Dental Leaders Podcast

Almost fresh from dental school, this week’s guests are already sharing their work to help others learn.   “We’re not teachers,” say Balraj (Bal) Sohal and Kris Vekaria, who set up the Kaizen learning resource to share what they love most.   Kris and Bal let us in on how Kaizen came about and their plans for its future. The pair also talk about failed extractions, the pros and cons of learning on social media, meeting Maradona and more.   Enjoy!       “We're not really experts or trying to teach. We're just trying to share what we do on a daily basis, our mistakes and cases that go well...we don't want to come across as teachers. It's more just about providing free content and sharing the kind of the stuff we enjoy doing.”   Bal Sohal  In This Episode 02.26 - First meeting 06.21 - Kaizen, teaching and sharing 13.11 - Finding an audience and keeping it simple 17.11 - Research 21.22 - Current practice 21.55 - Background stories 27.39 - Learning on social media 28.14 - VT year and COVID 33.20 - Blackbox thinking 54.33 - The future of Kaizen 56.37 - Fantasy dinner parties 01.04.58 - Where to find Kaizen About Bal Sohal and Kris Vekaria Balraj Sohal and Kris Vekaria graduated from King’s College in 2019 and quickly went on to set up the Kaizen dental learning resource which shares bite-sized tips on treatment and techniques.   

In this week’s solo episode, Prav talks about one of his favourite topics: Context and congruency in marketing.   Using real-life examples from his open practices, he explains why establishing context and congruency matter throughout the patient journey should be a priority.   He also dispenses actionable advice on how teams can use this powerful marketing hack to improve conversions and enhance the patient experience.   Enjoy!        “It's all about communication that has context, and that is congruent with previous conversations.” Prav Solanki In This Episode 00.22  - An everyday example 04-56 - Stepping into patients’ shoes14.57 - From online to real life27.07 - Why it matters Prav Solanki is a healthcare entrepreneur, marketer, dental practice owner and host of the Dental Leaders podcast. To ask Prav a question about context and congruency or other aspects of practice marketing growth, visit www.prav.com.

If you’ve been busy banking CPD hours, you may be familiar with this week’s guest. Jasmine Piran is a self-confessed course junkie who’s made a move from pupil to teacher. She lets us in on life as a lecturer and provides insight into how a psychology degree and NLP training have helped her understand and connect with nervous patients. Jasmine also lifts the lid on her time with celebrity dentist Uchenna Okoye, her interest in art and music, and more. Enjoy!   “Isn't it a privilege that patients come and see us for elective treatment? The whole mood changes when someone comes in and you have to tell them they need a root canal treatment or an extraction, versus someone who comes to you and says: ‘please help me, I want you to help me improve my smile’. Already, that's a great energy space to be in.” Jasmine Piran In This Episode 01.42 - Backstory05.08 - Study at Guy’s08.19 - Psychology, NLP and nervous patients16.21 - Into practice20.16 - Dental nursing21.21 - Uchenna Okoye24.41 - Trailblazing and work-life balance25.59 - Principals Vs Associates32.47 - Minimally invasive philosophy36.03 - Learning and teaching40.27 - Invisalign and orthodontics43.53 - Blackbox thinking51.06 - Ethics52.51 - Perfection paralysis55.27 - Teaching SmileFast01.02.18 - Art, music and travel01.05.11 - Last days and legacy About Jasmine Piran Jasmine Piran qualified from Guy’s King’s and St Thomas’ Dental Institute in 2001. She has since gained a Masters degree with distinction in restorative and aesthetic dentistry from the University of Manchester and also holds a degree in psychology. She is an avid learner who has travelled to the US, Switzerland and Italy in pursuit of continuing professional development and has also studied extensively in the UK. In addition to dental training, Jasmine has also gained NLP and hypnotherapy accreditation.

Here’s something you don’t find every day - a specialist orthodontist who’s still carrying out day-to-day cosmetic and restorative work. This week’s guest, Josh Rowley, explains how and why the two go together hand-in-hand and tells how a once-in-lifetime alignment of the stars saw him take an unorthodox route to early specialist status. Josh also lifts the lid on why he loves being an educator and lets us in on not one but two clinical errors that changed the way he does dentistry.   “Teeth are stupid. If you push on them hard enough and long enough, they will move. They don't know if they're being moved by a bit of plastic or a bit of wire.” Josh Rowley In This Episode 01.00 - Backstory and parental influences19.15 - Into dentistry and orthodontics26.09 - Specialisms and marketing31.49 - Josh’s practices34.46 - Being an ortho-dentist43.52 - Teaching and lecturing54.49 - Blackbox thinking part one59.11 - The patient journey01.08.45 - Blackbox thinking part two01.12.01 - Direct-to-consumer orthodontics01.18.11 - Turkey teeth01.24.49 - Last days and legacy About Josh Rowley Josh Rowley graduated from The University of Dundee in 2014.  He was nominated for the Best Young Dentist award at Dentistry Scotland Awards in 2017 and 2018. He won the title in 2019 and was awarded Best Smile Makeover in 2020. Josh is a member of the Faculty of Dental Surgery of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh and The Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. He is also a trainer with IAS Academy.

Prav and Payman are finally reunited this week to welcome Dr Slaine McGrath to the show. Spending too much time in the dentist’s chair can be enough to put youngsters off dentistry for life. But the opposite is true for Slaine, who was inspired into the profession following a dental mishap early in life. Slaine talks about the pros and cons of being one of Insta’s most prominent dentists, how she landed a job at a top Harley Street clinic just two years after graduating. She also explains the magnetic pull of London and reveals her plans for a new clinic opening soon in Edinburgh. Enjoy! In This Episode 01.50 - Backstory04.53 - Women in dentistry06.36 - Work-life balance - a day in the life10.18 - Dental school12.51 - Into practice19.47 - Social marketing29.06 - Engaging with followers32.22 - Lessons from top clinics34.53 - Slaine’s vision39.37 - Thoughts on Edinburgh41.40 - Dark days and black box thinking49.03 - Slaine’s top tips56.15 - Last days and legacy About Slaine McGrath Slaine McGrath qualified Trinity College Dublin and worked in the maxillofacial department of Galway University Hospital in Ireland before heading for the bright lights of London. She spent time on Harley Street with Rüh dental, where she focused on Invisalign and cosmetic treatment. Slaine sits on the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry committee and is a member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. She is currently embarked on setting up a brand new practice in Edinburgh.

The Great Escape with Geoff Stone “Follow your dreams,” says this week’s guest Geoff Stone - and no one could accuse him of failing to follow his own advice. In a tale with more twists and turns than the best of Dickens, Geoff tells how he turned his back on a lucrative banking career to make a name as one of dentistry’s best latecomers. There were highs, lows and more than a few crashes along the way. Hit play to hear one of our most inspirational conversations yet and find out if it was all worth it for Geoff. My grandfather always said: “We make our own prison walls. It’s up to us to break out.” I did, and it was hard.” Geoff Stone In This Episode 01.12 - Backstory and banking07.19 - Bonuses and finding life balance17.38 - From banking to bar work and back to school22.00 - Dental school and VT28.07 - Family orthodontics32.30 - Finding your rhythm36.27 - Six Sigma and dentistry40.17 - Two-tier dentistry42.01 - On teaching and speaking48.37 - Black box thinking53.17 - Direct to consumer orthodontics and Turkey teeth56.24 - Last days and legacy About Geoff Stone Geoff Stone gave up a career in investment banking to complete his BDS at the University of Glasgow and went on to gain his MFDS from the Royal College of Surgeons in Glasgow. He is an associate dentist working in a mixed practice in Stirling in rural Bannockshire. He is also a trainer and mentor with IAS Academy.

For Shazia Ahmed, the fight for justice runs in the blood. In this week’s episode, she tells how values of fairness were instilled from an early age and how that led to taking on a former employer at a tribunal. It also saw Shazia providing support on Facebook for thousands of dental professionals who were shortchanged during the COVID crisis.  Shazia explains how the British Dental Action Group quickly grew far beyond its original scope, sets out her thoughts on NHS funding, contracts, reform and much more. Enjoy!  “We've got to say, ‘look for God's sake, give us some respect’, and I don't think anybody is going to give it to us. We have to demand it. We have to come together and demand the contract that we want because, without us, there is no NHS contract at all.”  Shazia Ahmed In This Episode 00.40 - Backstory05.23 - University07.20 - An injustice15.02 - BDAG and COVID31.55 - NHS - contracts, funding and reform43.55 - Why NHS dentistry?45.20 - Being a woman in dentistry50.22 - Regrets and darkest days53.05 - Family life and setting an example55.04 - Plans and predictions57.20 - BDA elections01.00.02 - NHS contract reform01.04.29 - Last days and legacy About Shazia Ahmed Dr Shazia Ahmed qualified from the University of Birmingham in 2002. She is an NHS associate in practice in the midlands. During the COVID lockdown, Shazia set up a Facebook support group for dental professionals affected by contract changes, withheld payments and other disputes. The group became the British Dental Action Group which campaigns to improve how NHS practice owners manage funding in relation to employees and associates.

In This Episode This week, Payman welcomes his first boss, an early mentor and friend of 30 years, Dr Nick Mohindra. Nick recounts his early years at Edinburgh University, which preceded a career full of industry-changing firsts. Nick was one of the first dentists to computerise his practice. He was also the first clinician to realise how inter-dental brushing trumps flossing in the fight against gum disease. But perhaps his most famous first was the realisation that the textbooks were wrong about denture patients. Nick lifts the lid on how it felt waiting for science to catch up with his razor-sharp intuition, discusses his Oralift invention, and more. Enjoy!  “Changing the profession is a big task, and if you’ve got the money, they listen more. ” Nick Mohindra In This Episode 01.00 - Backstory08.02 - Into dentistry12.49 - Student life15.01 - Into practice19.32 - Changing the profession32.17 - On optimism36.06 - Oralift46.11 - Rehab, rejuvenation, research52.03 - Blackbox thinking & darkest moments57.51 - The future of Oralift01.05.07 - Last days and legacy About Nick Mohindra Nick qualified from Edinburgh University and went on to practice in South Wales and Kent, where he spent ten years as a VT trainer. An interest in facial pain led to a theory that facial height in denture patients could be increased by much more than was advised at the time and resulted in unexpected but profound rejuvenating effects. Following his first research paper on the subject with Dr David Davis, Nick moved away from general practice to focus on rejuvenation through dentistry. Nick established Added Dimension Dentistry on Wimpole Street in 1999, where he perfected his DentalFaceLift technique. He also developed the Oralift appliance, which appears to reverse the signs of facial ageing. Nick is a prolific lecturer who has spoken at the World Aesthetic Conference, the London Anti-Ageing Conference and the University of Florence.

Fix Up, Look Sharp! With Shiraz Khan This week’s guest is winner of the Fast Track 4 award for future leaders in dentistry. But this conversation proves that dentistry’s best-dressed Shiraz Khan is leading the way in so many ways right now.    Dentist, lecturer and trainer Shiraz reveals how he went into a high profile role almost fresh from dentistry school and talks life on the lecture circuit (and the nerves that go with it). Shiraz also weighs in on the porcelain vs composites debate.   Enjoy! “On my composite courses, I show the first-ever composite I ever photographed. And the reason I love doing that is that it brings me back to level pegs.” Shiraz Khan In This Episode 01.06 - Backstory09.26 - On dancing15.13 - First job & inspirational mentor16.41 - Lecturing & training28.48 - Documenting cases33.31 - Blackbox thinking39.18 - Working with Koray Feran47.00 - Composite Vs porcelain Vs edge bonding57.53 - Putting training into practice01.03.20 - The patient journey01.08.34 - Consumer ortho, AI and Turkey Teeth01.15.15 - Last days and legacy About Shiraz Khan Shiraz Khan graduated from Birmingham Dental School in 2013 and trained in restorative dentistry at Croydon University Hospital and Guy’s and St Thomas’. He is a prolific lecturer whose achievements include speaking at EXCIDA’s 75th national congress in Tehran. In 2017, Shiraz was named Best Young Dentist at the Dentistry Awards and took the Rising European Star in Dentistry title in 2018. In 2019, Shiraz won the best restorative category at the Aesthetic Dentistry Awards. He is also winner of the Fast Track 4 award, which recognises potential future leaders in dentistry. Shiraz is director of the Young Dentist Academy and a trainer with IAS Academy. He practices at Devonshire Place clinic in Chelsea and Fulham.

This week, we continue our look back at conversations about social media, featuring Robbie Hughes, Rhona Eskander and other socialites. The hour-long special is neatly bookended by talks with Manchester-based Kailesh Solanki and brother Prav, a marketing scientist and host of the show. Enjoy!   In This Episode 00:54 Kailesh Solanki03:41 Richard Field09:56 Rupert Monkhouse14:48 Robbie Hughes19:07 Rhona Eskander30:38 Jason Smithson38:37 Shaadi Manouchehri47:46 Zayba Sheik50:48 Nilesh Parmar54:31 Prav Solanki