A few weeks ago I posted about speaking to a thousand dentists at a PDS Health conference. The reaction told me the post uncovered a passionate and emotional subject that needs more rational discussion. A few weeks have passed. I want to clarify my positions. Much of what was said about me in those threads was inaccurate. I speak for myself. I have been in leadership at all three levels of organized dentistry for over twenty years. I am proud of my tenure. I am past president of the ADA. I am past president of the Colorado Dental Association. I have no leadership role in organized dentistry today. I speak for myself. I speak of my time in leadership because no one can speak better about my experiences in leadership than me. They are my experiences. Much of my experience is still relevant today and potentially in the future. It was my time and no one can take that away from me. Some of the reaction was personal and disappointing, but I'm here for the work, not the noise. **What I actually believe:** The doctor patient relationship is our sacred cow. All treatment decisions should be in the spirit of the best possible options presented to our patients in the spirit of improving their health. All treatment decisions should be made between the doctor and the patient free of any outside influences. This is how I have always practiced. When I was president of the ADA, we built a clinical autonomy statement for exactly that reason. Practice owners, DSO structures, PE firms chasing returns: none of them get to dictate care. **On private equity:** Private equity's goal is multiples for investors. Dentists' goals are to provide the best care for our patients. Those goals don't align. PE has the opportunity to be very dangerous in dentistry due to this value disconnect. **On DSOs:** Great dentists do great work in DSOs, just like great dentists do great work in private practice. Bad actors exist in both. When I spoke at that conference, I was there for the dentists, to invite them under the ADA's tent, because they belong there. Many don't feel welcome. This must change. Many of them have different needs or wants from organized dentistry. The profession is stronger when we unify around ethics and patient care instead of dividing by practice model. **On change:** If we want change, we have to be in the room where it happens. That means talking to people or building relationships with organizations we don't always agree with in the spirit of establishing common ground. I support dentists in any practice role they choose. I was very intentional about that while in leadership and I would imagine the current ADA leadership feels the same way. I am excited about what PDS Health and others in the dental industry are doing, especially around medical dental integration. **On insurance reform:** This has been a focus of mine for over ten years of my leadership journey and most of my practicing career. It will be the topic of another post.