Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Dan Greenstein.
Dr. Greenstein, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been a practicing dentist here in south Florida since 1983. My office, The Center for Dental Health, was located for many years in Coral Springs. To promote my new office I did some public speaking around the area for various local organizations to get the word out about my practice.
During the late 80’s there was a boom in comedy and every bar and restaurant became a “comedy club” at least one night a week.
My public speaking challenge was for me to try to do Stand Up comedy at a local ‘open mic’ night. My very first time on stage was at the well-known club in West Palm Beach called the Comedy Corner ( which closed many years ago). I survived my first 5-minute set and really enjoyed so I began to seek out more open mic opportunities.
In 1991 I was lucky enough to be on stage in Kendall at a venue called “Uncle Funny’s” when I was approached by producers of TV’s AMERICA’s FUNNIEST PEOPLE. They told me to return the next day because they wanted to film my routine entitled. “The HAIRY Club for Men”. Well, I was seen on TV as a winner of that episode and received a lot of Local press.
A dentist in Miami read about me and asked me to perform at a black-tie dinner event in Coral Gables for the local dental society, which through many twists and turns of fate has brought me to being “Dr. Dan” The Healthcare Entertainer! I have been featured on National Public Radio about my parody song CD “Spit Happens!”, a finalist for AMERICA’s FUNNIEST Dentist contest held by the COLGATE company and have traveled the country from Florida to Alaska performing “The Dr. Dan Show” for the last 25 years.
My act centers around the real world of what happens in offices and clinics today between the Doctors, their Team, and the patients! Its been quite a journey. And yes, I still am a practicing dentist here in south Florida. May the FLOSS Be With YOU!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
“Smooth Road?” what the heck is that! The longer you have been on the planet your realize that things don’t always go as planned. I sold my practice in Coral Springs with plans on becoming a full-time speaker/entertainer which didn’t pan out like I thought it would. I really thought that the healthcare marketplace would find room for a funny dentist… Yes I carved out a niche, but not one that I would allow me to keep my house from the bank! I continue to work as a dentist but not without some other serious medical issues that threw off base again.
About 7 years ago I awoke at 5:30 a.m. to drive my wife to the Fort Lauderdale airport for an early flight to Toronto.
The problem was that I had chest pain, sweaty feet, and palms and was short of breath. ” I think I’m having a heart attack” I exclaimed! My lovely wife’s response was “you’re not having a heart attack, you just don’t want to take me to the airport now… so get up, get in the shower, you will feel better, and drive me to FLL!”
The condensed version of this long story is that 3 hours later I drove myself to the Emergency Room and 3 days later had a Triple By-Pass at Boca Raton Regional Hospital which saved my life! Turns out that I got some free publicity from that experience because for the next 2 years my face was seen on TV as a testimonial commercial for the Boca Raton Regional Cardiac program! So as they say, there is nothing as BAD PUBLICITY!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
As “Dr. Dan” The Healthcare Entertainer, I speak about what REALLY happens today in the healthcare arena. My act is a multi-media performance that includes comedy, video, and music. I also play the piano and interact with the audience as we sing my parody songs together during the show. From “IMAGINE no INSURANCE” to “PERCODAN” (a parody of Billy Joel’s Piano Man) kind of like a sing-along that you might find at a dueling piano bar without all the dirty words!
Since I have been a practicing dentist and practice owner since 1983, I fell that I bring a unique perspective of the challenges that today’s changing healthcare market present. I make fun of the patients, the insurance companies, the clinical support staff, the doctors and the front office/business end of collections and dealing with crazy reimbursement plans.
I have traveled from Bangor Maine to San Diego California and from Miami to Anchorage Alaska with my act. I was recently featured in a British Dental Publication called the PROBE. My most memorable experience that has come from this enterprise was my Radio interview on National Public Radio heard around the country that resulted in smashing sales of my parody song CD.. “SPIT HAPPENS!”
What were you like growing up?
Basically, I was a geek. I was outgoing but kind of nerdy. Lets put it this way, I was into Astronomy and the NASA space program and spent many nights looking through my telescope… which I still have in my garage!
Contact Info:
- Address: 2930 NW 25th Terr.
Boca Raton, FL 33434 - Website: www.healthcareentertainer.com
- Phone: 561-843-1617
- Email: drdan417@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drdanshow.net/
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
