Dental Leaders Podcast

Implantology educator, Pav Khaira, discusses his upbringing in a family shop, his journey to success in the dental industry, and his experience with bankruptcy. He also reflects on the importance of education, relationships, and the relief that comes from overcoming challenges. The podcast concludes with a fun hypothetical question about a fantasy dinner party.

Nino Sporomadze grew up in the former Soviet Union before making her way to the UK, where she has enjoyed a decade-long career as a hospitality entrepreneur.    And she is about to undertake a journey of a very different kind as she pivots from being a restauranteur to a trained psychotherapist.   In this week’s episode, Nino discusses how her experience as an immigrant to the UK informs her mindset.    She also shares her thoughts on early and inter-generational traumas and sparks a lively discussion about gender roles, societal expectations and culture.   Enjoy!     In This Episode 02.48 - The immigrant experience 11.04 - Boarding school 14.40 - Trauma, development and healing 25.41 - Gender roles and culture 51.45 - Waka, entrepreneurialism and adversity 01.02.53 - Closing quiz About Nino Sporomadze  Nino Sporomadze is an entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the hospitality space and co-founder of the Waka Asian fusion restaurant brand. She is currently training in psychotherapy.  

Payman says Bournemouth’s Dental on the Banks is one of the most beautiful practices he’s ever seen.    So what’s the story?   Brothers and clinic founders Damon and Ramtin Taheri tell all in this week’s episode. Damon and Ramtin also discuss life in Sweden, where both gained speciality status in orthodontics, and dispel several widespread clear aligner mistakes and misconceptions.   Enjoy!   In This Episode 02.25 - Backstory 05.53 - Sweden Vs UK 13.23 - Specialising 21.10 - Dental on the Banks 33.41 - Recruitment, training and culture 42.26 - Brand positioning 44.28 - Clear aligner misconceptions 48,21 - The Clear Aligner Programme 55.30 - Invisalign mistakes 01.04.31 - Agnosticism 01.10.19 - Teaching Vs practice 01.13.34 - Blackbox thinking 01.23.11 - Fantasy dinner party and podcast guests 01.27.54 - Last days and legacy About Damon and Ramtin Taheri Brothers Damon and Ramtin Taheri specialised in orthodontics at Gothenburg University in Sweden.   They jointly founded Bournemouth-based Dental on the Banks and run comprehensive Invisalign training together through their Complete Aligner Programme brand.  

Mind Movers - Waz Ashayer Inviting patients to appear as podcast guests is officially now a thing…   But there’s so much more to Waz Ashayer.    The fitness influencer, entrepreneur, and soon-to-be TV personality talks candidly about his rise to success from a low point of substance misuse, addiction and depression.    Enjoy!  In This Episode 03.01 - Defining addiction 11.47 - The turning point 24.58 - Positive Vs negative addictions 28.29 - Modelling 32.46 - Advice to Waz’s younger self 38.25 - Go Hard or Go hard 43.13 - Influences and inspirations About Waz Ashayer Waz Ashayer is the founder of the pop-up fitness brand Raise LDN, described as the ‘fitness industry’s legal high’.    He is the group fitness manager for Equinox and a trainer for the leading on-demand fitness app FIIT.   Waz is also a brand ambassador for many leading fitness brands.   

Guest speaker Amin Aminian, chief dental officer of the Falkland Islands and founder of one of the Northwest's busiest referral clinics, discusses his journey in dentistry, from becoming a specialist and a principal to the challenges of rehabilitation and pricing. He emphasizes the importance of confidence, humility, and excellence, as well as the patient journey and the benefits of digital dentistry. Aminian also shares insights on work ethic, training abroad, and his fantasy podcast and dinner party guests.

When Maria Ensabella unleashed her London Cryo concept on the UK capital in 2006, she knew little about how to market the business successfully.   Maria chats with Rhona and Payman about finding her feet as an entrepreneur and gives a rapid-fire rundown of the benefits of the innovative cryo, hyperbaric, and IV therapies.   Maria also reveals the most significant mistakes and struggles she has overcome since launching London Cryo and discusses how businesses can retain their sense of purpose as they scale.   Enjoy!    In This Episode 02.36 - Entering business and marketing 14.25 - Cryo and cold therapy 22.20 - Oxygen and hyperbaric therapy 25.51 - IV therapies 31.20 - Business, purpose and well-being 34.10 - Capital, exits and preserving USPs 42.22 - Mistakes 43.39 - Management 49.45 - Struggles 54.04 - Back in time About Maria Ensabella Maria Ensabella is one of the UK's leading wellness practitioners. Since 2016, she has pioneered a range of treatments and therapies through her London Cryo brand. Ella is also a fitness enthusiast preparing for her seventh marathon.  

Strap in for a deep conversation as Prav sits down to chat with GDPR consultant to the dental industry, Adrian Dray.    Adrian talks candidly about his difficult formative experiences as the victim of bullying at an early age, a crisis spurred by the passing of his father, and the confronting of his mortality following a brutal confrontation with COVID.   There’s also plenty of practical insight as Adrian discusses the impact of much-misunderstood GDPR on dentistry and the potentially paradigm-shifting effects of emerging AI technologies.    To learn more about AI's potential impact, listen to the Implement AI podcast with Piers Linney and Aaalok Shukla. Grab Adrian’s Exclusive AI & GDPR Freebies! Adrian is giving away two essential guides on AI and GDPR exclusively to Dental Leaders listeners.   Get Adrian’s Chat GPT Guide for Dentists Get ChatGPT - A Dental Business Game Changer with 100% by following this link or entering code DL100 at checkout. (Offer limited to the first 100 listeners only.)    Exclusive Free Download for Dental Practices You can grab Adrian’s invaluable Privacy Notice Template for dental practices (usually £57) here with this exclusive link or by entering code DL100 at checkout.    Exclusive Free Download for Dental Associates Associates can download Adrian’s website Privacy Notice Template (usually £52) by following this link or entering code DL100 at checkout. In This Episode 01.52 - Backstory 05.03 - Bullying 22.07 - The dental community 34.48 - Breakdown and recovery 47.54 - GDPR—issues and risks 01.05.47 - Real-world examples 01.24.17 - AI for dentists 01.36.53 - Health, COVID and fasting 02.07.24 - Compassion and internal family systems 02.13.59 - Last days and legacy About Adrian Dray Adrian Dray is a leading advisor to UK dentists on GDPR privacy and data regulation and a former Data Protection Officer for over 600 dental practices.   He is passionate about helping dentists take advantage of emerging AI technologies.   

Prepare for a deep, touching and wide-ranging conversation as host Rhona connects with her therapist, Ella McCrystal.   Multidisciplinary therapist Ella discusses the role of trauma in shaping the psyche from a young age. She shares insight on coping with trauma and catastrophising, talks about the shifting landscape of gender, and reveals how helping a client overcome dental phobia led to an unexpected opportunity.   Enjoy!    In This Episode 04.53 - Trauma and EMDR 17.59 - Disclosure, forgiveness 26.59 - Free will and programming 33.06 - Therapy, leadership, and isolation 40.11 - Masculinity and toxic masculinity 54.27 - Gender roles 01.03.03 - Children and careers 01.07.12 - Tools for change 01.12.30 - Catastrophising and internalisation 01.19.25 - Dentistry, skills, and values 01.27.58 - TED  01.29.50 - Fears and mistakes  About Ella McCrystal Ella McCrystal is an accredited psychotherapist, clinical hypnotherapist, and mindset coach. She is also the owner and manager of The Northampton Clinic, a private multi-disciplinary health clinic in central Northampton.   She is a published author and writer who shares insights through her Medium blog and has also created an online self-help course to help people to gain a deeper understanding of their thoughts and behaviours.  

A passion for drama and the stage run in the family for Trishala Lakhani, so it’s not surprising that her early dental career has gone hand-in-hand with appearances on the pageantry stage and as a TV documentary presenter.   Trishala discusses the stigma around becoming Miss GB, how the opportunity helped highlight the problem of acid attacks against women in India and the reasons behind her BBC documentary on Turkey Teeth.   Enjoy! In This Episode 00.39 - The media, dentistry, and fame 10.05 - Turkey Teeth 21.39 - Miss GB, pageants, and stigma 30.00 - India’s Acid attack problem 34.14 - Dental school 37.55 - God, karma, and spirituality 42.45 - Black box thinking 47.54 - Plans and dreams 57.30 - Recognition and notoriety 01.09.24 - Last days and legacy About Trishala Lakhani  Trishala Lakhani has worked with oral cancer and trauma patients and in general practice.   In 2022, she won the public vote to become Miss University Great Britain but left the competition to pursue TV presenting and journalism.   Her first documentary on Turkey Teeth prompted a national conversation on dental tourism. It was nominated for Best Investigation of the Year at the Asian Media Awards and  Most Impactful Journalism at the BBC News Awards.  

Ash Soneji is among a surprising number of dentists interested in stage magic.    In this week’s episode, he tells how his hobby has found its way into his highly regarded teaching and lecturing on non-invasive dentistry.    Ash also discusses his journey from early practice to education, the rigours (and joys) of new family life, and his commitment to the principles of non-invasive treatment.   Enjoy!     In This Episode 01.36 - Meeting Ash 02.45 - Back story 03.35 - Discovering and studying dentistry 11.47 - First job 15.39 - Minimally invasive dentistry 21.05 - Pathways into practice 38.40 - Family life 40.56 - Teaching 50.07 - Magic 58.14 - Black box thinking 01.07.07 - Plans 01.11.31 - The next generation 01.13.14 - Regrets 01.14.51 - Fantasy podcast guests 01.23.32 - Last days and legacy About Ash Soneji Ash Soneji is a passionate proponent and teacher of minimally-invasive dentistry.   He graduated with honours and served as a Senior House Officer in Restorative and Oral Surgery at Guys’ Hospital in London Bridge.    He gained the MJDF diploma from the Royal College and holds certificates in Cosmetic and Advanced Restorative Dentistry and Implant Dentistry.    Ash was awarded the Aesthetic Dentistry Award in the Tooth Whitening category and recognised as the Best Young Dentist South West in 2018.