It isn't easy, because dentistry is a profession with some built-in conditions that promote success, but if you really want to underperform badly there are a few things you must do.

1. Keep your professional judgment to yourself. Sure, you can probably see a number of things that could be done to restore every mouth you see, but it's their mouths after all, and if they're not asking for it, they probably don't want it. And if insurance doesn't cover it, they likely can't afford it anyway. It's best to keep quiet and move on.

2. Let your work speak for itself. There's no need to demonstrate the value of what you do. You're a dentist, not a promoter. When patients see those impeccable margins, it will tell them all they need to know about the quality of your work. Just sit back and wait for the word to spread.

3. Make sure your team stays in the background. There is no “I” in “team,” but there is one in “dentist.” You're the one with the degree, so there is no reason for them to be up to date with everything you're doing. Besides, the more they know, the more comfortable they'll be talking with patients about treatment, and that's your job.

4. Lock in on what you know. Just because dentistry is always evolving – with new technologies and transformative new techniques emerging all the time – doesn't mean you have to be. Just keep doing what you do, the way you've always done it. If people don't like it, they can always go somewhere else.

And they will.