We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrew Sarowitz. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrew below.

Hi Andrew , thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

What ultimately became the defining moment of my professional career arrived unexpectedly in 2016. My partners and I were approached about joining the medical staff for the Brooklyn Nets. It felt like they must have made some mistake. I was practicing general dentistry at the time for about seven years, and nothing in my day-to-day work suggested a path that would intersect so directly with professional sports.

That opportunity, however, turned into a seven-year tenure with the team, lasting through 2022, and it quietly reshaped the trajectory of my career. Being embedded in a high-performance athletic environment exposed me to an entirely different way of thinking about healthcare—one focused on precision, prevention, and performance under pressure. It was no longer just about treating problems as they arose; it was about anticipating risk, optimizing protection, and understanding the demands placed on elite athletes.

From there, doors began to open organically. The experience with the Nets led to work with athletes and organizations across the WNBA, the NFL, and eventually the UFC. I had accidentally stumbled into this niche of sports dentistry which focuses on athlete safety and longevity, particularly in high-impact and combat sports.

That realization ultimately led me founding my own brand, Impact Dental Designs to create custom, dentist-designed mouthguards specifically engineered for combat sports athletes.

Looking back, I didn’t realize that the initial opportunity in the NBA would have such a ripple effect on my career as a dentist.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a dentist based in New York, and I’ve been practicing for nearly seventeen years. I earned my dental degree from NYU College of Dentistry and completed my residency at Long Island College Hospital.

Over the course of my career, I’ve built a network of dental practices throughout New York City. The model has always been multidisciplinary, allowing us to address a wide spectrum of patient needs under one roof. Our work ranges from everyday general dentistry to complex, full-mouth reconstruction.

At every level, my focus has been on delivering care that is both technically sound and deeply patient-centered—bringing together multiple disciplines to solve problems comprehensively.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Beyond formal training and technical knowledge, I think one of the most important factors for long-term success is knowing your limitations. Having the self-awareness to recognize that you don’t know everything—and being comfortable with that—is critical, in any field.

Equally important is surrounding yourself with people who fill those gaps. I’ve been fortunate to work with exceptional partners, office managers, assistants, and collaborators who elevate everything we do. None of the progress I’ve made would be possible without that collective effort. Building strong teams isn’t just about delegation; its elevating the right people into the right roles

I’m also always looking for people who bring energy and fresh perspective into new projects. Growth comes from collaboration, and the best ideas often emerge when you create space for smart, motivated people to contribute in meaningful ways.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

One of the most important lessons I had to unlearn early in my career was the idea that you should “let nature take its course.” It was some of the worst advice I ever received. The implication was that if you work hard and wait patiently, things will naturally fall into place. In reality, that mindset can be incredibly limiting.

What I learned—sometimes the hard way—is that while you’re waiting, there are hundreds of other people actively moving things forward. Whether it’s a business deal, a real estate negotiation, or a professional opportunity, progress rarely happens on its own. Passivity doesn’t create momentum.

The turning point for me was realizing that success requires active engagement. You have to get into the trenches. You have to follow up, ask questions, push conversations forward, and take ownership of outcomes. There is almost always something you can be doing to advance the ball, even if it’s incremental.

Unlearning that passive mindset changed the way I approach everything. I no longer wait for doors to open—I push them open.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://impactdentaldesigns.com
• Instagram: @dr.sarowitz