Hosted by Dr David Keir
Your first job in dentistry can shape your confidence, clinical growth, and even whether you stay in the profession. In this episode of the Dental Head Start Podcast, David sits down with Dr. Michael Filosi, a dentist and former practice owner who grew a clinic from 2 chairs to 10, mentored many new graduates, and sold his practice after building a highly structured, high-performing team culture.
Michael shares the hard lessons from his own difficult start in dentistry, including bad early jobs, being fired, questioning the profession, and finding his way back through great mentors and better workplaces. You will learn how to assess whether a job is right for you, why respect requires both character and competence, how to find mentors proactively, and why rural practice can accelerate your skills. Michael also breaks down what great mentorship actually looks like, how new grads can get more out of it, why you should avoid narrowing your clinical scope too early, and the exact 5-step handover process he believes can build your books, strengthen patient retention, and keep your team aligned.
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[00:00] Intro: Why Your First Dental Job Matters
[01:12] Sequencing Risk in a Dental Career
[03:31] Michael’s Difficult First Jobs
[06:31] Knowing When a Job Is Not Right
[08:52] The Respect Test for Your Boss
[11:04] Getting Fired and Rebuilding Confidence
[13:11] Sponsor: Credible Practice Finance
[14:41] Persistence as a Career Superpower
[16:18] The Quarter-Life Crisis and Sports Writing
[18:27] What Good Bosses Changed
[20:36] Purpose, Learning, and Business Books
[22:08] The Mentor Who Helped Michael Through
[23:08] How to Find Mentors
[25:22] Cold Calling and Asking for Help
[27:14] Communication and Turning Yourself Up
[29:27] Buying a Practice With Possums in the Walls
[31:40] Partnering, Buying In, and Planning the Exit
[32:15] Growing From 2 Chairs to 10
[33:15] The Hard Truth About Business Ownership
[37:20] Flags vs Flagpoles in Team Culture
[42:17] Dental Practitioner Support
[43:40] Why Michael Sold the Practice
[47:08] What Makes a Great First Dental Job
[49:28] Optimizing for Mentorship, Not Money
[52:06] Respecting the Cost of Mentorship
[53:27] Perform for the Dentist You Want to Be
[54:56] Why Rural Jobs Build Skills Faster
[56:01] Do Not Limit Your Scope Too Early
[60:44] What Outstanding New Dentists Do
[64:15] The 5-Step Patient Handover
[67:18] Why the Handover Builds Diamonds
[68:34] What Comes Next for Michael
Dr Michael Filosi is an entrepreneur, dentist and self confessed business nerd who transformed a run down dental practice with possums in the walls into a thriving ten chair dental clinic before selling in 2025.
Michael is a strong advocate for new and recent graduate dental clinicians and built his practice by hiring predominantly young clinicians and providing exceptional mentoring to upskill them quickly.
Over his decade of business ownership Michael moved from a “drill and fill” wet fingered dentist to completely removing himself from the operations of the business, no longer seeing patients while continuing to grow his practice.
Michael is proof it is possible to build a business that thrives without dependence on its founder.
Michael brings a practical perspective on learning, personal growth, systems and culture, particularly for those who are committed to doing the heavy lifting required to succeed in dentistry and life.
Credabl is a team of medical finance specialists helping dentists build the life and practice they’ve worked so hard for. With finance that’s quick, simple and backed by experience, we make the next step feel possible, so you can dream bigger and achieve more.
Big ambitions deserve the right support. Credabl offers finance for equipment, practice fitouts, commercial property, vehicles and homes. Learn more at credabl.com.au or call 1300 27 33 22.
Dental Practitioner Support is a free and confidential support helpline for dental practitioners and students across Australia. Available 24/7 and completely anonymous, we connect you directly with qualified counsellors who can provide advice on mental health, workplace struggles and your general wellbeing.
Call us today on 1800 377 700 or visit the website www.dpsupport.org.au
The post Feature #102 -Your First Dental Job Can Make or Break You with Dr Michael Filosi appeared first on Dental Head Start.