How mentorship helped Dr. Lamar Johnston rise again.
Fifteen years ago, Dr. Lamar Johnston stood at a crossroads. Having practiced alongside his father for over two decades, he suddenly found himself without his lifelong mentor. When his father passed away, Lamar lost not just a parent, but the mentor who shaped his career.
Dr. Johnston describes an empty space in his life after his father’s passing, a real gap. His search for direction led him to Dr. Tony Feck and the Sunrise community through a sedation course. It marked the beginning of a new chapter in his professional and personal growth, one that would reshape his career and restore his sense of purpose.
Running the practice alone was daunting. Staff turnover, patient flow, keeping up with advances felt very tough. “My dad was always ahead of the curve,” Dr. Johnston says. “Lasers, implant dentistry—he even brought the Brånemark system to our little town.”
As Dr. Johnston navigated dentistry without his father, he found the guidance he needed through Tony and the Sunrise community. With Sunrise, Dr. Johnston not only strengthened his clinical skills but discovered how to lead others with purpose and confidence.
He began to view his practice as more than a business, it was a team, a collective of people who could rise together.
One of the defining moments came when Dr. Johnston decided to take on implant dentistry. Though he had never placed an implant before, he was determined to grow. With Tony’s encouragement, he stepped outside his comfort zone and took a leap forward.
That experience became a catalyst. Over the next decade, implants became one of the most successful parts of his practice. More importantly, it taught him a lasting lesson about courage, the kind that comes when someone believes in you before you fully believe in yourself.
Growth Beyond the Numbers
What started as a ten-person team and a $2 million dollar practice evolved into a thriving $5 million dollar operation. Dr. Johnston set a goal of five million in five years and achieved it right on schedule.
For Dr. Johnston, real growth wasn’t about production, it was about becoming a stronger leader. Naturally introverted, he learned to guide his team through action, clarity, and trust. With mentorship from Tony and others, he found balance between humility and confidence, and shifted from being the student to becoming the teacher.
Behind every achievement, Dr. Johnston sees the influence of the people who believed in him—his mentors, his faith, and his loyal team. Many of his staff members, including colleagues who have been with him since the early days, walked every step of this journey alongside him. Their encouragement and his unwavering faith grounded him through challenges and fueled his continued success.
To other dentists who may feel stuck or uncertain, Dr. Johnston’s advice is simple but profound: stay the course. The valleys are temporary, he said. The lessons are lasting, and the right mentors turn any moment of doubt into a season of growth.
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