Why Integrity Matters in Dentistry

Today, I want to talk about integrity. This isn’t a preachy conversation—we’re not in a religious facility—but integrity is essential in dentistry. It’s something we’re never taught in medical or dental school, yet it establishes the foundation of trust with our patients.

Practicing with integrity means doing what’s right even when no one is watching. As doctors and healthcare providers, we have an advantage—we know far more than our patients about their health. It can almost feel like we’re speaking a different language. While we understand occlusion, microbiology, and pathology, patients only want to know: Are you kind? Do you hurt me? Will I look good? Will I function well?

The Core Values That Guide Our Practice

In our practice, we live by five core values:

1. Integrity

2. Being a good teammate

3. Serving patients with a servant’s heart

4. Health—living it ourselves and teaching it to patients

5. Education—staying up-to-date and educating patients about their options

Whenever something goes wrong or stress appears in the office, it almost always connects back to one of these values. Integrity is the first and most important.

What Integrity Looks Like in Action

Integrity in dentistry means telling patients everything they need to know to make informed decisions. It means giving a comprehensive diagnosis, presenting treatment options, and never upselling or changing fees after the fact.

Too often, patients leave offices feeling “nickel-and-dimed.” I once saw a patient charged an additional $500 at checkout after already paying $10,000. That small fee left the patient with a bad taste. It’s like ordering a $20 hamburger at a restaurant and being charged another 50 cents for a slice of tomato—it feels wrong. Patients hate that.

Instead, I look for ways to surprise patients with generosity, not hidden costs.

The Hans Story: My First Integrity Test

In 1985, my first year in practice, I met a patient named Hans. After treatment, I recommended periodontal surgery. Hans trusted me but asked if he could wait until the next year because his insurance benefits had run out.

In that moment, I faced my first real integrity test: recommend immediate treatment (and get paid sooner) or tell him the truth—that waiting six months wouldn’t harm him. Even though I was $400,000 in debt and barely staying afloat, I told Hans it was fine to wait.

Three months later, Hans tragically died of a heart attack at age 46. Had I pressured him into surgery, I would have carried the weight of pushing treatment he didn’t truly need. That experience cemented integrity as the core of my practice.

Why Integrity is a Business Decision Too

Practicing with integrity isn’t just about doing the right thing—it’s also smart business. When patients trust you, they pay in advance, they don’t question fees, and they refer others. Over time, the right people are drawn to your practice, and growth follows naturally.

It may not happen overnight. My “overnight success” took 40 years. But integrity built the foundation for a busy, thriving practice where money is rarely an issue—because trust already exists.

Lessons From My Mentor

One of my mentors, Dr. Gerald Kramer, once told us:
“If you practice with integrity, you’ll have a successful practice. Do the right thing for every patient, and one day people will be lined up outside your door with wheelbarrows full of money.”

While I don’t have wheelbarrows of money outside my office, my practice is booked months in advance with patients who value quality, honesty, and trust. His metaphor became a reality in spirit, if not literally.

The Gifts of Integrity

Practicing with integrity makes dentistry more joyful. Every day feels meaningful because I know I’m doing right by my patients. And here’s the truth: what you give comes back to you—even more than you expected.

Integrity not only builds stronger patient relationships; it builds a better life.