#319 The Network Effect — Nikhil Sethi

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 Episode

00:02:10 - Return to the podcast

00:08:00 - BAAD presidency and academy culture

00:13:30 - Young BAAD initiative

00:16:05 - Post-COVID events and networking value

00:20:30 - Career transitions and taking the plunge

00:23:15 - Keys to staying happy in dentistry

00:26:10 - Elevate education platform origins

00:28:00 - Focusing on foundations over the last 5%

00:29:00 - Patient communication and relationship building

00:36:50 - Building the Elevate diploma

00:40:15 - Business ventures and collaboration

00:57:25 - Learning from Dev Patel and Dental Beauty

01:00:55 - Drew Shah and Dentinal Tubules influence

01:02:40 - Leadership and financial education

01:04:15 - Spinning multiple plates

01:07:15 - Hands-on course disasters and problem solving

01:18:05 - Lab relationships and communication

01:25:15 - Trust and long-term lab partnerships

01:31:20 - Physical impressions versus digital scanning

01:33:15 - Using digital technology for patient education

01:37:00 - Direct versus indirect treatment decisions

01:38:05 - Check scans and real-time lab communication

01:40:00 - Managing patient expectations and workflows

01:42:30 - Complex case treatment planning in stages

01:46:00 - Importance of mastering the basics

01:50:35 - Materials knowledge and reducing variables

01:54:00 - Continuous learning and accepting failures

About Nikhil Sethi

Nikhil 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.