Payman chats with Amber Aplin, who's carved out something genuinely different in the Scottish Borders. From military dentist to biomimetic practice owner, Amber's journey takes in Germany, Iraq, private equity, and ultimately building a practice that puts prevention and patient education at its core.

She talks candidly about the realities of military life, the loneliness of early practice ownership, and why she now trains therapists and other dentists in minimally invasive techniques.

There's also a refreshing honesty about perfectionism, work-life balance, and what happens when you stop chasing the next big thing and start appreciating what's already there.

In This Episode

00:00:40 - Military beginnings

00:02:05 - Sandhurst training

00:03:55 - Germany posting

00:06:50 - Iraq deployment

00:09:25 - Leaving the forces

00:10:45 - Moving to Scotland

00:12:30 - Early practice ownership struggles

00:15:20 - Private equity involvement

00:19:10 - Buying the practice back

00:22:15 - Building a biomimetic practice

00:26:40 - Therapist-led model

00:31:20 - Teaching and courses

00:36:45 - Microscope dentistry

00:42:10 - Direct bonding techniques

00:48:25 - Patient communication

00:53:30 - Practice culture

00:58:15 - Work-life balance challenges

01:04:20 - Pascal Magne influence

01:09:40 - Preventive dentistry philosophy

01:15:50 - Social media approach

01:21:35 - Business versus clinical focus

01:26:45 - Blackbox thinking

01:28:50 - Fantasy dinner party

01:30:15 - Last days and legacy

About Amber Aplin

Amber Aplin is a biomimetic dentist and practice owner in the Scottish Borders who served six years as a military dentist, including deployments to Germany and Iraq. She now runs a prevention-focused practice where therapists deliver the majority of patient care, and teaches minimally invasive dentistry techniques to other practitioners.

#329 Sandhurst to Scotland — Amber Aplin