Dental Leaders Podcast

This week’s guest transcends the dental-leader label. A polymath and true giant of the field, Prof. Nairn Wilson takes us through the patents with which he helped turn ICI into one of dentistry’s leading players.   And that was just the beginning. Prof. Wilson shares how his refusal to be pinned down led to the creation of one of the most varied and impressive CVs in all of dentistry.   Enjoy!   A guy came in and he said, "We've looked at you with amazement. You put the money in the bank. Last year we made a clear five million profit…” And they said, "we're selling out to these Japanese people. You have a great night." Prof. Nairn Wilson In this Episode 00.50 - The early years 08.57 - On not working with dad 17.16 - Crossing the border 21.48 - A call from ICI 29.31 - A couple of chance encounters 34.57 - Industry, praxis & family 42.40 - Work Vs talent (and spotting the latter) 42.58 - Step into my office - tanked up in the War Museum 48.04 - Another fortuitous phone call 50.37 - Walking the regulation tightrope 59.40 - Mistakes, regrets & ear-to-ear crowns 01.02.51 - Another chance meeting 01.04.06 - LonDEC, MANDEC and a £20K scale & polish 01.12.31 - The College of General Dentistry 01.22.12 - Leadership & future dentistry 01.26.51 - On pursuing dreams & making a difference   About Prof. Nairn Wilson Prof. Nairn Wilson’s career includes time spent as Dean, Clinical Director, Pro-vice chancellor of Manchester University Dental Hospital and Head of King's College London Dental Institute.    Prof. Wilson has also spent time as President of the General Dental Council  and the European Federation of Conservative Dentistry. He was Co-chair of the Forum of European Heads and Deans of Dental Schools and 129th President of the British Dental Association.   From 1999-2003 he was President of the General Dental Council and was President of the European Federation of Conservative Dentistry from 2003 to 2005.    Prof. Wilson is a former Editor of the Journal of Dentistry and Quintessentials of Dental Practice and was Chairman of the Editorial Board for Primary Dental Journal and Dental Practice magazine.   He has published more than 250 original research papers and authored and edited more than 50 books.

Dental Practice Built By Nurturing Relationships   If your marketing relies heavily on through word of mouth, even at this time of digital age; by no means, you touch everyone with what you do.   This holds true for our guest today.   Dr. Paul Abrahams is the owner of Smilemore Dental Care in St Johns Wood  since 1993. A small private practice dedicated to providing high-quality dentistry with an emphasis on dedicated personal care and attention.   Paul has wide experience in providing cosmetic dentistry and has attended many post-graduate courses in furthering his knowledge. He is currently vice-president of the Board of Directors of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentists. His specialization includes: Cosmetic Dentistry - Porcelain Veneers, cosmetic braces, tooth whitening.    Those of you who are starting, tons of life's lessons you will learn from this episode with Paul.    And get a load of wisdom, from the time he started out and after 30 years in practice to selling his practice.    Hear Paul as he dive deep on life’s lessons that you can learn from may it be personal or career life.   Are you in the moment asking yourself if it is time to sell your practice, this episode is for you. Find out how he makes the transition easy.    Enjoy!   I think it came naturally to me, but learning how to deal with people in the dental situation is key. A lot of people are struggling with them. It's probably one of the biggest factors; a patient putting trust in you. Sometimes there are loads of dentists out there who may have the same clinical skills as you, if not better. - Paul Abrahams   What you will discover from this episode:   03:21The time in his life he ever thought he'd become a dentist   12:42 Recounting the time when he was in the university taking up dentistry   17:09 Why communication is important with patients   18:25 The biggest clinical mistake he made   26:47 Will AI replaces dentists in the future?   29:18 Why he is having a relaxed environment at work   31:50 The relationship that should exist between the subordinate and people in the leadership position   35:58 US vs UK teeth; the difference between American and British patients   37:33 How to instill his own principles to his people   43:49 How he takes time off from work   52:29 His advice on how to stay grounded as a dentist Connect with Paul Abrahams:   Smilemore Dental Care LinkedIn Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

What would you do when your professional capacity as a dentist is being questioned?   What if you are accused of doing something unethical against a patient? That is one thing that would shake you to the core.   But this man’s response was of holding his ground and letting the truth unfold on its own and proved the accuser of maliciously inventing stories against him.   This guest for today indeed went through this, but all's well that ends well.   Sia Mirfendereski qualified from the Royal London Hospital in 1991 and received his Masters at the Royal London Hospital in Gerodontology in 1995 and is currently working as a principal at Wimpole Dental Office and Dulwich Dental Office. He has formerly held the position of Honorary Associate Clinical Professor at The University of Warwick and Honorary Clinical Teaching Fellow in Education and Development at the same institute. A strong advocate for preventative care and fundamental adherence to Duty of Care, he involved his students in all aspects about ultimate patient satisfaction. His professional interests and expertise focus on Prosthodontics (registered with the GDC - Specialist in Prosthodontics) as well as Minor Oral Surgery and former contract holder in oral surgery.   Sia also does dental consultancy for Chelsea Football Club, and he is the chairman of the British Dental Bleaching Society. He has lectured extensively regarding dental bleaching in the UK and internationally.   So much to learn on this episode as he relates his dental journey from the time he was at school to the time he owned practice, and have done consultancy.   How he handles the struggles and triumphs is something that you can apply in your own life.   He’s been through tough times in his practice. Sia overcomes his adversities. There are pure nuggets of wisdom with which you can pick up.   Enjoy!   As I always do, I sit back and I don't react with an email or pick up the phone and start ranting and raving. I've learned that through managing a High Street practice, digest the information because the first thing that will come out of your mouth is usually the wrong thing. - Dr. Sia Merfendereski    What you will discover from this episode:   04:52 What made Eddie Lynch a big factor of influence on his dental career   08:02  When did he decide to own a dental practice   12:54 Sia’s marketing strategy that kickstart the growth of his business   14:42 The reason why he sell his dental practice   16:15 Sports and Dentistry; how he made these two worked together    29:18 The best and worst thing about working in Wimpole street   36:13 Sia’s person-centered care approach in his NHS practice   40:35 How to recruit and hire top quality staff   41:56 Why he considers himself a “Google boss”   46:50 What could he have done differently early on in his career   48:15 How he handle the personal attack held against him    Connect With Sia Mirfenereski   LinkedIn   Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

"Become what you see in the world." As a crusader for veganism and animal rights, Keval has a great belief that this is the way to go to counter climate change and carbon footprint.   The adage best personifies this guest for this episode.   Keval Shah joined the practice in 2010. He graduated from Guy's King's and Thomas' Dental Institute in 2006 and worked in practice for a year before working as a Senior House Officer in Lincoln and Kettering in the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department.   This was followed by a year of training in Special care Dentistry in Northampton, where he treated patients with special needs and dental phobia. He went to work in a village in rural India, helping people with their dental problems. He has a particular interest in minimally invasive dentistry and cosmetic treatment and hopes to train further in providing simple orthodontic treatment.   When out of work, he reads extensively about nutrition and its healing potential. He is a consistent crusader for animal rights and helps organise events related to environmental conservation. Swimming and keeping fit, and spending time with loved ones are what he enjoys the most.   Join Keval as he gets passionate about his own beliefs and preference about veganism and animal rights.   Learn why there is this burning desire in him about delivering his message for everyone to go vegan and respecting animal rights.   Keval gets his message across, especially in how being vegan has given him optimal results in his health issues.   He discusses how this lifestyle translates to saving the world. For him, veganism will save us from water shortage and hunger.   It is his life-long mission for everyone to be made aware that veganism saves the world from climate change.   Let's dive deep into the conversation.   Enjoy!   It is about going on the journey and realizing that there is so much we can do to change. Taking those steps, you are becoming part of a healing planet. Because we have burned it a lot and it's time to start healing again by finding our way back to living simply. - Keval Shah   What you will discover from this episode   04:08 Keval’s simple childhood years, family background, and life in Kenya   06:49 What is the principles and history of Jainism   07:44 How he was brought up to be vegetarian   15:27 Why he stopped eating meat and started being vegetarian again   23:09 The inconvenient truth about the free-range animals, and humane killing of animals   37:55 Can going vegan cut off your carbon footprint    42:21 How does he combine his veganism belief and dental practice   45:48 Will going vegan prevents climate change   48:43 What pushes him to become a vegan crusader   50:36 How can we urge dentists fight to reduce the carbon footprint   01:05:18 How to start transitioning to a vegan diet   Connect With Keval Shah:   Bushey Dental Surgery Animal Interfaith Alliance   Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

Today’s guest is one of dentistry’s polarising figures.   As a youngster, Liverpool lad Robbie Hughes made his living knocking teeth out in the ring. These days - although still a relative newcomer - he is one of cosmetic dentistry’s most-recognised faces.   His Dental Excellence and Millionaire Smiles brands represent a paradigm shift in high-end dentistry.      Love him or hate him, Robbie isn’t going anywhere just yet. In one of our most open and engaging podcasts so far, Robbie takes us from Wavertree beginnings to ambitious plans for the future, giving us an insight into the tenacious mindset that is helping him bridge the two in style.   Enjoy!   About Dr Robbie Hughes Former kickboxing world champion Dr Robbie Hughes graduated with honours from the University of Liverpool in 2008, taking with him an array of prestigious awards for academic and clinical performance.   He went on to pursue a special interest in cosmetic dentistry which is realised in his successful Dental Excellence and Millionaire Smiles brands.   He has undertaken training with some of dentistry’s leading lights and gained postgraduate certificates and diplomas in smile makeovers, full mouth reconstructions, orthodontics and composite bonding techniques.    “Yeah, I think the word obsession is the right word....I always have this vision in my mind, and these visions don't go away. It's the person that I am, I always have a new vision, a new goal. And I try to break down that big picture into small stepping stones and I become obsessed with that stepping stone until I meet it and then I want to go to the next one.”   Robbie Hughes   Show Contents 01.47 - Kickboxing and growing up in Wavertree 06.57 - Academia 11.23 - On dentistry and entrepreneurship 19.18 - The Dental Excellence concept 15.52 - Nitpicking and scaling practice 30.21 - Backtracking - Dental Excellence’s early days 37.16 - What’s driving Robbie Hughes? 39.34 - Robbie’s dental team 46.26 - Finding what you love 49.00 - Working with The Reds 54.34 - Dealing with stick 59.28 - Robbie’s marketing budget 01.03.38 - If the face fits 01.05.36 - Mistakes and mis-starts 01.10.15 - Work-life balance 01.15.13 - Robbie’s biggest clinical error 01.17.34 - Wise words   Connect With Robbie Hughes Instagram Website   Connect with Prav and Payman: Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

A rising star of a dentist is in the offing.    The guest we have today is putting to good use what she has learned running a restaurant business in the dental field.  The entrepreneurial side of it has worked to her advantage in dealing with her role as a dental practitioner.   Dr. Elaine Mo is a general practitioner and a member of the Joint Dental Faculties of Royal College of Surgeons England. She has a wealth of knowledge in various aspects of Dentistry. With advanced training in Restorative Aesthetic Operative Dentistry, Endodontics and Anterior Alignment Orthodontics, Elaine also continued to work closely alongside some highly regarded clinicians to enhance her surgical and Implant related dental skills.   She graduated from Barts and the London and has developed her skills with extensive postgraduate education as a keen believer in maintaining up-to-date knowledge. This inspired her to travel internationally to hone her skills to be able to combine her multiple skill sets to offer her patients a wide range of options available focusing on rehabilitation of health and restoration of function and aesthetics with a minimally invasive approach.   And since this podcast is dedicated to helping you maximize your full potential, you will hear how Elaine uses her communication skills to establish a relationship with a patient.   Also, we dive into her biggest takeaways from her mentors that thought her how to persevere.    You’re not going to want to miss this episode!   There are a lot of dentists out there who, even though we're at the same level, but what makes it different is asking the patient how they are, their family, making them feel at home and actually being a person rather than their dentist. - Elaine Mo   What you will discover from this episode   05:11 The key to having a good relationship with your patients   07:46 Definitions, methods, and guide on how she does her consultation   10:27 Why does she implemented the “Ask 3 non-clinical questions” to your new patient   15:37 The importance of discussing health care costs with patients   18:28 Why does health care professionals need personal skills   19:45 The need to take your staff into the happiness equation along with the patients   28:37 Bad word of mouth stories about dentists    30:46 Lessons from the biggest clinical mistake she has made   37:53 Is now the perfect time for Elaine to start her own practice   43:54 As a mentee, she shares her mentors’ lessons of perseverance   50:28 The clinical hack that Elaine has developed   54:34 One big advice to the young generation of dentists   Connect With Elaine Mo   Ridgway Dental Smile Hub   Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

For some people, dentistry runs in the blood.    And that’s definitely true of today’s guest, Zainab Al-Mukhtar, for whom formative years spent watching mum practise made the dental clinic feel like a second home.      Zainab talks about Instagram, motherhood and approaching cosmetic work as an artform. She also discusses the joy to be found in teaching others.   Enjoy!       “I want to continue doing what I'm doing, but just continue taking it to the next level each time. I am, where I am, really happy doing what I'm doing now. I just want to do more of it.” Zainab Al Mukhtar    About Zainab Al-Mukhtar   Zainab graduated from Guy’s Kings & St Thomas with distinction in 2010.   She pursued an early interest in cosmetic dentistry, especially in the art of direct sculpting composite veneers and now holds a postgraduate certificate in aesthetic dentistry.   Keen artist Zainab now brings her eye to bear on facial aesthetic treatments and is a trainer and demonstrator with Oris Medical at the Royal College of General Practitioners      Zainab holds the Royal College of Surgeons Edingurgh’s Diplomate of Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery and was awarded membership of the Joint Dental Faculties of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. She is also a member of the British Academy of Restorative Dentistry.   Outside of dentistry, Zainab enjoys travel, drawing and spending time with family.    In this episode:   01:10 Growing up   05:30 Watching mum at work   11:31 Starting in practise   14:56 Business and entrepreneurship   17:57 Instagram   22:36 Women in dentistry   29:59 Aesthetics and art   34:00 Results and longevity   35:57 Personal development   41:08 Achieving work-life balance   44:09 Tips for being in business   48:59 Zainab’s biggest clinical mistake   50:15 Teaching aesthetics   Connect with Zainab:   Instagram Harrow on the Hill Clinic   Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

Knowing your ‘why’ always pushes you to be the best that you can be.   Today’s guest knows his why, and that makes him more determined than ever to do what he’s got to do.   In a slight departure for Dental Leaders, this week we chat to a leading light in aesthetics and cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Benji Dhillon.   Alongside ep5 guest Mark Hughes, Benji is co-founder of Define Clinic, which is currently leading the way in non-invasive treatments.   Benji talks about his extraordinary sense of purpose and determination and gives us the lowdown on the latest trends in aesthetics.   “I'm a big believer that facial aesthetic treatments should be used in a way that no one knows you've had it done. And it's all about being age-appropriate.”  - Benji Dhillon   About Benji Dhillon   Benji Dhillon is a cosmetic surgeon, and clinical director and co-founder of Define Clinic, Beaconsfield.   He is a member of the Royal College of Surgeons and has undergone training in some of the UK’s leading hospitals.    Benji has also spent time as a medical director for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa for Allergan - the developers of Botox. He led clinical studies into anti-wrinkle injections and Juvederm fillers and implemented an international training program for safer aesthetics delivery.   He regularly speaks at international congresses and has published research in medical journals.       In this episode:   03:05 Learned values   23:53 Benji’s biggest mistake   28:20 The ethics of aesthetics   34:30 A confidence shaker   38:01 Benji’s business partnership   45:24 The top trend in aesthetics   56:12 Being the boss - the dos and don'ts of managing   59:30 Dentistry vs medical doctor   Connect With Benji   drbenjidhillon.com Instagram   Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

Mahrukh Khwaja is on a mission to empower women in dentistry - a quest borne out of dealing with difficult bosses and overcoming unhealthy relationships.   In today’s episode, Mahrukh talks about why she feels something worth striving for - and why more women dentists should be celebrated.   She also shares some thoughts on her other passions - mindfulness, meditation and the art of maintaining good mental health.     Enjoy!   “In our profession, mental wellness is not always really focused on. I feel like burnout and stress is a common issue amongst dentists currently. Whenever I connect with other dentists, they will tell me about their story, and stress, burnout and long hours, and rumination over patient complaints is a common one that I'm hearing. If there was a way to support our profession - I'd love to really focus on that.” - Mahrukh Khwaja   About Mahrukh Khwaja Since graduating from King's College in 2010, Mahrukh has dedicated herself to helping patients regain their confidence through cosmetic dentistry.    Mahrukh also holds a PSE in psychology - a qualification which helps her to build meaningful connections with patients and provide holistic treatment.    In this episode:   02:55 Empowering women in dentistry   08:57 Perfecting the work/life balance   11:03 Looking after mental health   16:04 How Mahrukh overcame a past relationship   30:41 The benefits of therapy   36:11 Female role models in dentistry   42:47 The importance of mindfulness Connect with Mahrukh Khwaja:   LinkedIn   Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram

The art of knowing when to let go is not something that comes easy.   However, when one of dentistry’s biggest influencers found that stress in his personal life was putting a dampener on professional success, he did just that.   We talk to James Goolnik about family, client relationships and why the multi-practice model isn’t for him.   Enjoy!   “The number one thing you have got to get is a relationship with your patient. Make sure there's a connection. Make sure there is trust and when things go wrong. Dentistry is not ideal. We are human. Everyone makes mistakes, something happens. But if you have a relationship with the patient, they know, like, and trust you, you can handle it.” - James Goolnik   About James Goolnik  James is a member of the British Dentistry of Occlusal Studies and British Dental Association and is a Dental Phobia certified dentist.   He has twice been listed in Private Dentistry’s poll of top 20 Elite Dentists and was voted the UK’s most influential person in Dentistry of 2011 and 2012 by trade magazine Dentistry.   He is a judge for both the Dental Industry Awards and the Dentistry Awards.   James lectures internationally and has delivered seminars on tooth whitening techniques, minimally-invasive dentistry, and dental marketing.   His book Brush is an Amazon bestseller and all profits go to Dentaid. He is currently working on a project tackling the use of sugar as a reward for children.     In this episode:   13:12 How determination and grit gets him into dental school   21:33 James’ career   25:51 Are dentists bad at business?   38:48 Client relationships   40:30 The multi-practice model   42:50 Patient marketing methods   45:36 How success affects family life   54:16 Two simple stress-relievers   57:47 James’ biggest mistake    01:02:46 Leading by example    01:09:54 Hiring and firing   01:11:59 The Rewards Project -  shifting the rewards culture   01:19:02 Love, be loved and never stop learning Connect With James Goolnik:   bowlanedental.com LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube Pinterest Connect with Prav and Payman:   Website Prav on Instagram Payman on Instagram