Summer days seem to just roll on by and as it happens, so do the years. As I was writing up the first patient chart of the morning, I noticed the date August 1, 2013, and just like that! I became aware of the passing of a personal milestone: 18 years of practice in Manhattan. It seems like only yesterday, okay maybe not yesterday, but the week before yesterday…wait, who am I kidding? It was nearly two decades ago! Let’s just say that it doesn’t seem that far gone in the past that I left the “security” of an established dental practice in Forest Hills, Queens, where I had been a partner for 11 years to embark on what has turned out to be a wonderful adventure.

Leaving something comfortable and familiar for something unknown can be quite vexing. As time passed while in my previous practice, I became increasingly aware of how unhappy I was and how I had spent many hours weighing my options. My poor wife Ann had to listen to me ad nauseam perseverating over my frustration and indecisiveness. Declaring a “do over” at age 38 with two small children and a mortgage was not an easy decision to make. When I finally committed to giving my former partners my notice, my wife was shocked that I didn’t first scope out other available opportunities. I didn’t see the point, or rather, when I realized that I had to make a change I felt compelled to act. I offered up to Ann this by way of explanation, “If you’re in a bad marriage, do you wait to find your next spouse before separating?…of course not.”

I took what you would call a leap of faith and told my partners that I was leaving. I had six months to orchestrate my next move.

I literally and figuratively pounded the pavement in pursuit of the right practice opportunity. New York Times in hand, I searched in Westchester. I searched in Manhattan. I visited many dental practices and was amazed by the diversity of styles and the range in quality (the same holds true today). I saw traditional “fee for service” practices, union practices, insurance practices. Eastside, Westside, uptown, downtown: I covered a lot of territory. One month prior to my Forest Hills departure, I met Sam Pekarne and I knew I found my new home. We formed a beautiful partnership and shared an even better friendship. Sam retired after five years and regaled in my continued success. He became my biggest fan.

So here I am 18 years after that fateful day in August 1995. I feel truly blessed to have arrived at this stage of my personal and professional life. I have a successful dental practice that has grown because of dedication to the people we serve. I am passionate about dentistry (still crazy after all these years) and am blessed with a truly wonderful staff devoted to our patients’ care and wellbeing. I am truly thankful to and for my dear patients. You have given me purpose. You have enriched my life in so many ways. You have inspired me to ever seek knowledge so as to be the best that I can be…for you.

With all the new developments in modern dentistry, I am excited about the future and look forward to the next 18 years with a sense of wonder and anticipation.

My only hope is that the next two decades don’t fly by as fast as the two that have just passed.

Dr. Michael Sinkin is a NYC dentist that has been in practice for over two decades. He truly cares about the experience his patients have and takes great pride in making them feel relaxed and comfortable during every visit. Come in for an appointment and experience a different kind of dental practice. To find out more about Dr. Sinkin, please click here.