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

Alright, Stacy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I was born an identical twin. My mother fed us at the same time, bathed us and put us to sleep at the same time. We grew up playing together, sharing friends, studying together and playing sports together. We even ended up going to college together. After college I decided to go to dental school and she decided to go to medical school. While in dental school, I really enjoyed doing cosmetic cases. At the same time my twin decided to specialize in dermatology. While in our last year of school, we realized how fun it would be to work together and share cases. We could open and office togethere and collaborate on cosmetic cases. There would be no other office like ours. It would be a great service to our patients. I graduated in 2004 and started working in Manhattan in private practice. My sister graduated in 2005 and moved to Arizona for four years to do her residency in dermatology. When she moved back to NY, I was already secured in my job and wasn’t ready to leave and start a practice. And neither was she. So she worked for six years at a well established dermatology practice downtown Manhattan. In the summer of 2019 she decided to start her own practice. At the same time I was offered a great position at a corporate dental office within midtown Manhattan. I left in March 2020 for this new position and then the pandemic took over the world. My sister opened her practice at the same time and we both felt the impact of the pandemic. Dental offices were shut down in March but her dermatology office wasn’t forced to close. She immediately lost several employees so I would go to her office every day to help her as much as I could. This was the first time we were working professionally together. It was great- even if it was during a pandemic. A few months later the office next to hers became vacant due to the pandemic. We both realized this was the time to set our plan into action. November 1, 2021 we opened our joint office. We share a private office, waiting room and front desk space. And as we planned, we share patients. We discuss with them their cosmetic options: I can do Invisalign for them, whiten their teeth and do veneers/crowns. My twin can then do nuerotoxins and dermofillers. Our cosmetic collaborations. She is aware of dental procedures and how they can improve a person’s oral health. And I am aware of how she can treat the skin from simple acne and rashes to cosmetic makeovers. Our patients are very happy to receive such comprehensive care. They are appreciative of having to only go to one office to get all their healthcare needs met. It was a dream of ours that took 20 years and a pandemic to execute. But we did it and are doing it!

Stacy , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I became interested in dentistry in college. I knew I would study biology because it came easy to me and was interesting. Probably because my dad was a science teacher and I could say photosynthesis and metamorphosis by the time I was 3! I wanted to put my science degree to use and pursue a career in healthcare. However working a hospital didn’t sound appealing to me. One day I was talking to a friend and she mentioned many dental schools accept artists because dentistry is very aesthetic. I was surprised as I had never heard that. But I was interested because I also studied art. In high school I took drawing and painting, jewelry making, fashion design and pottery. I convinced one of the art teachers to open up the pottery wheels and show me how to make a vase or a cup. In college we did not have an art program. There was no wheel pottery. Eager to continue making vases, I researched any local art studios in the area. I found the community college had a class on Thursday nights. As I wasn’t an enrolled student, I would have to pay out of pocket. My friends couldn’t believe I would pay extra and miss a night hanging out with them. But I did because I loved it. So when I heard that many dentists are artists, I was intrigued. I volunteered at a local dental office and enjoyed it. Finally I had found a career that I could put my skills to use and enjoy it. The perfecto combination of my passions: science and art. I felt like dentistry was created for me. I took the prerequisite test and applied to dental schools. On my interviews they noticed I took jewelry making and were impressed. They told me dentists cast metals such as gold and often create wedding rings. This was again telling me I was choosing the right career. I chose to attend NYU because it had the best program according to me and was in the heart of the city I planned to move to. In dental school I fell in love with cosmetic dentistry. I learned I could take an unhealthy mouth and turn it into a beautiful smile with my background in science and art.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

I share an office with my twin sister who is a dermatologist. She sees sometimes 50 patients a day. When they arrive to the front desk they notice a sign that says dentist. If they are in the market for a dentist they are able to step over to my side of reception and inquire about an appointment. I get at least 5 patients a week from her. They appreciate us for making it easier for them to see their doctor’s at one office. As my sister is a dermatologist, she has many physician friends. She has introduced to me many of them and we have also become friends. Many of them come to me for dental care and have referred their patients from me. I receive many patients from them.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Don’t stay in a situation because it’s not bad. I worked for a dentist for 15 years. At first it was the dream job: working in a busy, successful practice in Manhattan. He seemed to appreciate me and the work I was doing. Slowly, things changed. We didn’t get along at times which was stressful to me. The staff were not professional and were often rude to me. When I sought his help or advice, he took their side or did nothing. But I was getting paid well and enjoyed the patients. I was working there for 3 years when I got married. I planned to leave the practice and work closer to home. But I got divorced shortly after we were married. So I stayed at my job as a sense of security, all the while knowing it was not a good situation for me. I felt intense stress and burnout. I gained weight and didn’t feel well. Because it was the only thing I knew for 6 years, I approached him to partner with him. He agreed and said he would start the process. But there were always delays. He was traveling, he was sick. I was always asking for meetings with him to discuss but there were always excuses. A few years later my boss’ daughter decided to go to dental school. I remembered that when I was in dental school, my class mate planned to graduate and join her dad’s practice in which he had a partner. As soon as she joined, the partner quit saying he wouldn’t be part of a father / daughter team. He knew he’d be outnumbered. I remembered that story but my boss and his daughter assured me she wouldn’t work with us, she just wants to teach. Well fast forward she never taught, she joined us. I found her to no work ethic, to demand a better schedule and generally put her father in the middle. And that was finally my cue to leave. The staff being rude, him not working on the partnership and now the daughter being atrocious. After 15 years I decided to leave my not so good situation. My last day was March 13th 2020. Days before the world fell into pandemic. I left to work in a corporate dental office that was still under construction. We didn’t open until July 2020. Business was extremely slow but I was able to see patients that followed me and I was working with nice staff for a nice company. By September they told me they planned to close because the business wasn’t producing. Within months I left my secure job for what seemed like a better situation and now I would be jobless. I decided to take matters into my own hands. I would buy a practice and bring my patients with me. Within days I found what seemed to be the perfect practice. The seller and I agreed I would work there full time while we processed the sale. Within 2 months I realized he had no intention of selling me to. There were lies and delays and excuses. I then made the best decision of my life. I wouldn’t rely on others. I would start my own practice from scratch and run it how I want to. I went one step further and opened a joint practice with my identical twin sister who is a dermatologist. This was actually our plan from 2002. We were finally in the right place at the right time. We opened November 1, 2021. I hired a smart, nice staff. I share patients with my sister. We promote each other’s business. I am the happiest I’ve been in my career. The lesson I had to learn is to not stay in a situation just because it’s not bad. Don’t get comfortable because you don’t realize you can have a good situation. I had to learn the hard way.

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: @drssnyc
• Facebook: Dr. Stacy Spizuoco
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/stacy-spizuoco-15
• Twitter: @stacy_saspiz