Nay-Sayers Be Damned: How One Dentist Defied the Odds and Built a Practice Others Called Impossible

“But that won’t work here.”

If I had a dollar for every time someone said that to me, I could’ve retired before I ever picked up a handpiece. People aren’t necessarily mean when they doubt you—they just lack imagination. When presented with something bold, different, or unproven, their instinct is to poke holes. To protect you from failing… usually by convincing you not to try.

If I’d listened, I never would’ve built one of Manhattan’s most respected practices. No insurance accepted. Overflowing with new patients. Built on hospitality and clinical excellence. Trusted by celebrities, billionaires, and everyday New Yorkers who expected more than the status quo.

But the boldest move of my career wasn’t in Manhattan.

It was across the Hudson River—in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a fancy ZIP code. Hackensack, immortalized in Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out” as the quintessential middle-class suburb, was no one’s idea of a luxury healthcare destination. It was solidly blue-collar. And it was saturated with dental offices—all of which accepted insurance.

So when I said I was opening a completely fee-for-service satellite practice there, my accountant nearly choked on his coffee. Friends and colleagues gave me “the look”—you know the one that says “cute idea, but…”

They all said the same thing: “That might work in Manhattan, but not in Hackensack.”

They were wrong.

Not only did it work—it flourished. New Jerseyans came. They paid cash. They referred their friends. They showed up on time. And they came back—because we didn’t offer them less, we gave them something more.

We brought the full Manhattan experience—uncompromised:

· A hospitality-first culture.

· Clinical excellence without the handcuffs of third-party interference.

· A facility designed around the patient journey, not just operatories and overhead.

And while the neighboring practices leaned on their PPO participation to fill chairs, we built our brand on experience, education, and trust.

Here’s how:

· We designed a reactivation campaign sent to every patient on our list—even those who hadn’t crossed the river in years.

· We launched consistent, value-driven outreach through print newsletters and weekly blogs.

· We held bi-monthly patient seminars on high-interest topics like the Mouth-Body Connection, Preventing Dementia, and Alternatives to CPAP Therapy.

o We invited guests to tour the facility, enjoy a light dinner, and enter a raffle for a computer tablet.

o Each guest also received a complimentary CBCT ($650 value, including a radiologist’s report) should they schedule their exam that evening.

Attendance ranged from 10–18 guests. And get this—over 80% of attendees booked a new patient evaluation.

They didn’t come for the tablet.

They came for the truth. The connection. The feeling of finally being treated like a whole person, not a policy number.

What made it work?

· Undeniable Culture – Warm, respectful, relationship-driven.

· Undeniable Facility – Designed for delight, not just delivery.

· Undeniable Marketing – Rooted in education, consistency, and persuasion.

· Undeniable Care – World-class dentistry, no compromises.

This wasn’t about income brackets. It wasn’t about geography. It was about showing people what care should look and feel like—and giving them the option to choose it.

Even when everyone else said it couldn’t be done.

So, what about you?

If you’re stuck listening to the voice that says “That won’t work here”, maybe it’s time to turn down the volume—and turn up your strategy.

Let Practice Perfect Systems Help You Prove Them Wrong

At Practice Perfect Systems, we specialize in helping doctors build the practice they believe in—even if no one else sees the vision yet.

We equip you with the strategic frameworks, ethical influence tools (from Dr. Robert Cialdini), and patient-centric marketing systems to thrive—even when surrounded by practices doing it the “usual” way.

📍 Visit www.practiceperfectsystems.com 

📩 Email us at [email protected] 

🎁 Mention “Nay-Sayers Be Damned” and receive a free download of our guide: “The 8 Levers of an Undeniable Practice” — a roadmap to grow outside the box (and the network).

Success doesn’t come from following the crowd. It comes from leading—with purpose, strategy, and hospitality that can’t be denied.