Most dentists spend a whole career trying to build one successful practice. Dr Alex Marques built six, across three countries and two continents. He's an oral and maxillofacial surgeon trained in Brazil, with a PhD from King's College London, and the founder of RIT Premium Dental Care. In this episode he breaks down how he actually did it, what it cost him, and what he'd tell any dentist trying to grow. We get into why dental school makes brilliant clinicians and broke owners, why he thinks the "jack of all trades" dentist is a trap, and the one decision he says matters more than any other when you scale. Plus the honest advice he gives an overseas dentist landing in the UK with nothing but a degree. In this conversation: Why the first clinic always feels like a baby, and how RIT grew from three surgeries to sixThe "lone hero" problem in dentistry, and why doctors are trained differentlyChoosing a business partner is like a wedding. Right person, set for life. Wrong one, you're in trouble.Why bad products can't be sold for long, no matter how nice the practice smellsWhat dental schools never teach about running a practice, and where to actually learn itHis advice to any owner itching to open a second locationThe most expensive mistake he made in 20 years: buying technology too early"It's not the arrow, it's the archer." Invest in skill before kit.— Get the book, The $2 Dentist, on why brilliant dentists build broke practices and how to never become one: https://betweenpatients.online/bookWant to be a guest on Between Patients? Apply here: https://betweenpatients.online/#applyFollow Moiz on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moizkhurram_/Run a dental practice? Get a 24/7 AI voice receptionist that answers every call and books patients straight into your diary. 14 days free, no upfront cost, no card required: https://selenicai.com/safety-netPart 1 (00:00–11:00)Between Patients Podcast Host: Muhammad Moiz Khurram Guest: Dr. Alex Marques Brand: RIT Premium Dental CareMuhammad Moiz Khurram:Most practice owners spend their entire career trying to build one successful practice—just one.Today's guest built six.Rio de Janeiro, Lisbon, London, Liverpool, Birmingham, and Chesham.Three countries, two continents, and one brand.Dr. Alex Marques is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, trained in Brazil, completed his PhD here in the UK, and is the founder of RIT Premium Dental Care.In the next 30 minutes, we're going to discuss how he built six practices, what it cost him, and what advice he would give to anyone looking to scale their own practice.Dr. Alex, welcome to Between Patients.Dr. Alex Marques:Thank you very much, Muhammad. It's a pleasure and an honor to be here. I'm looking forward to sharing a few chapters of this exciting journey.Muhammad Moiz Khurram:The pleasure is all mine, Dr. Alex.Let's go back to Brazil.When you qualified as a dentist, what did you think your career was going to look like?Dr. Alex Marques:I graduated from dental school in 2001 and officially became licensed to practice dentistry in 2002.Very early in my career, I fell in love with surgery.I also had the privilege of joining the Military Fire Corps in Rio de Janeiro, which is an auxiliary branch of the Brazilian Army.Working there exposed me to outstanding clinicians and a wide variety of complex clinical cases, allowing me to grow both professionally and personally.I then completed my Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at the University of São Paulo.That took three years, followed by another year of advanced training in orthognathic surgery.Alongside that, I completed postgraduate training in implant dentistry.During those years, I worked part-time in the military and part-time in private practice.It was during this period that a close friend of mine—an orthodontist—and I decided to open our very first clinic.That first clinic became our baby.Everything started there.About ten years later, I moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a PhD in Biomaterials and Bone Tissue Engineering at King's College London.The reason was simple.Brazilian dentistry is extremely competitive.Everyone has postgraduate qualifications, master's degrees, and specialist training.Although I had completed multiple postgraduate programs, I still wanted to deepen my understanding of bone reconstruction and biomaterials.The PhD gave me the opportunity to develop critical thinking through research while expanding my clinical knowledge.It was an outstanding experience.Muhammad Moiz Khurram:I completely understand why the first clinic always feels like your baby.When you moved to the UK, was your main motivation purely academic, or were there other reasons behind the move?Dr. Alex Marques:I'm a husband and a father of two.My wife already had European citizenship before Brexit, which made relocating much easier.Throughout my career, I traveled extensively for international conferences.We wanted a safer environment, excellent education for our children, and the opportunity to experience different cultures across Europe.So our decision wasn't driven by business.It was mainly about education and lifestyle.The business opportunities came naturally afterward.Expanding into Europe was simply a consequence of that move.Muhammad Moiz Khurram:Earlier you mentioned how competitive Brazilian dentistry is.When you arrived in the UK, what surprised you most about British dentistry?Dr. Alex Marques:The biggest differences were regulations, culture, and patient expectations.Brazilian patients are extremely focused on aesthetics.Although Brazil has a public healthcare system inspired by the NHS, it doesn't provide enough dental care to fully maintain oral health.The NHS, on the other hand, provides excellent basic care—fillings, cleanings, extractions, and preventive treatment.However, it isn't designed to provide comprehensive cosmetic or advanced restorative dentistry.That naturally creates a different relationship between public and private dentistry.Muhammad Moiz Khurram:I completely relate.I used to live in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, and I experienced exactly that.The NHS covers the basics, while private dentistry plays a major role in cosmetic and advanced treatments.That actually brings me to my next question.Earlier you described your first clinic as your baby.Walk me through the early days of RIT Premium Dental Care.How did everything begin?Dr. Alex Marques:My background is restorative dentistry and oral surgery.My business partner was an orthodontist.We started by referring patients to one another.Soon we realized we needed an endodontist.Then a periodontist.Then a cosmetic dentist.As we added specialists, we quickly outgrew our original premises and moved into a larger practice.That became the first RIT Premium Dental Care clinic.Today it has six surgeries.The original associates eventually became business partners and directors.Our culture has always been about growing together.Sharing ownership....
