The Single Most Important Predictor of Success

As a practice owner or team leader, what do you think drives a truly successful career? We often point to the obvious markers: growing production, mastering advanced clinical skills, managing overhead, or investing in the latest technology.

But if we look more deeply at what keeps people energized, healthy, and genuinely fulfilled over decades of professional life, the real answer has nothing to do with numbers.

It has to do with relationships.

For over 85 years, the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest-running scientific study on human happiness ever conducted, has tracked thousands of individuals from all walks of life. The researchers set out to discover what variables actually predict human flourishing.

The ultimate takeaway? The quality of our close relationships is the single most powerful predictor of health, joy, and longevity across our working lives.

Understanding "Social Fitness" in the Practice

Dr. Robert Waldinger, the current director of the Harvard study, notes that relationships don’t just make us happier, they literally protect our bodies and brains from the wear and tear of chronic stress. He uses a beautiful term for this: Social Fitness.

Just like physical fitness, maintaining healthy relationships requires regular, intentional exercise.

In a fast-paced dental practice, it is incredibly easy to lose sight of this. When the schedule is packed, the phones are ringing, and tech issues pop up, we naturally slip into transactional mode. We start looking at the people around us simply through the lens of what tasks need to get done.

But true professional flourishing doesn't happen in a vacuum. It happens when we cultivate deep, supportive connections across three specific areas: your team, your patients, and your peer community. A work environment rooted in psychological safety and mutual trust reduces team burnout, minimizes costly team turnover, and creates an environment where people actually look forward to showing up.

Moving from traditional transactional care for patients (who may or may not return) to a framework of co-discovery and shared trust with patients drawn to your comprehensive model of care happens when you schedule enough time for conversations to go deeper and lasting relationships to form. Patients who feel genuinely seen and heard choose better care, return for long-term care, and refer their friends and family.

Breaking out of the isolation that often comes from independent practice ownership happens by leaning on a community of like-minded colleagues who want the best for you. They don’t see you as a competitor. Instead, they see you as a collaborative friend, mentor, and potential partner. The Smile Source community is a safe space to share challenges, solve problems, and celebrate wins with people who truly understand your day-to-day life.

"Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Full stop."
— Dr. Robert Waldinger, Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development

The Longevity Paradox: Why Independent Dentists Work Longer

This concept of "social fitness" explains a fascinating trend unique to the dental profession. According to the ADA Health Policy Institute, dentists are staying in the workforce significantly longer than the average professional. While the average American retires around age 62, the average retirement age for a U.S. dentist has climbed to nearly 69, reflecting a career span of over 41 years.

Even more compelling: nearly half (49%) of all retiring dentists now practice well into their 70s and beyond.

Why? For independent dentists, it is rarely just about the finances. When you own an independent practice, you aren't just punching a clock; you are the anchor of a community. Dentists who love their work often choose to keep practicing because the chairside environment provides a rich, built-in ecosystem of social fitness.

We see this manifest in two inspiring ways late in a dentist's career:

• The Solo Master: The independent practitioner who has treated three generations of the same families. They stay into their 70s because their patients are lifelong friends, and the daily human connection keeps their minds and bodies sharp.
• The Clinical Mentor: The established owner who brings on a younger associate—not just as an exit strategy, but as a relational investment. By passing down clinical wisdom and business insights, the senior dentist transitions into a legacy role, fueling their own fulfillment by lifting up the next generation.

Real-World Dentistry: The Path from Chaos to Connection

On an episode of ACT Dental’s The Best Practices Show podcast, Episode 941: How to Find Fulfillment & Happiness When You Can’t, Dr. Kevin Groth shared his raw journey from rock-bottom burnout to true happiness.

Early on, Dr. Groth found himself trapped in a chaos-driven practice model that isolated him from the very people he loved serving. To regain his joy, he had to purposefully simplify his practice and double down on human connection.

As Dr. Groth perfectly summarized on the show: "I love people. I love connecting with people... So, the more I’ve doubled down and tripled down on the people and what they’re about, the day became lighter and more fun."

He reminds us that when we get too caught up in the clinical and operational grind, we forget what the human being in our chair actually values.

"People are not going to remember that you did a great job on that crown," Dr. Groth notes. "They don’t care about the margins. They care about how you made them feel in that appointment, and they care about the person you are."

Furthermore, he challenges the classic dental habit of suffering in silence, urging owners to leverage their peer community:

"You can’t solve these problems by yourself. I think dentists, especially, are very good at hiding their problems — very, very good at not acknowledging that something is not okay."

Small Shifts, Compounding Results

The Harvard study and real-world experiences like Dr. Groth’s emphasize that building a flourishing life doesn't require an overnight transformation. Instead, it is built on small, repeatable actions.

In your practice, practicing "social fitness" can be as simple as:

• Taking two minutes during a morning huddle to check in on a team member as a human being, not just an employee.
• Slowing down during a patient exam to ask a question that shows you remember a personal detail they shared at their last visit.
• Reaching out to a peer in your local Smile Source network just to bounce an idea around, share a struggle, or offer encouragement.

When we invest heavily in the people around us, our businesses don't just grow—they thrive. More importantly, we build a working life that feels deeply meaningful.

How can you exercise your own "social fitness" in practice today?