Dental Leaders Podcast

This expansive and deeply reflective episode features Anne-Sophie Flury — neuroscientist, psychology graduate, former PhD researcher, and wellness educator — whose work bridges hard science with lived human experience. Known online as “Coochie by Gucci,” Anne-Sophie brings rare honesty and intellectual clarity to conversations about the brain, trauma, intuition, and emotional agency.Rhona and Payman explore Anne-Sophie’s unconventional academic journey, from leaving a business degree for psychology to working in experimental neuroscience and neuropsychopharmacology alongside leading researchers. Together, they unpack why understanding the brain isn’t enough — and how learning that the brain can change became the turning point in Anne-Sophie’s own mental health and sense of agency.The conversation moves fluidly through modern overwhelm: social media burnout, dopamine addiction, emotional over-identification, and the spiritualisation of feelings. Anne-Sophie offers a grounded, science-based perspective on meditation, psychedelics, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation — cutting through both clinical detachment and performative spirituality.What emerges is a powerful discussion about responsibility without shame, emotional awareness without indulgence, and why separating yourself from your thoughts may be the most liberating skill of all.In This Episode00:00:25 – Returning to Mind Movers & meeting Anne-Sophie00:01:45 – From business to psychology: finding intellectual purpose00:04:15 – Neuroscience, VR research & leaving the PhD00:07:20 – Failure, resilience & unconventional career pivots00:08:30 – “Coochie by Gucci”: identity, grief & online personas00:10:20 – Social media, activism & burnout00:12:30 – Doomscrolling, empathy fatigue & loss of motivation00:14:40 – Perfection culture, comparison & digital disconnection00:18:45 – Psychology vs neuroscience: understanding the brain00:20:05 – Psychedelics, policy & political suppression00:23:00 – What psychedelics actually do to the brain00:27:20 – Mental health, loneliness & early emotional struggles00:30:40 – The moment everything changed: “I can change my brain”00:31:50 – Meditation, neuroplasticity & emotional regulation00:34:00 – Agency, awareness & visualising a different life00:36:00 – Relationships, values & evolving identities00:38:10 – Can core values really change?00:40:10 – Trauma, intuition & emotional misinterpretation00:42:25 – Are we over-validating emotions?00:44:30 – Spiritual bypassing vs real growth00:45:00 – Float tanks, meditation & separating from thought00:48:20 – Anxiety vs intuition: learning the differenceAbout Anne-Sophie FluryAnne-Sophie Flury is a neuroscience and psychology specialist whose work focuses on emotional regulation, nervous system awareness, and personal agency. After completing a psychology degree, a master’s in experimental neuroscience, and publishing research during her PhD, she stepped away from academia to make science accessible in the real world.Blending research, lived experience, and practical tools, Anne-Sophie helps people understand not just why they feel the way they do — but how to change it. Her work challenges emotional fatalism, encourages responsibility without self-blame, and reframes mental health as something dynamic rather than fixed.

Chiara Burgio's path to dentistry started with a Parisian psychoanalyst and a ten-minute stare. What followed was an international training odyssey—from Madrid to Milan, Brazil to NYU—that shaped her approach to aesthetic dentistry. In this conversation, she opens up about the pull of digital workflows, the art of composite layering, and what it really means to work alongside someone like Christian Coachman. But there's a shadow side to her drive, too. That relentless perfectionism, the kind that keeps her reviewing cases long after she's left the practice. It's the thing that makes her brilliant, and the thing she's learning to tame.In This Episode00:01:45 - International roots and family ties00:03:00 - Choosing dentistry over economics00:04:25 - The Parisian psychoanalyst who changed everything00:18:30 - NYU aesthetics programme and American training00:28:45 - Digital dentistry and working with Coachman00:42:15 - Composite layering and aesthetic philosophy00:58:20 - Blackbox thinking01:11:30 - Toxic ambition01:12:40 - Fantasy dinner party01:15:25 - Last days and legacyAbout Chiara BurgioChiara Burgio is a dentist practising in London with a focus on aesthetic and restorative dentistry. She completed the NYU Advanced Aesthetic Program and has trained internationally across Milan, Brazil, and New York, bringing a digital-first approach to composite work and smile design.

In this episode of Dental Leaders, Payman chats with Deepa Patel, a locum dentist with the unique experience of working inside over 100 different practices. Having held every role from nurse and receptionist to practice manager before qualifying, Deepa shares why the happiest practices aren't always the most high-tech, and why the most profitable dentists aren't always the most skilled.They touch on her philosophy of treating "dental and mental health" together and discuss how a transformative 10-day silent meditation retreat shifted her focus from perfection to presence. From humming during extractions to her daily gratitude practice, Deepa reveals to Payman why emotional intelligence is just as vital as clinical precision in modern dentistry.In This Episode01:20 - Mini smile makeovers and composite work04:10 - Mindset around colour conversations05:30 - Lessons from inside 100 practices08:00 - Adapting to different equipment10:20 - Respect for nurses and teamwork12:45 - Why reception is the hardest job14:35 - Handling difficult patients17:10 - Dentists who couldn't do nursing22:30 - Working in corporate versus independent24:45 - Meeting patients in the waiting room30:15 - Teeth colour and ageing33:20 - Humming to keep patients calm37:30 - Ethical treatment planning39:20 - Disagreeing with treatment plans42:05 - Motherhood and work-life balance47:50 - The silent meditation retreat experience50:15 - Living in the moment54:15 - Treating dental and mental health together56:35 - Blackbox thinking01:00:50 - Manager power in corporates01:09:25 - Courses as an investment01:10:10 - Writing ten gratitudes every morningAbout Deepa PatelDeepa Patel qualified as a dentist in India before moving to the UK, where she worked as a hygienist, dental nurse, receptionist, and practice manager whilst completing her ORE exams. She now works two days a week at a Bupa practice and spends the rest of her time as a locum dentist, having gained experience in over 100 different practices across the UK. Deepa completed a transformative 10-day Vipassana silent meditation retreat and practices daily gratitude, writing ten things she's grateful for every morning. She lives in Derbyshire with her husband and two children, aged 16 and 4.

This week, Payman sits down with Adeel Ali, an implantologist who's taken the kind of risks most dentists only talk about. Seven years qualified and he's already built multiple UK practices, mastered full-arch implantology including zygomatics, and most recently moved his family to Qatar to open a clinic from scratch—all whilst flying back every three weeks to maintain UK commitments. The conversation reveals someone refreshingly honest about not being naturally gifted clinically, instead crediting a relentless work ethic inherited from his father's 40-year retail career. They discuss marrying at 24, having kids young, and deliberately choosing to excel in every domain simultaneously rather than sequentially. Adeel's approach to business follows a simple framework: character-assassinate potential partners for integrity, find the best person doing what you want to learn, and when uncertainty hits, pray five times daily and trust it'll work out. From explaining why people should die with fixed teeth rather than dentures to how his wife rewired his mindset about Qatar, this episode offers an unfiltered look at making bold moves work through spiritual conviction and practical ruthlessness.In This Episode00:01:20 - Work ethic and retail roots00:04:25 - Teaching kids about money and work00:09:10 - Family dynamics and sacrifice00:13:50 - Marrying young and choosing fatherhood00:16:50 - Struggling through dental school00:22:15 - Life-changing full arch work00:23:25 - Finding mentors and the Tatum course00:26:25 - Three-tier training programme00:29:10 - Advice for aspiring implantologists00:33:45 - Aha moments in implantology00:43:15 - Mentorship beyond clinical skills00:46:50 - Choosing business partners00:51:15 - Practice acquisitions and growth strategy00:53:20 - Comfortable in the uncomfortable00:56:25 - Faith, religion and rating people holistically00:59:35 - Prayer and God consciousness01:05:50 - The Qatar move01:09:35 - Building London Implant Clinic from scratch01:12:35 - Wife's all-in mentality01:14:10 - Flying lifestyle and health concerns01:18:40 - Fantasy dinner party01:30:35 - Full arch consultation process01:36:25 - Cultural differences treating Qatari patientsAbout Adeel AliAdeel Ali is an implantologist who recently relocated to Qatar whilst maintaining UK practices. He's completed around 800 full arch cases and placed approximately 8,000 implants, focusing primarily on complex zygomatic and pterygoid cases. He runs a three-tier mentorship programme and travels between Qatar and the UK every three weeks.

In this Dental Leaders episode, Payman sits down with Fabian Farbahi, a 22-year-old Sheffield dental student who's already mastered something most people spend decades learning: the power of genuine conversation. Fabian spends 3.5-hour train journeys striking up chats with strangers because he's fascinated by people's stories—the same curiosity that drove him to become president of Sheffield's dental student society and spend two months on elective in Brazil learning Portuguese. They discuss Fabian's refreshingly unformed career path—he's drawn to oral surgery, intrigued by sports dentistry, passionate about public health behaviour change, and comfortable not knowing exactly which direction he'll take. The conversation covers his transformation from small-town student to confident stage presenter, lessons learned managing volunteers without pay, and why the best time to take business risks is when you're young. What emerges is someone who understands that dentistry isn't just about teeth—it's about connection, communication, and throwing yourself into uncomfortable situations until they become second nature.In This Episode00:03:35 - Choosing Sheffield and moving north00:06:45 - Clinical mistakes and university challenges00:07:40 - Student society presidency00:11:25 - Train conversations and connecting with strangers00:14:20 - Getting into dental school struggles00:17:40 - Career interests: implants, oral surgery, sports dentistry00:20:35 - Public health and behaviour change00:26:15 - Implantology path and the dip00:30:05 - Practice ownership versus travel ambitions00:32:20 - Two-month Brazil elective experience00:41:20 - Six-year projections and taking risks young00:44:30 - Managing people without payment00:50:15 - Business culture and leadership style00:54:50 - FDI World Dental Congress in Istanbul00:58:20 - Shadowing at Evo Dental01:01:30 - Sponsor hunting and sales lessons01:06:00 - Finding confidence through reinvention01:08:50 - Fantasy dinner partyAbout Fabian FarbahiFabian Farbahi is a fourth-year Sheffield dental student who served as president of the Sheffield University Dental Student Society. Originally from Taunton, he recently completed a two-month elective in Brazil, working across multiple cities whilst learning Portuguese and immersing himself in the culture.

Nik Sethi returns to the podcast four years after his first appearance alongside brother Sanjay, and what's changed reads like a masterclass in professional evolution. Now president of BAAD and founder of the Elevate education platform, Nik's story isn't about flashy techniques or groundbreaking discoveries—it's about something far more valuable. He's built his success on a simple premise that many overlook: getting the foundations right matters more than chasing the last 5%. Through honest reflections on juggling multiple practices, raising young children, and navigating the occasional courier disaster, Nik reveals how surrounding yourself with the right people and mastering the basics can transform not just your dentistry, but your entire relationship with the profession. His approach to breaking complex cases into manageable checkpoints, leveraging technology for better communication, and building genuine relationships through dental academies offers a blueprint for sustainable success that doesn't require sacrificing your evenings or your sanity.In This Episode00:02:10 - Return to the podcast00:08:00 - BAAD presidency and academy culture00:13:30 - Young BAAD initiative00:16:05 - Post-COVID events and networking value00:20:30 - Career transitions and taking the plunge00:23:15 - Keys to staying happy in dentistry00:26:10 - Elevate education platform origins00:28:00 - Focusing on foundations over the last 5%00:29:00 - Patient communication and relationship building00:36:50 - Building the Elevate diploma00:40:15 - Business ventures and collaboration00:57:25 - Learning from Dev Patel and Dental Beauty01:00:55 - Drew Shah and Dentinal Tubules influence01:02:40 - Leadership and financial education01:04:15 - Spinning multiple plates01:07:15 - Hands-on course disasters and problem solving01:18:05 - Lab relationships and communication01:25:15 - Trust and long-term lab partnerships01:31:20 - Physical impressions versus digital scanning01:33:15 - Using digital technology for patient education01:37:00 - Direct versus indirect treatment decisions01:38:05 - Check scans and real-time lab communication01:40:00 - Managing patient expectations and workflows01:42:30 - Complex case treatment planning in stages01:46:00 - Importance of mastering the basics01:50:35 - Materials knowledge and reducing variables01:54:00 - Continuous learning and accepting failuresAbout Nikhil SethiNikhil Sethi is a restorative dentist and current president of the British Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (BAAD). He practises at Square Mile Dental Centre in London with his brother Sanjay and colleague Amit, and runs a second practice in Essex. During the COVID lockdown, Nik founded Elevate, an education platform focused on teaching foundational principles in restorative dentistry through webinars and hands-on courses.

When a slipped disc ends your dental career at its peak, what comes next? Randeep Singh Gill's story isn't about endings—it's about radical reinvention. A digital dentistry enthusiast whose career was built on precision and routine, Randeep found himself confronting an identity crisis when chronic neck pain forced him away from practice. But here's where it gets interesting: instead of retreating, he pivoted into the very thing he'd always loved but never pursued: technology. Now he's building Dental CFO, an AI-powered platform designed to give practice owners something he believes they desperately lack: clarity. From workaholic associate to tech founder, Randeep's journey exposes the fragility of our professional identities and the transferable skills we don't realise we possess until we're forced to use them.In This Episode00:04:10 - Why dentistry over computing00:05:25 - Left hand, right hand00:10:15 - Six-day weeks and holiday guilt00:14:30 - When cutting down actually earned more00:20:40 - Identity crisis and the grief of leaving00:26:05 - Teaching himself AI and entrepreneurship00:32:30 - The six-month online course00:38:15 - Finding your niche: Cerec crowns and clarity00:39:05 - Building Dental CFO for real-time intelligence00:42:45 - Financial clarity as obsession00:47:25 - LinkedIn and hundreds of conversations01:03:30 - Blackbox thinking01:13:30 - Mistakes in tech: ego and uncertainty01:17:05 - Squad models and developer dynamics01:20:10 - Missing the people and the routine01:26:55 - AI anxiety and raising kids offline01:29:40 - Competition nightmares in tech01:35:00 - Fantasy dinner party01:37:30 - Last days and legacyAbout Randeep Singh GillRandeep qualified from King's College London in 2009 and spent over a decade as an associate, including 11.5 years at the same practice where he developed a passion for digital dentistry and same-day Cerec crowns. When a cervical disc injury cut his clinical career short, he retrained in AI and entrepreneurship, founding Dental CFO—a platform designed to give dental practice owners real-time financial intelligence and clarity.

Best friends Alisha Sagar and Natalie Gabrawi met at King's dental school and have remained inseparable ever since. In this episode, they share their journey from different backgrounds—Alisha's upbringing in Zambia and Natalie's roots in a medical family—to navigating their foundation years together. Their paths are diverging professionally, with Alisha drawn to implants and oral surgery, whilst Natalie gravitates towards restorative dentistry and aesthetics. Beyond clinical aspirations, they discuss work-life balance, the role of faith, and their commitment to giving back to communities that shaped them. It's a candid conversation about early career decisions, the pressure to succeed, and the power of friendship in weathering the uncertainties of young professional life.In This Episode00:02:10 - Meeting at King's 00:02:15 - Pre-dental school expectations 00:04:05 - Growing up in Zambia 00:07:10 - Coming from a medical family 00:12:30 - Different clinical interests emerge 00:15:25 - Specialising versus special interests 00:19:00 - Three-year career projections 00:26:50 - DCT plans and private practice 00:28:50 - Getting engaged during foundation year 00:34:20 - Work-life balance philosophies 00:44:00 - Entrepreneurial ambitions 00:50:00 - AI anxieties 00:57:25 - Faith and staying optimistic 01:02:10 - Darkest days in dentistry 01:03:50 - Blackbox thinking 01:07:10 - A smile transformation story 01:13:05 - Giving back financially 01:14:50 - Fantasy dinner partyAbout Alisha Sagar and Natalie GabrawiAlisha grew up in Zambia before moving to the UK for her A-levels and dental training at King's College London. Now completing her foundation year, she's discovered a passion for implants and oral surgery after shadowing clinicians in practice. She's recently engaged and balancing personal milestones with ambitious career plans that may one day lead her back to Zambia.Natalie comes from Derby and a family of doctors who actively discouraged her from following in their footsteps. After struggling with self-consciousness about her teeth as a child, she found her calling in dentistry. Now in her foundation year, she's drawn to restorative dentistry and is considering DCT training in the field, with aspirations towards full mouth rehabilitation work.

Aditi Bhalla's story reads like a cautionary tale about high achievement. A specialist prosthodontist who ticked every box—academic success, specialist training, teaching positions—she found herself breaking down in surgery in 2018, asking the question so many high achievers eventually face: is this it? After developing De Quervain's tenosynovitis from repetitive movements and stress, Aditi was forced to step away from dentistry. What followed was an unexpected journey into spirituality, meditation, and ultimately, retraining as an integrative psychotherapist. Now she works predominantly with dentists and other professionals who've achieved everything they thought they wanted but still feel lost, anxious, and burnt out. Her transformation from perfectionist dentist to spiritual guide offers a roadmap for those struggling with the same questions she once faced.In This Episode00:02:15 - High achievers feeling lost 00:03:10 - The perfectionism plateau 00:04:10 - Growing up as the brainy kid 00:06:35 - School captain to dental specialist 00:08:15 - Choosing prosthodontics 00:10:20 - Breaking down in surgery 00:11:45 - Discovering spirituality 00:14:30 - The spiritual awakening path 00:21:00 - Retraining as a psychotherapist 00:28:00 - Meditation fundamentals 00:32:25 - Breathwork techniques 00:42:00 - Self-compassion versus weakness 00:44:00 - Contentment and ambition coexisting 00:46:20 - The wrist injury that changed everything 00:57:15 - Therapy versus dentistry 01:00:00 - Understanding spirituality 01:03:10 - Blackbox thinking 01:12:10 - The Wellbeing Hub 01:14:35 - Fantasy dinner party 01:16:20 - Last days and legacyAbout Aditi BhallaAditi is a former specialist prosthodontist who trained in India before completing her specialist training at King's College London. She lectured for both King's and Health Education England, teaching occlusion and toothwear, whilst working in multiple practices across the Southeast. After developing Dequervain's tenosynovitis—a repetitive strain injury that left her unable to continue clinical work—she embarked on a spiritual journey that transformed her career. Now an integrative psychotherapist, life coach, and wellness advocate, she works predominantly with dentists, bankers, and medical professionals experiencing burnout and existential questioning despite their professional success.

Alex Buciu's story reads like something from another era. From endodontics in Romania to amalgams in Northern Ireland, his path through dentistry mirrors a deeper journey through loss, resilience and reinvention. When your mum dies at 14 and you're watching it happen, something shifts inside. When you arrive in a new country with £3,100 in your pocket—half of it borrowed—you learn what matters. Alex talks about communication trumping clinical skill every time, about choosing kindness when you're capable of violence, and why he'd rather be a brilliant generalist than a mediocre anything-else. There's philosophy here, hard-won wisdom, and the kind of honesty that only comes from someone who's genuinely fought for everything they have.In This Episode00:02:15 - Qualifying in Romania and building an endodontics practice 00:03:10 - The shock of NHS dentistry 00:08:40 - Why leave Romania 00:18:45 - Finding mentor Kieran 00:20:05 - Arriving with £3,100 00:26:00 - How to choose courses wisely 00:26:45 - The occlusion eureka moment 00:32:05 - Why not endodontics in the UK 00:37:35 - Moving to Peterborough 00:42:45 - Building from zero patients 00:44:00 - Favourite courses and lecturers 00:52:40 - Communication beats clinical skill 00:58:15 - Growing up under Ceaușescu 01:08:25 - Losing his mother at 14 01:14:20 - Volunteering in trauma 01:17:10 - Near-death experiences 01:24:50 - Blackbox thinking 01:35:40 - Fantasy dinner party 01:41:55 - Last days and legacyAbout Alex BuciuAlex qualified in Romania in 2004 and built a successful endodontics-focused practice before moving to Northern Ireland in 2018, later settling in Peterborough. He works as a private associate, focusing on restorative dentistry, occlusion and TMD, with a particular passion for continuous education and patient communication. Despite significant personal challenges, including arriving in the UK with minimal resources, he's built a reputation as an excellence-driven clinician who believes communication matters more than clinical perfection.

There's something about meeting someone who's truly hungry to learn. Payman spotted it straight away when Sanaa Harroussi walked into his Mini Smile Makeover course—that rare fire in the belly. But here's the thing: Sanaa's journey from Rabat to Paris to West London isn't just about collecting qualifications. It's about a woman who aced the ORE first time, built a fifteen-year career in the same practice, and then had everything turned upside down when her second son received a six-month life expectancy. What follows is a masterclass in resilience, the art of not taking anything for granted, and learning when perfectionism helps and when it hurts.In This Episode00:00:45 - Introduction and first impressions 00:01:25 - Growing up in Rabat 00:02:20 - Competitive entry into dental school 00:02:50 - How dentistry happened 00:03:50 - The serious student 00:06:25 - Postgraduate training in Paris 00:07:15 - Paris versus London 00:09:20 - The ORE challenge 00:11:20 - Blackbox thinking 00:17:10 - Finding her first job 00:20:30 - NHS reality check 00:21:55 - Patient expectations 00:24:25 - Family life begins 00:26:30 - The diagnosis 00:29:45 - Fighting for treatment 00:32:00 - Life with disability 00:33:40 - One day at a time 00:38:20 - The improvement obsession 00:40:00 - Retreats and self-care 00:40:30 - Clinical loves and methods 00:43:25 - Rubber dams and labs 00:48:40 - The digital question 00:51:10 - Invisalign journey 00:57:15 - Fantasy dinner party 00:58:45 - Last days and legacyAbout Sanaa HarroussiSanaa Harroussi trained in dentistry in Morocco before completing postgraduate studies in prosthodontics in Paris. She's been practising in West London for fifteen years, building her career in the same practice whilst raising three sons. When her middle child was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, Sanaa fought to secure him a place in a clinical trial that would save his life.

What happens when a complaint over a scale and polish changes everything? For Alif Moosajee, a GDC investigation became the catalyst that transformed him from a dentist flying under the radar into the owner of Oakdale, one of Leicester's most distinctive private practices. This conversation charts his path from undergraduate struggles with imposter syndrome through the crucible of regulatory scrutiny to building a seven-surgery practice rooted in authentic patient care. Along the way, Alif shares hard-won insights about guided implantology, the perils of well poisoners, and why breaking kayfabe—wrestling's term for dropping the performance—might be the most honest thing you can do for your patients. It's a story about choosing growth over comfort, one calculated risk at a time.In This Episode00:01:00 - The Smiling Dentist origins 00:02:20 - Tony Robbins and the power of physiology 00:15:00 - Undergraduate struggles and fixed mindset 00:16:25 - The GDC complaint that changed everything 00:22:20 - Buying Oakdale practice 00:26:40 - Growing up in Slough and choosing dentistry 00:31:55 - Building the practice vision 00:35:20 - Firing the well poisoner 00:38:30 - Custodian of the vision 00:47:00 - The unmeasurable things that matter most 00:53:30 - Surprise and delight tactics 01:00:25 - Contentment versus ambition 01:06:00 - The Tony Robbins business mastery mistake 01:09:00 - Dark days in practice ownership 01:19:00 - Blackbox thinking 01:24:15 - Switching to fully guided implants 01:28:30 - Fantasy dinner party 01:33:55 - Last days and legacyAbout Alif MoosajeeAlif Moosajee studied dentistry at Birmingham and owns Oakdale Dental in Leicester, a seven-surgery private practice where he focuses on implant dentistry and digital workflows. Known as "The Smiling Dentist" from his book published over a decade ago, Alif has built his practice around immediate implant protocols and fully guided surgery following early clinical challenges that reshaped his approach to risk management.

Raj Ahlowalia's remarkable 33-year journey in a single practice reveals what true dedication to the craft looks like. From almost missing university entirely to becoming an internationally recognised authority on functional occlusion, his story challenges everything we think we know about dental careers. The son of a polyglot interpreter who hitchhiked from India to the UK, Raj stumbled into dentistry through a teacher's intervention, then methodically built expertise that took him from Biggleswade to the stages of Pankey and Spear. His time on Extreme Makeover taught him the crucial difference between patients who want cosmetic work and those who genuinely need rehabilitation—a distinction that shaped his entire philosophy of practice.In This Episode00:07:15 - Father's extraordinary hitchhiking journey from India00:19:20 - The accidental path to dentistry00:39:25 - First job and VT experience00:44:15 - Extreme Makeover TV breakthrough01:13:15 - Teaching at Pankey and Spear institutes01:28:00 - Blackbox thinking01:31:40 - Forced retirement due to spinal issues01:34:05 - Photography passion and flying adventures01:59:25 - Learning NLP and hypnosis techniques02:03:40 - Patient litigation experience02:15:00 - Fantasy dinner party02:15:25 - Last days and legacyAbout Raj AhlowaliaRaj spent his entire 33-year career at one practice in Biggleswade, evolving from VT to an internationally recognised expert in functional occlusion. He taught at both the Pankey Institute and for Frank Spear, appeared on the Extreme Makeover TV show, pioneering the first implant shown on British television, and developed a comprehensive approach to full-mouth rehabilitation that emphasises function over pure aesthetics.

Ashkan returns to reveal how Southcliffe Dental transformed from near-bankruptcy to unprecedented profitability through a revolutionary therapist-led model. From losing half his body weight to facing GDC proceedings, he opens up about the personal costs of rapid expansion and the dark period when £4 million in clawbacks nearly destroyed everything. His ex-wife's intervention during his lowest moment becomes a turning point, leading to a complete business overhaul that's now attracting attention from private equity firms across the sector. Raw, unfiltered, and brutally honest about the realities of corporate dental leadership.In This Episode00:01:25 - Quality over quantity mindset shift00:02:50 - The £4 million clawback crisis00:06:00 - Revolutionary therapist business model00:17:35 - Organisational restructure and delegation00:25:30 - Leadership philosophy and high standards00:30:50 - Physical transformation journey00:46:45 - GDC proceedings and workplace allegations01:04:25 - Blackbox thinking01:17:05 - Clinical errors and patient management01:23:15 - Business decisions and banking relationships01:33:15 - Fantasy dinner party01:08:45 - Last days and legacyAbout Ashkan PitchforthAshkan is the CEO and co-founder of Southcliffe Dental Group, which operates 24 mixed NHS practices employing around 400 people. He pioneered an innovative therapist-led delivery model that has revolutionised the group's profitability, taking EBITDA from zero to 7-8 million within two years. A clinical dentist turned entrepreneur, he's known for his direct leadership style and willingness to challenge conventional dental business models.

Two Iranian dentists who took the scenic route to British dentistry, Sara Khandan and Mahan Mohaghegh's story reads like a masterclass in adaptability. From Tehran to Debrecen University in Hungary, then straight into the UK without ever having set foot in the country before, their journey showcases both the challenges and rewards of international dental careers. Now transitioning from NHS to private practice, they share candid insights about navigating visa dependencies, cultural differences between healthcare systems, and why being top of your class doesn't guarantee an easy path. Their conversation reveals how different countries approach dentistry, from Hungary's more invasive techniques to the UK's preventive focus, and why sometimes the most circuitous routes lead to the most rewarding destinations.In This Episode00:01:15 - Arriving in the UK without ever having visited before00:03:30 - Why they chose Hungary for dental education over Iran00:05:30 - First impressions of Hungary and cultural differences00:08:25 - Military service requirements forcing early departure from Iran00:10:15 - Financial challenges of studying abroad00:13:10 - Hungarian education system: oral exams and luck factors00:17:00 - Working in Hungary's NHS-equivalent system00:19:15 - Cultural differences: Eastern European "egg" vs Western "peach"00:25:15 - The decision to move to the UK post-Brexit00:29:50 - Landing NHS jobs sight unseen00:34:10 - Learning UK dentistry systems and mentorship importance00:38:30 - NHS complaint system challenges00:40:25 - The band system frustrations00:43:25 - Visa dependency limiting job opportunities00:47:00 - Transition to private practice00:52:55 - Future aspirations: cosmetics vs surgical specialisation00:59:15 - Darkest day: fear and uncertainty in early UK days01:03:25 - Blackbox thinking01:06:40 - TMJ dislocation during extraction01:10:25 - Being top of class vs visa reality check01:14:20 - Best dental lectures and mentorship value01:18:20 - Fantasy dinner party01:20:55 - Last days and legacyAbout Sara Khandan and Mahan MohagheghSara Khandan and Mahan Mohaghegh are Iranian-born dentists who graduated from the University of Debrecen in Hungary before relocating to the UK. After three years of practice in Hungary's public healthcare system, they moved to the UK and completed two and a half years in the NHS before transitioning to private practice. Sara is pursuing advanced cosmetic dentistry training, whilst Mahan is focusing on surgical procedures and implant dentistry. Both are planning to eventually open their own practice within the next five to six years.

From knife crime in East London to owning one of the capital's most successful dental laboratories, Kash Qureshi's story is one of remarkable transformation. At just 15, a violent altercation became the catalyst that changed everything, pushing him from a dangerous path towards an apprenticeship that would define his future. Now owner of Swiss Dent and a thriving denture clinic, Kash shares the raw realities of growing up on the streets, the technical mastery required in dental technology, and the leadership skills needed to build a business. This conversation explores how early adversity can forge unstoppable resilience, and why sometimes the most unlikely backgrounds produce the most determined entrepreneurs.In This Episode00:03:50 - Street life and knife incidents in Walthamstow00:07:10 - Finding dental technology through newspaper adverts00:11:15 - Apprenticeship training and specialisation paths00:14:25 - Why crown and bridge got outsourced to CAD/CAM00:17:00 - Clinical dental technician qualification and denture work00:26:05 - Transition from employee to business owner00:30:05 - Acquiring Swiss Dent with zero personal investment00:34:00 - Cold calling and door-to-door client acquisition00:39:30 - Clinical insights: overextended special trays revelation00:42:10 - Swiss system for aesthetic denture setups00:48:55 - Immediate loading implant techniques01:08:25 - Managing 100-200 cases daily at the laboratory01:18:25 - Blackbox thinking01:24:25 - Cash crisis: when payroll meets empty accounts01:26:40 - Fantasy dinner party01:39:35 - Last days and legacyAbout Kash QureshiKash Qureshi is the owner of Swiss Dent laboratory in London and operates a clinical denture practice. Starting as a 16-year-old apprentice at the very lab he now owns, Kash has grown the business from 7 to 18 employees whilst developing expertise in prosthetics and digital denture technology. He qualified as a clinical dental technician at 23, making him one of the youngest in the country at the time, and now trains dentists in digital denture techniques.

Shameek Popat takes us on a remarkable journey from his early days as a Ugandan-born dentist to becoming a serial entrepreneur disrupting the oral care industry. After 23 years of successful practice ownership, Shameek sold to Portman Dental and launched Tooth Angel, a luxury, eco-friendly oral care brand that's challenging the sustainability narrative in dentistry. Now he's back with Disruptive Smiles, partnering with renowned educators to bring premium composite materials to UK dentists. This conversation reveals a man who's never lost his childhood curiosity, whether he's crafting whisky blends, designing sustainable toothbrushes, or simply asking the big questions about contentment versus pleasure.In This Episode00:02:35 - Philosophy and losing senses 00:05:10 - Personal adaptability 00:07:40 - Contentment versus pleasure 00:09:10 - Beauty in imperfection 00:11:40 - Tooth Angel sustainability mission 00:16:50 - Research-backed product development 00:20:15 - Manual versus electric preference 00:24:30 - Dentist-made products 00:34:25 - Investment and funding strategy 00:50:35 - Uganda origins and Idi Amin 00:53:15 - Education journey to Manchester 00:57:50 - Dental school with Avi Banerjee 01:00:30 - Early practice ownership 01:04:30 - Kois transformation 01:15:20 - Team retention philosophy 01:20:10 - Whisky passion projects 01:24:00 - Practice sale emotions 01:26:40 - Disruptive Smiles launch 01:35:40 - Blackbox thinking 01:47:00 - Fantasy dinner partyAbout Shameek PopatShameek Popat is a Kois-trained dentist who spent 23 years building and running successful practices before selling to Portman Dental. He's the founder of Tooth Angel, a luxury eco-friendly oral care brand, and co-founder of Disruptive Smiles, which distributes premium composite materials alongside clinical education. Born in Uganda and educated across three continents, Shameek brings a unique global perspective to everything he creates.

This fly-on-the-wall conversation between Kailesh Solanki and Dev Patel, founder and CEO of Dental Beauty Partners (DBP), captures the remarkable 20-year journey of Kiss Dental, from a risky startup in a Flixton suburb to an eight-clinic powerhouse.Kailesh Solanki reveals how he mortgaged himself to the eyeballs at just two years post-graduation, survived near-bankruptcy, weathered a catastrophic flood, and built one of the UK's most respected dental brands. The discussion explores his unique VT scheme that's producing the country's top-earning young dentists, the partner model that's breaking industry boundaries, and why keeping things "stupid and simple" might just be the secret sauce to sustainable growth.In This Episode01:15 - Starting Kiss Dental in 2005 02:15 - Taking the entrepreneurial leap after graduation 03:05 - Going fully private from day one 05:15 - Team as the key to longevity 06:30 - Most difficult periods in business 07:40 - Near bankruptcy from marketing spend 09:25 - Brother Prav's marketing transformation 11:40 - Vision for multiple practices and branding 14:15 - Growth expectations versus reality 20:05 - The VT scheme philosophy 21:25 - Partner model development 25:10 - Expansion plans26:30 - Five-year aspirations for 15+ clinics 28:15 - VT scheme versus traditional associates 35:25 - Two-year VT program structure 41:55 - Biggest hurdle: the 2012 flood disaster 46:50 - COVID and the 2020 rebrand 50:25 - Technology, passion and innovation 53:45 - Advice for young dentistsAbout Kailesh Solanki and Dev PatelKailesh Solanki is the founder and CEO of Kiss Dental, which he established in 2005 at just 25 years old after completing his dental training. Having built the practice from a single Flixton clinic to eight locations across the North West, he's become recognised for his innovative VT training scheme and partner model. His approach combines high-end private dentistry with accessible suburban locations, creating one of the UK's most successful dental brands over the past two decades.Dev Patel is the founder and CEO of Dental Beauty Partners (DBP), a UK-based dental group that has grown rapidly by acquiring and partnering with dental practices to scale their businesses through a people-focused investment approach. DBP operates a large network of dental practices across the UK and is known for its partnership-based corporate model.

Two remarkable women share their extraordinary journey from India to building three thriving NHS practices in the UK. Gauri Pradhan and Shivani Bhandari discuss their innovative therapist-led model that's revolutionising NHS dentistry, creating happy workplaces where staff genuinely want to be. From navigating the brutal ORE exam process to developing a groundbreaking patient app, they reveal how genuine friendship and shared values can build something remarkable. Their refreshing take on NHS dentistry challenges every assumption about what's possible in modern practice.In This Episode00:01:05 - Practice ownership journey and location in Cheltenham00:03:20 - Family background in dentistry and choosing oral surgery00:06:25 - Decision to move from India to the UK00:09:25 - Shivani's path from dentist to dental nurse to management00:12:15 - Team culture and treating staff like family00:20:45 - First practice acquisition during COVID00:28:15 - Innovative therapist-led NHS model00:35:20 - Making NHS dentistry work profitably00:50:00 - DPS UK app development and technology innovation00:58:45 - Blackbox thinking - learning from clinical mistakes01:08:20 - ORE exam struggles and eventual success01:26:20 - Future expansion plans and business philosophy01:34:40 - Fantasy dinner party guests01:37:15 - Last days and legacy adviceAbout Gauri Pradhan & Shivani BhandariGauri Pradhan is a qualified oral surgeon who moved from India to the UK, eventually transitioning to general dentistry after completing her ORE qualification. Shivani Bhandari made the bold decision to pivot from dentistry to practice management after working as a dental nurse with Oasis. Together, they own three mixed practices in the Bristol and Cheltenham area, pioneering an innovative therapist-led model that's making NHS dentistry both profitable and enjoyable for their teams.

Fresh from Barcelona's dental schools and thrust into the realities of UK practice, Patric Saraby brings a refreshing perspective on what it truly means to start a dental career. This Iranian-born, multilingual dentist shares his journey from A-level disappointment to Spanish success, and now to the coalface of NHS dentistry in Bournemouth. With brutal honesty about clinical mistakes, cultural observations that'll make you think twice about British attitudes to success, and insights on why communication trumps technical skill, Patric offers a masterclass in adaptation and resilience. His story isn't just about dentistry—it's about the immigrant mentality that drives excellence, the power of manifestation, and why sometimes the best path forward isn't the one you originally planned.In This Episode00:01:35 - First job realities and the deep end experience00:02:20 - What surprised him most about practice life00:05:05 - NHS time pressures and appointment constraints00:08:25 - Amalgam versus composite: the material debate00:09:05 - Communication as half the job00:15:15 - Persian philosophy and karma beliefs00:18:30 - Religious perspectives and greater powers00:23:05 - A-levels disappointment and plan B moments00:28:40 - Spanish warmth and cultural connection00:36:05 - Barcelona application process00:42:30 - Language barriers and learning curves00:53:50 - Blackbox thinking00:59:40 - Corporate practice experience with Bupa01:12:30 - Patient reviews and building reputation01:16:15 - Manifestation and goal achievement01:27:10 - Favourite periodontics lecture01:34:15 - Fantasy dinner partyAbout Patric SarabyPatric is an Iranian-born dentist who qualified from Barcelona after initially being rejected from UK dental schools. He currently works at a Bupa practice in Bournemouth, balancing NHS and private work whilst navigating his first year in practice. Coming from a dental family and speaking multiple languages, he brings a unique international perspective to UK dentistry.