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Dentists Have a Message for Anyone Inspired by That Billionaire Who Skipped Novocaine for a Root Canal: Please Don’t

2026-09-08 | original

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Why This Matters

A viral hustle-culture anecdote — Sequoia Capital chairman Doug Leone forgoing Novocaine for a root canal to make a meeting — has prompted the American Association of Endodontists to push back publicly. The episode shows how tech-elite grit stories can spread medical misinformation, and reinforces that modern root canals are routine, not the agony of dental folklore.

Key Takeaways

Doug Leone, Sequoia's chairman, says he skipped anesthetic during a root canal to test his grit before a meeting.
The American Association of Endodontists, representing 8,000+ specialists, says patients shouldn't endure severe pain and should ask for more anesthetic or another approach.
Advances in anesthetics, imaging and technique mean a root canal should feel like getting a filling — and it relieves pain rather than causing it.

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Listen to this post

Doug Leone’s decision to skip Novocaine during a root canal in order to not miss a meeting made for a great story. It’s also really bad advice, according to the American Association of Endodontists.

The organization, which represents more than 8,000 root canal specialists worldwide, says severe pain isn’t something patients need to tough out. If a root canal hurts, they should tell their provider so they can get more anesthetic or a different approach.

The story also touches on an old myth about root canals that the AAE wants to set straight. It used to be considered one of the most painful procedures in dentistry, but decades of advances in anesthetics, imaging and technique have changed that. A root canal shouldn’t feel any different than getting a filling. And root canals don’t cause pain to begin with — they relieve it by removing the inflamed or infected tissue that was likely the real source of the toothache.

Leone, the Sequoia Capital chairman worth an estimated $11.8 billion, has said he skipped the anesthetic on purpose, just to test his grit before a meeting. It made for a good tale. Dentists just don’t want it to become a trend.

Explore topics: doug leone sequoia capital root canal american association of endodontists novocaine