By: Jacob Stevens

Healthcare is often described as broken, but Dr. Bryan Laskin, a practicing dentist and healthcare innovator, argues it’s not broken — it’s unfair. His eye-opening experiences, both personal and professional, have shaped a fierce commitment to empowering patients to navigate and push back against a system rigged more for institutions than individuals. Through his groundbreaking book Unfair Care and his broader work, Laskin offers a blueprint for patients to reclaim control of their health.

A Personal Wake-Up Call

The moment that shattered Dr. Laskin’s trust in healthcare’s fairness was deeply personal. “My wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, and that led to an unnecessary, moronic series of events,” he recalls. These experiences illuminated a harsh reality: healthcare isn’t just flawed; it’s systematically designed in ways that fail to prioritize keeping patients well.

This realization became the catalyst for his journey to expose the hidden, institutional forces that perpetuate inefficiencies and inequities. It also inspired him to create tools and resources for patients to better understand, manage, and demand quality care.

The System Designed Against Patients

One of Dr. Laskin’s core critiques is that the healthcare system is more geared toward sustaining institutions than serving individual patients. He offers a striking example from his dental practice: “I had a new patient show up with a root canal that looked beautiful on the x-ray but still had an issue at the root of the tooth.”

The X-ray alone failed to tell the full story. Instead, it was the tooth’s history—information often siloed within a single practice and inaccessible to both patients and other providers—that revealed whether there was active infection or healing. This lack of data transparency, Laskin argues, is typical across healthcare and undermines patient outcomes.

Empowering Patients with Unfair Care

Unfair Care is designed as a practical guide for patients to confront and overcome these systemic gaps. “The book shows patients exactly how to command their own care—from understanding and owning their data to interviewing care providers and holding them accountable,” Laskin explains.

He stresses that patients are often unaware of how fragmented their medical information truly is and how vital it is to aggregate this data themselves. This empowerment enables individuals not only to improve their own healthcare experiences but also to become agents of change within the system.

Debunking Myths and Harnessing Technology

A powerful myth Laskin seeks to dismantle is the assumption that doctors possess all the necessary information to diagnose and treat patients effectively. “Most of the time, essentially 100% of the time, information is siloed in separate systems that nobody except the patient can access,” he says.

In this fractured environment, patients hold the keys to better care through ownership of their data. Digital health tools, he believes, will be crucial to this transformation. “It is 100% up to us, as patients, to aggregate and analyze our information. Technology and taking ownership of your data is essential to do this.”

Building on a Foundation of Patient-First Advocacy

While Unfair Care is Laskin’s first book aimed directly at patients, it builds upon his earlier works, such as The Patient First Manifesto, which targeted healthcare professionals. These writings all share a common goal: elevating healthcare by centering the patient’s experience and voice.

Laskin hopes readers finish Unfair Care feeling empowered rather than merely outraged or hopeful. “Healthcare problems are well-known, so outrage is nothing new. Hope alone won’t fix the system,” he asserts. “Unfair Care provides an action plan to immediately improve your personal care and contribute to the positive change the system desperately needs.”

A Career Rooted in Patient Care and Innovation

Dr. Laskin’s journey spans clinical practice and innovation. Balancing his role as a dentist and healthcare innovator, he sees both as fundamentally intertwined. “In my mind, they are the same—elevating the oral and overall health of patients,” he shares.

Where he once delivered care one-on-one, today his impact reaches many through education and technology-driven innovation. His experience in dentistry also informs his broader view of healthcare’s flaws: “Dentistry and medicine are messed up in different ways,” he notes, and these differences reveal opportunities for mutual learning.

Surprising Impact Through Writing

Though Laskin has founded companies, hosted a podcast, and more, he’s been most surprised by the impact of his books. “I read that 90% of books aren’t read past the first chapter, so I thought I only needed one good chapter. But thousands of copies later, that statistic thankfully doesn’t apply to mine.”

This unexpected success reflects a genuine hunger among patients and providers for clear, actionable guidance to improve healthcare experiences.

Patients as His Greatest Teachers

Above all, it is the patients he has treated who have most deeply shaped Laskin’s philosophy. “There are too many to count, but I’ve had the honor of treating phenomenal people,” he says. Their stories, combined with frustrations over technological shortcomings, have propelled his mission to advocate for patient-centered care.

Grounding Passions Outside Healthcare

Balancing a demanding career with personal well-being is no small feat. Outside of healthcare and writing, Laskin finds refuge in activities like hot yoga, meditation, snowboarding, and playing guitar (or at least trying to).

Taking Control in an Intimidating System

Many find healthcare overwhelming and intimidating, but Laskin stresses the importance of empowerment. “I take command of our care, as I believe everyone should,” he insists. “Health must come before anything else, and the only way to navigate healthcare positively is to become an empowered partner in your care.”

Advice to His Younger Self

When reflecting on balance and career advice, Laskin candidly admits, “I probably work way more than most people would find healthy.” But his guiding counsel is clear: “Don’t worry about tackling large challenges because they scare everyone else. People will rally to support you if you take them on.”

The Path Forward

Dr. Bryan Laskin’s work exposes the systemic barriers that keep patients from receiving optimal care. Yet, he offers a hopeful, actionable path forward—one in which patients arm themselves with knowledge, own their health data, and insist on accountability.

Unfair Care isn’t just a book; it’s a call to action and a blueprint for change, encouraging us all to reclaim control in a system that too often overlooks the very people it is meant to serve.

Disclaimer: The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical, professional, or therapeutic advice. The ideas presented are intended to empower patients to take control of their healthcare but are not a substitute for professional medical guidance. If you are seeking medical treatment or advice, it is important to consult with a licensed healthcare provider.