Just Two Minutes: Bad Advice

Bite-sized dental wisdom in under 2 minutes.

Let’s talk about advice. Specifically, who you’re getting it from. Most people will happily chime in with their two cents, whether they know what they’re talking about or not. But here’s the problem: bad advice is worse than no advice.

I see it all the time in online forums, Facebook groups, and conversations at dental events. Someone will ask a big question, like, “Should I own my own practice?” And boom—here come hundreds of responses from every dentist under the sun. Some don’t even own a practice, some are barely keeping theirs afloat, and some are thriving but have advice that only works for their unique situation.

The result? Confusion. You get opinions from people who aren’t where you want to be, who aren’t aligned with your goals, and who might be answering based on their own fears or biases. Instead of clarity, you’re left questioning yourself even more.

Here’s the thing: advice is only helpful if it comes from someone who’s already achieved what you want. If you’re asking people who aren’t more successful than you in that specific area, all you’re doing is adding noise.

This quote says it best: “Never take advice from someone you wouldn’t trade places with.” That’s the golden rule. If you wouldn’t want their life, their business, or their results, why would you take their advice?

So, instead of crowd-sourcing your decisions, here’s a better framework for figuring things out:

1. Define What Success Looks Like for You.
   Do you want to own a practice because you crave independence? Because you think it’ll make more money? Because you’re tired of working for someone else? Get clear on your why first—because without that, no advice will ever make sense.

2. Ask the Right People.
   Find people who’ve done what you want to do and done it well. These are your mentors, whether they know it or not. If you’re considering owning a practice, talk to dentists who’ve successfully owned practices similar to what you envision. Not your friends who are still associates, not your cousin who once worked in a dental office.

3. Stop Overvaluing Opinions.
   The truth is, nobody knows your situation better than you do. Advice is just information—it’s not the answer. Use it to guide your thinking, but don’t outsource your decision-making to strangers on the internet.

4. Trust Yourself.
   At the end of the day, it’s your decision, and you have to live with the outcome. Confidence doesn’t come from other people agreeing with you—it comes from knowing you’ve thought it through and made the best choice for you.

Back to “Should I Own a Practice?” This is one of the most common questions I see online, and it drives me nuts. Owning a practice is a massive decision, and the answer isn’t universal. For some people, it’s the best move they’ll ever make. For others, it’s a nightmare. But here’s what I can tell you: the only way to know if it’s right for you is to follow the framework.

Define what success looks like. Talk to people who’ve built practices you admire. Don’t get bogged down by opinions from people who don’t matter. And most importantly, trust yourself to figure it out.

Because the truth is, nobody can answer that question for you—not even the most successful dentist in the world. The best advice doesn’t tell you what to do; it helps you figure it out for yourself.

-Dr. Alex

P.S. If you’ve ever asked the wrong people for advice and regretted it, you’re not alone. I’ve been there too.