in the world.

Exceptional people who understand and practice 'EXCELLENCE' know when they are no longer able to perform at a world class level and have the integrity to resign. Many people still want to earn exceptional amounts of money for performing at a very mediocre level.

My staff has told me that when they see that I can no longer do what I do at the level that I do it, that they will change the locks on the door. I hope that I have the integrity to go quietly into the night rather than have someone tell me that it is time to go.

"Easing Out the Gray-Haired"

This is the title of an article published in today's front page of the Business Section of the New York Times. In the article Eward Poll said,"Very few people are so skilled that they can't be replaced by a younger, more current practitioner."

In general, I might tend to agree with that. The older guys tend to live on their laurels and remind folks about what they did for the firm or team 20 years ago.

In the book, "Talent Is Overrated," the author tells us about musicians in their 70s who remain world class at their skill because their brains make certain adaptations to keep them at the top of their game.

I am one of those very rare individuals who remains at the pinnacle of their careers despite being in the mid 60s. I consider myself a very lucky person to be doing what I love to do and still feel great while doing it.

Dentists HATE to compete with one another because they are better clinicians in their own minds than they are in treating patients. But if a contest was held, I WOULD bet on some of the gray heads.

Cheating for Excellence

A good friend of mine and I were talking about excellence and the discussion got around to Lance Armstrong using doping (improving the blood's ability to carry more oxygen) in order to win bicycle races. My friend lost all his respect for Armstrong and cannot understand why he felt that he needed to cheat in order to be world class.
"Excellence' in a particular endeavor or achieving world class status pushes the limits of the human body and mind. Few are willing to suffer the hard work and sacrifices to attain excellence or world class status.

Unfortunately, most humans today feel the need to cheat to obtain that very small advantage over their competitors and most of the time society turns a blind eye to cheating.

Many of my colleagues consider my work to be among the best that they have seen and I have the comments and surveys stating their beliefs. For me, excellence has come at a very high personal cost:
1.Millions of dollars in education to study with the best in the world
2.Spending thousands of hours in classrooms
3.Working 60 hours a week for more than 30 years
4.Eliminating all vacations for the last 26 years.

I did not cheat to achieve my level of clinical dentistry nor did I ever earn my income unethically.

I have worked exceptionally hard to give you the dentistry that you deserve.

My 35th Year

This week I begin my 35th year as a dentist.

I often hear folks talk about being 'burned out' or 'bored on the job' or 'needing a vacation.' I am not bored with my job, I am not burned out and I don't 'need' a vacation.

I LOVE being a dentist and my job gets better every single year. In fact, I am a better clinical dentist now that at any other time during my career.

Most dentists my age (63) don't enjoy clinical dentistry and are counting down the days until they retire and I feel sorry for them.

I love being a dentist and I love taking care of my patients and if I were looking to change dentists, I would look for someone who loves what they do. It is the ultimate WIN-WIN situation.

And I could care less about the money...It is NOT why I love to take care of you.

The Billy Joel Question

I have always been a fan of Billy Joel and have seen him in concert several times. I recently have been watching some of his concerts on YouTube and am amazed at the fact that everyone knows the words to his songs even when he is not playing in an English speaking country.

I practiced dentistry for slightly more than 30 years in Troy, NY and there was not a month that went by that someone did not ask me 'The Billy Joel Question." Patients from out of town asked me the question. Dental Laboratory Sales Reps asked me the question and Dental Salesman asked me the question. What is the Billy Joel Question???

Two lines in the lyrics to "Piano Man" goes like this:

"They sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, "Man, what are you doin here?"

People always wanted to know what a quality dentist was doing with an office in the middle of nowhere.

I opened my 'new' office in downtown Saratoga Springs two and a half years ago and NOT one person has asked me why I am located in Saratoga.NOT ONE! I have had many patients tell me that my new office was the right place to be because now my beautiful dentistry was consistent with my beautiful office.

I must be honest when I tell you that I do not miss being asked 'The Billy Joel Question."

"But His Patients Are Different From Our Patients

Trisha, my office manager of 28 years and I gave a course a few weeks ago and she over heard one of the younger dentists saying to another dentist, "But his patients are different from our patients." What they are saying is that you, my patient, are different than his patient and therefore what I do for you will not 'work' or be successful in his dental office.

Do young dentists really think that YOU are different from the patients that they treat? Every patient that I treat was a patient of another dentist at one time or another. Dentists make excuses all the time as to why they can't learn new techniques or why a certain procedure would not be accepted by their patients.

Many dentists have given up trying to pursue excellence because it is really extremely challenging to take that journey.It is easier to do what they already know how to do and then convince themselves that Dr. Benjamin's patients are different than their own.

I don't understand but there is a long list of things that I don't understand

(A little secret: You, MY patient, ARE a lot different than the average dental patient because you are a lot more intelligent. You recognize that all dentists are NOT the same...A few are great, most are average and others need to find another line of work. But why am I telling you this...You already know this.)

One By One

Opening a new dental practice is stressful during the best of times. Opening a new dental practice, 40 miles from my old office during the worst economic times in 70 years was EXTREMELY challenging. Our practice does not sell dentistry. We do offer excellence. Excellence is not what patients expect and it is not easy to find even when you are looking. 'Convincing' patients to expect excellence is an entirely new experience for many but my good friend, Francisco Banchs and I tell each other every day...We will succeed by changing patient's minds ONE BY ONE. We fully recognize that excellence is not for everyone but there a significant number of patients who have had dental problems and tell themselves, "There has to be something better."
For those patients who are tired of having their new root canals fail or having to return to the dentist because their new filling or crown fell out...there is something different.

We will succeed by offering something different for those patients who want "something different." And our success will be slow and steady...One by one.

An Honest Discussion About Fees

I went to a gathering a few weeks ago to watch a documentary about the gas industry and water polution. An older woman sat next to me during dinner and we began chatting and after she discovered that I was a dentist, she began complaing to me about how much her dentist charged her to fix a tooth. She told me that she was not going back to him because it was $500 to repair her tooth. I did not respond to this person's complaints because it did not interest me to do so. But I think this might be a good time to discuss the cost of dentistry and why fees are what they are.
The average overhead (the cost to operate a dental office) for a dentist is 70%. A few dentist have a lower cost of operation but 70% is about average. The lady I mentioned was charged $500 and the cost of operating a dental office is 70% which means that $150 is left for the dentist. But the average dentist is in the 50% tax bracket (federal, state, social security, sales tax, property tax etc etc etc) so that the dentist takes home $75 out of the initial $500 fee. SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS!!!

Please remember this when you think that dentistry is so expensive.

My Patient for Thirty Years

Trish, our hygienist who joined our office 6 months ago, has been amazed by the number of patients that I have cared for for more than thirty years...THIRTY YEARS!!!
We have grown older...and in some cases, old together. How many professional relationships last 30 years?
For those patients who are above 65 and who have their own teeth, the overwhelming majority of these folks will verbalize their feelings about being my patient for all these years. It is not uncommon for a patient to say, " I would not have my teeth if it were not for you." These words deeply affect me at this stage of my career.
I am honored and humbled to care for my patients all of these years and I sincerely thank each and everyone of you for the privilege of letting me take care of you.

The Professor

As most people know, I am an assoicate clinical professor (visiting) at the State University of NY at Buffalo and I lectured at the school a few weeks ago. Tonight is my night to demonstrate to my young colleagues what I do for you, my patients. I want them to totally change how they think and consider moving in the direction of not only excellence but also conservative, strong bonded direct restorations instead of cutting down teeth for crowns.

Will I be successful in changing minds of young dentists? Probably not but success will come one dentist at a time. The old dentists that trained me taught me to ALWAYS put my patient's best interest above my own financial interest. I am trying to do that for the next generation. You and I both need to hope that I am successful.
This is a photo of me lecturing at our opening session of our course.