You don’t have to wait to build the practice you believe in.
In the opening session of AAPMD’s Positioning & Promoting webinar series, I featured Dr. Sara Larbi and Dr. Dmitry Dolgov of The Dentist Lounge, a purpose-driven dental practice in Santa Monica, California.
Their story stood out.
It wasn’t just because they’re early-career dentists who built a scratch practice, but because of how clearly their practice reflects what they believe. The values, the patient experience, the messaging, even the aesthetics — it’s all consistent, intentional, and deeply human.
The website we built with them at Mad Rose has generated more calls from other dentists than any site we’ve ever launched.
Dentists from across the country — new and experienced alike — have reached out asking, “How do I create something like that?” This article is written to answer that question.
Are You Building a Practice… or Just Filling a Schedule?
Too many skilled, compassionate dentists struggle to attract the right patients because of what’s missing from their marketing.
Whether you’re:
- Rethinking your brand or launching a new practice
- Venturing outside of traditional general and restorative dentistry
- Moving out-of-network with insurance providers
- Simply ready to connect your work more closely to your values
… this case study is designed to help you.
It will help how to:
- Understand how to use the positioning process to diagnose the root cause of your marketing problems and why this process must come before websites, social media, SEO, or paid advertising – if you want to succeed in building a brand that attracts the patients you really want.
- Learn how Drs. Larbi and Dolgov used a clearly defined purpose to build trust, attract aligned patients, and grow without chasing volume.
- Explore how values like education, transparency, and community can differentiate your practice and fuel sustainable growth.
- Apply the four-question framework we use at Mad Rose to help dentists build effective marketing messages that reflect who they are:
- Why are you doing this?
- Who do you want to attract?
- What do they need to know?
- How do you want them to find you?
- Why are you doing this?
Why It Matters
This isn’t about age or experience level — it’s about alignment. Whether you’re just starting out or 20 years in, the opportunity is the same:
- Build a marketing ethos that reflects your purpose.
- Attract patients who share your values.
- Do work that feels meaningful, not just productive.
Sara and Dmitry did it. This is how.
Audience. Audience. Audience.
Why understanding who you’re speaking to is more important than what you’re selling — and how Sara and Dmitry made that shift.
Meet the Most Influential Patient in Your Practice
She’s not always the one in the chair — but she’s almost always the one who made the appointment. In fact, research indicates that women in the United States are responsible for approximately 80% of healthcare decisions within their families.
They control between $5 to $15 trillion in consumer spending annually.
When it comes to healthcare, you want to be talking to women in the upper end of the socio-economic range who value education, wellness, and transparency over discounts and gimmicks.
They’re more likely to:
- Pay out-of-pocket for care that aligns with their values.
- Prioritize long-term, root-cause health solutions over short-term fixes.
- Choose providers based on trust, communication, and philosophy — not just convenience or insurance compatibility.
Why This Matters for Your Marketing
Sara and Dmitry didn’t create generic content or try to compete on price. They built every part of their brand — from their services and in-office experience to the tone of their website messaging — to speak directly to this audience. The result?
- Patients who arrive already trusting them.
- Treatment plans that align with patient goals.
- Case acceptance that doesn’t feel like “selling.”
They didn’t try to talk to everyone. They chose to talk to her.
What You Can Do Right Now
If you want to attract patients like this, start by:
- Defining your audience — and don’t be afraid to narrow it.
- Speaking her language — focus on value, clarity, and wellness outcomes.
- Designing your patient experience to reflect her preferences: education, convenience, sustainability, and connection.
The mistake most practices make? They try to market to “everyone.” And end up connecting with no one.
No Pedigree, No Problem: How Purpose Became Their Platform
What Drs. Larbi and Dolgov lacked in reputation, they made up for in clarity. Many young dentists assume they need years of experience before they can be taken seriously as thought leaders. That assumption is built on a traditional model of authority — one that says tenure earns trust. Sara and Dmitry proved otherwise.
They entered one of the most competitive markets in the country — Santa Monica, California — without a legacy brand, a huge patient base, or any institutional backing. But they did have a well-defined belief system and the courage to lead with it.
And that changed everything. Thought leadership doesn’t come from time. It comes from clarity.
How They Did It
- They spoke clearly and confidently about what they believe. They didn’t just list services — they talked about airway health, root-cause dentistry, biologic materials, and long-term outcomes. Their messaging reflected why they practiced, not just what they offered.
- They created patient education materials that aligned with their values. From the “Lounge” section of their website to in-office consultations, everything is designed to teach. Their patients aren’t passive — they’re invited to participate, learn, and understand.
- They shared their CE journey transparently. Rather than pretending to be experts in everything, they openly shared what they were learning — and why it mattered. This approach built trust and relatability, not insecurity.
- They built local medical relationships. They positioned themselves not just as dentists, but as collaborative healthcare providers — working with ENTs, myofunctional therapists, lactation consultants, and sleep physicians. This cross-referral network deepened their credibility and expanded their reach.
Why It Worked
👉 92% of patients prefer providers who “educate and guide them, not just treat them.” (Accenture Health Consumer Report, 2022)
Sara and Dmitry didn’t need decades of experience. They needed direction, consistency, and the conviction to show up as teachers — not just technicians. And their patients responded.
They Started With Why — and Let Everything Else Follow
If you haven’t read Simon Sinek’s Start With Why, I highly recommend it. It’s not a marketing book — it’s a clarity book. And clarity is the first step to building a brand that truly connects.
Sinek’s framework is called the Golden Circle, and it starts with a bold idea:
“People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” – Simon Sinek, Start With Why
Most dentists start with what – saying things like “We offer crowns, cleanings, and clear aligners.” Sara and Dmitry started with why.
WHY: Make Dentistry Part of Whole-Body Health
From day one, Sara and Dmitry believed that dentistry shouldn’t be siloed from the rest of the body. They had seen too many patients treated like a set of teeth, not a whole person. They wanted to change that. And they weren’t alone.
👉 46% of new dentists report dissatisfaction with current practice models due to “inability to practice the way I believe in.” (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2023)
Rather than compromising their values, they built a model that aligned with them. That decision shaped every part of their patient experience.
HOW: A Patient-First Experience That Earns Trust
From new patient consults to office design, everything is intentional. For example:
- Appointments are longer.
- Education is built into every visit.
- Treatment plans are collaborative.
- The tone isn’t clinical — it’s conversational.
- They lead with transparency and guide patients through every decision.
And that’s exactly what people want.
👉 81% of patients say trust is more important than convenience or cost. (Harris Poll, 2022)
In a competitive market like Santa Monica, that trust-first model isn’t just ethical — it’s strategic.
WHAT: Airway, Restorative, and Biologic Services That Back It All Up
Their “what” reflects their “why” and “how.” Key features of their clinical approach include:
- Airway and sleep screenings integrated into every exam.
- Restorative work that is metal-free, biologically compatible, and functionally designed.
- Every recommendation tied to long-term outcomes — not just short-term fixes.
And they’re right in step with patient demand.
👉 The dental sleep medicine market is growing at 8–10% per year. (Allied Market Research, 2023)
Patients aren’t just Googling dentists — they’re looking for answers to health problems they’ve been chasing for years. Sara and Dmitry positioned their practice to be that answer.
They didn’t guess at their brand.
They didn’t “find it over time.”
They started with why — and built everything else around it.
That’s why their practice feels different. Because it is.
What Most Dentists Get Backwards
Most dentists think the problem is their website. Or their SEO. Or their social media.
But here’s the truth: those things are often just symptoms. Design, traffic, and engagement won’t help if your underlying message isn’t clear.
A beautiful website can still underperform if it’s built on a vague or generic story. In other words: If your positioning is off, your marketing will never feel right — no matter how much you spend.
Sara and Dmitry understood this. They didn’t rush into digital marketing or branding without first defining the foundation.
They didn’t just “launch a logo.” They built a message:
- Who they’re for: Health-conscious women aged 30 to 50, making healthcare decisions for the whole family.
- What they believe: That dentistry should be biologic, airway-aware, and connected to whole-body health.
- How they operate: Through transparency, no-pressure education, and a concierge-style experience.
This clarity came before their first Instagram post, before their logo, before a single page of their website was written.
And it worked — because every element of their patient experience reinforced the same core message. From the website to the waiting room, from the consult to the treatment plan, it all told the same story: “We see you. We understand your values. We built this for you.” And patients respond to that.
👉 66% of healthcare consumers say they’re more loyal to providers who “align with my health values.” (McKinsey, 2023)
When your message reflects your beliefs, your marketing becomes a magnet — not a megaphone.
The Result: A Practice That Doesn’t Have to Sell
“No Discounts. No Hype. Just the Right Patients Saying Yes.”
What happens when your practice finally reflects your values — and your patients recognize it instantly?
When your brand is clear, patients arrive already trusting you. They’re not just curious. They’re not shopping around. They’re ready.
That’s what happened at The Dentist Lounge.
Sara and Dmitry don’t run flash sales or gimmicky promotions. They don’t compete on price. They don’t push treatment plans.
Instead, they educate. They listen. They guide.
And because their practice speaks to what patients already value — health, transparency, collaboration — case acceptance becomes a natural next step, not a hard sell.
👉 Practices that focus on patient education see a 25% increase in treatment plan acceptance. (Dental Economics, 2022)
That’s exactly what Sara and Dmitry experienced.
What does this look like in practice? Here are a few examples:
- A consistent flow of new patients without high-volume chaos.
- Treatment conversations that feel collaborative, not combative.
- Referrals from like-minded providers (ENTs, chiropractors, lactation consultants, etc.).
- Family-wide trust, with patients bringing in spouses, children, and friends.
- Loyalty, alignment, and word-of-mouth growth — without needing to “sell” anything.
When patients feel seen, respected, and educated, they say yes. Not because of a promotion — but because it feels right.
That’s the result of building a brand around what you believe. Not a script. Not a pitch. A philosophy — executed consistently.
Are You Competing on Speed—When What Patients Want Is Connection?
The Dentist Lounge didn’t try to compete with Big Box dentistry. They sidestepped it — and here’s why that’s smart business.
Sara and Dmitry didn’t stumble onto a successful model by luck. They’re riding a cultural shift that’s changing the face of dentistry.
They didn’t scale up. They focused in. They didn’t chase everyone. They chose someone.
And in doing so, they positioned themselves not as just another dental office, but as a trusted partner in their patients’ whole-body health.
Why This Works Now
Think of it this way:
DSOs (corporate dental chains) are the urgent care of dentistry — volume-driven, accessible, and built for speed. They serve a purpose, but they’re not built for deep, relational care.
By contrast, practices like The Dentist Lounge are the concierge medicine equivalent: smaller by design, slower on purpose, and radically more personal.
And there’s a growing patient base that prefers that.
👉 More than 50% of patients are actively seeking care beyond what insurance covers. (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2023)
👉 85% of household health decisions are made by women. (Harvard Health, 2023)
These women aren’t looking for “affordable cleanings.” They’re looking for providers who align with their values — who care about the root cause, not just the result. And they’re willing to pay for it.
A Generational Shift in Provider Mindset
It’s not just patients. Dentists are feeling it too.
👉 DSO-affiliated practices now account for 13% of dental offices — but 37% of early-career dentists are actively seeking to exit. (ADA Health Policy Institute, 2024)
Sara and Dmitry didn’t try to out-market the corporate clinics. They built something DSOs can’t replicate — a practice rooted in belief, human connection, and long-term trust.
The future of dentistry isn’t mass-produced.
It’s curated. Personal. Values-led.
It’s smaller practices with a clear point of view.
And it’s already here.
So, how do you build a practice like that?
Let’s answer that together — over lunch.
👉 Book a 60-minute Lunch & Learn. We’ll walk through your WHY, your ideal patient, and how to position your practice to attract them.
You don’t need more CE. You need more clarity.
During this free 60-minute session, we’ll:
- Uncover your WHY.
- Define your audience.
- Translate your insights into clear messaging and positioning.
- Show you how to attract the right patients — and stop chasing the wrong ones.
Not ready for a live session? You can also download our free Brand Positioning Worksheet to get started.
