As dental practice ownership becomes more complex, a new UK event is reframing success in dentistry around time, ethics and community.
The inaugural Sovereign Dentist gathering brought clinicians together to explore what it means to move from operator to leader – and why no one should do it alone.
Leadership in dentistry is often seen as a byproduct of clinical authority. But for many practice owners and senior clinicians, the real challenge begins once the surgery door closes: recruitment pressures, overheads, difficult conversations, and the quiet isolation of being the person expected to have all the answers.
That tension sat at the heart of the UK’s first Sovereign Dentist event, which brought together a small group of practice leaders to step away from the day-to-day mechanics of dentistry and into a broader conversation about time, ethics and what it means to lead a modern practice.
Interaction over instruction
Organiser Dr Eben Van Der Walt described the aim as creating a space for interaction rather than instruction. ‘You never quite know how people are going to react,’ he said. ‘But the knowledge that Alastair shared, and the direct attention he gave everyone, was amazing. I think the UK needs more of that, and I can’t wait for the next one.’
At the centre of the day was Alastair Macdonald, whose perspective is shaped as much by his work beyond dentistry as within it. Drawing on experience across sectors and continents, he framed leadership not as a fixed skillset, but as something refined through exposure to different ways of thinking and working.
What resonated most, he suggested, was the dynamic in the room itself. ‘You’ve really just brought a tribe of people together that are authentic, successful and engaged, but still interested in growing and spotting the incompleteness of their philosophies,’ he said. ‘That cross-pollination of diverse experiences and diverse practices is beautiful.’
Rethinking authority and time
For delegates, the focus was less on new techniques and more on a shift in mindset: from being the dentist who does everything, to a leader who builds the systems and culture that allow others to thrive. The idea of ‘qualities over qualifications’ in team building, and of truly listening to staff rather than managing them by default, ran through many of the conversations.
Dr Payman Langroudi, founder of Enlighten Whitening, described the appeal as practical rather than theoretical.
‘Alastair’s content was simple without being simplistic,’ he said. ‘He navigated universal truths on leadership, customer service and self-development. The lessons were easy to apply, and I’ll be building on them going forward.’
Time quickly became the unifying theme. Not simply as a matter of diary management, but as the ultimate measure of how well a practice is led: reflected in systems, communication, culture and ethical decision-making. Growth and integrity were framed not as competing priorities, but as outcomes of the same leadership discipline.
Connection versus isolation
Macdonald returned repeatedly to the human side of practice ownership, particularly the sense of isolation that can come with it.
‘Leadership is lonely,’ he said. ‘You’re stuck in a practice, you’re the boss, you’ve got to have all the answers. It can be challenging. What we’ve connected here is a room full of people who are able to contribute to each other in ways they maybe didn’t realise they could.’
Behind the scenes, Support DDS played a critical part, not simply sponsoring the event but drawing on the network of its director of client solutions, Gina Revitt, to help bring the group together.
Support DDS focuses on streamlining practice administration and back-office functions, supporting leaders to move from reactive management to more intentional, values-led business building – an approach that closely mirrored the aims of the Sovereign Dentist event.
Gina reflected on the impact of that alignment. ‘It’s rare to hear something so refreshingly new,’ she said. ‘Alastair was hugely inspiring and humble, whether on stage or in conversation. He’s one of those people you’re grateful to cross paths with.’
As Sovereign Dentist looks toward future events, the emphasis appears to be less on scaling a format and more on nurturing a community: one where leadership is treated as a shared discipline rather than a solitary burden, and where success is measured not only in output or revenue, but in time, culture and integrity.
The Sovereign Dentist: what’s next?
This first UK event is intended as the foundation for a wider series focused on leadership, ethical growth and sustainable practice ownership. Future dates and locations are expected to be announced later this year for dentists and practice leaders looking to step beyond day-to-day delivery and into long-term strategic leadership.
This article is sponsored by The Sovereign Dentist.
