The I Care Call: Dr. George Gertner, DC, on Service, Provider Burnout & Building a 7-Figure Cash-Based Practice

On this episode of The Care2Grow Show®, Dr. Larry Arbeitman welcomes a dear friend of over 25 years, Dr. George Gertner — founder of Upper Cervical Chiropractic of New York in White Plains. Since meeting as students in the late '90s, the two have mentored, coached, and grown alongside each other, and Dr. Gertner has gone on to build one of the largest upper cervical practices in the world, collecting seven figures annually on a fully cash-based model for over two decades.

In this episode, they discuss:

Dr. Gertner's origin story — a severe low back injury that led him to upper cervical care, and how a single visit with a mentor changed the entire trajectory of his career.

Why he leads with the word "service" instead of "helping" or "fixing" — and how that single shift in language changes the entire power dynamic between provider and patient.

How he builds a care-first culture with his team, including starting every day with a group huddle and reciting their three-paragraph mission statement out loud, by memory.

The "I Care Call" — his practice of personally following up with every new patient the next day, and why handing out his personal cell number after 20+ years has never been abused, only appreciated.

How intentional patient appreciation events like "Turkey Tuesday" (100 free turkeys before Thanksgiving) and "Chiro de Mayo" build community, generate word-of-mouth referrals, and lower the barrier for new patients to walk through the door.

Why he believes the antidote to provider burnout isn't stepping back — it's leaning further into purpose and reconnecting with why you started in the first place.

His personal self-care routine — a 4:30am wake-up, meditation, scripture, and a workout, every single day — that has sustained his energy and passion for 24+ years without burning out.

A lightning round covering his care philosophy in one word (service), the mentor's line that shaped his career ("nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care"), and finishing the sentence: "Care is... understanding."

About Dr. George Gertner

Dr. George Gertner is the founder and owner of Upper Cervical Chiropractic of New York in White Plains, NY. A graduate of Hofstra University and Life University, he has spent more than two decades building one of the largest upper cervical chiropractic practices in the world on a fully cash-based, care-first model. Known for his deep commitment to service, team culture, and patient connection, Dr. Gertner is a respected mentor in the chiropractic profession and a longtime friend and collaborator of Dr. Larry Arbeitman.

If this conversation resonated with you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — that's how we put the care back into healthcare, one conversation at a time.