Dr. Sue, My Dentist, Cracked Her Happy Retirement Code at Age 43. I Was Enlightened.

She got me thinking about my Big R

I was resting in the observation area when Dr. Sue came by.

“Feeling better? Relieved?”

I nodded my head. Indeed. My bad tooth plagued me with poor sleep for nights. The pain is finally going away.

“I’m glad you are attended to. It brings me joy to see patients happy.”

It was a pleasant conversation opener.

And it led to an unexpected back-and-forth on workplace fulfillment, education, and a happy retirement.

“This Is My Retirement Haven.”

Dr. Sue kept repeating this statement.

I was intrigued. So, I asked.

“Have you been working here for a long time?”

It triggered a child-like chuckle.

“No, son. I own this place. I am a partner of this clinic.”

Ohh… okay, that made sense.

No wonder Dr. Sue spoke about patients walking away with a smile and glad I was attended to. She is obviously operating at a higher level than other dentists.

“There are many like me who like what we do and only want to do what we do. My partners and I came together, put up some capital, and started this clinic. We never expected it to bloom.”

We feel secure and confident walking the long journey with people we trust. Dr. Sue is happy. She feels blessed. No doubt about that.

I would be pleased to run this practice, too.

There are many 4-digit paying patients walking in and out of the door.

The Visa Paywave beeps never stopped.

The Generalist vs. Specialist Tug-O-War

“Why not open a general practice in the neighborhood? You can serve more people.”

It was a genuine question.

Dr. Sue’s clinic is nestled deep in the Central Business District. It takes time to get there. Traffic is a problem.

She was candid. She told me that the 3 partners thought about it. They decided to be near the hospitals to work on emergency referrals.

“Niche, specialized dental operations referred from hospitals are usually A&E type cases. The patients are dying of pain. We must be near.”

Dr. Sue greeted a fellow practitioner before continuing.

“Plus, we are specialists. We are useless in a general setting. Hahaha. Trust me. I can perform a root canal treatment with my eyes closed. Cleaning? Whitening? I tremble.”

Oh, wow.

At this point, I learned that specialists and generalists aren’t the opposite spectrums of a profession. They co-exist for different purposes.

“I would rather spend my second half doing what my hands do best, and what I am happy working on. If this is not retirement satisfaction, I do not know what that is.”

Brilliantly expressed.

I could not have said it better.

In fact, what she said should be splashed all over news channels and social media.

Enlightenment Trumps Excellence During Active Retirement

I asked why she defected from the medical system to start her own thing. After all, running our own practice can be business risky.

Dr. Sue beamed with a big smile.

It was as if she waited for this question for decades.

“At the beginning of our career, we focused on specialization and competence. Completing complex operations with success gave me a strong sense of satisfaction. And then, years passed…”

She leaned towards the water cooler on her right, grabbed a paper cup, filled it, and took a sip. She passed me one cup, too.

Then, she continued.

“… I realized that something is deeply amiss in the broader system. We are here to work on our specialization, but the general public struggled to differentiate incisors from molars. Their teeth, by the way.”

A slight pause. And then, a 5,000-pound left hook punch followed.

“How would we ever know that the patient who walked out knows what to do with their basic oral hygiene? That is nonsense. We must place education above excellence.”

It became Dr. Sue’s driving force at 43.

It drove her to retire formally from the broader system. She was a cog in that flywheel for 17 years.

That driving force powered her into and during her active retirement years.

I Asked Her My Standard Question

“Are you happy, Dr. Sue?”

Her reply was candid.

“100%. Nothing beats this. I never expected my retirement to be this happy.”

In a nutshell,

• Money is not an issue. The dental practice has been cashflow positive from the beginning.
• Dr. Sue engages with her skills daily. She is happy about it.
• She gets to educate every patient in her treatment room.

A happy retirement? Nay.

This is a fulfilling retirement.

“I have enough money, a growing practice, and happy patients. What else can I ask for in my retirement?”

The Close

“Dr. Sue, may I ask you one last question before you get busy?”

She waited for my question while taking the last gulp from her paper cup.

“Are you worried about money, if at all, if this business folds? I mean, you see yourself as a retiree, am I right? You mentioned the Big R word several times.”

Dr. Sue gave me an earnest reply.

“Son, dental specialists are in high demand. I can return to the hospital if this business fails. Retirement money or income is not an issue.”

I am humbled.

I wish I could say the same.

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This article is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered Financial or Legal Advice. Not all information will be accurate. Consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions.