#325 Clinical Psychology — Richard Porter

Richard Porter joins Payman to explore the meeting point of clinical dentistry and psychology. 

From his early struggles adapting to London dental school after growing up in rural Kent, to his current work exploring personality psychology and emotional intelligence in practice, Richard challenges conventional thinking about what makes a truly skilled dentist. 

He argues that feelings are the currency of human existence—and understanding them is as critical as clinical competence. The discussion moves through burnout, the dark triad of difficult patient personalities, and the tension between contentment and progress, before landing on Richard's passion for helping dentists understand their own minds. 

It's a conversation that questions everything from dental education to the nature of expertise itself.

In This Episode

00:01:20 - Backstory

00:06:05 - Six pillars of good dentistry

00:08:20 - Emotional intelligence and motivation

00:13:35 - Psychology journey

00:38:25 - Restorative dentistry career

00:39:05 - Why implants matter

00:41:25 - Hallmarks of expertise

00:44:45 - Contentment vs progress

01:17:20 - Blackbox thinking

01:23:50 - Minimal vs proper tooth preparation

01:29:35 - Dentistry's systemic health impact

01:34:05 - Green button philosophy

01:42:35 - Dentist suicide and burnout

01:45:35 - Neuroticism and the N-score

01:52:00 - Best lectures, books and courses

02:02:30 - Fantasy dinner party

02:03:40 - Last days and legacy

About Richard Porter

Richard Porter is a restorative dentist with specialist registrations in prosthodontics, endodontics, restorative dentistry, and special care dentistry. Having trained at Guy's Hospital and worked in maxillofacial surgery, Richard now combines clinical teaching with his deep fascination for personality psychology, focusing on how emotional intelligence shapes patient outcomes and professional wellbeing.